Goat Paralysis starting.....HELP!

[copperkid3]

Last week, as is my custom, after giving a scoop of minerals in a large pan and everyone is crowding around, I'll do a head count.  I came up one short and immediately did a separate count of each sex, to narrow down just who was missing.  Turns out it was the herd sire and so went for a walk-about the property and a short time later, found him down and from the looks of where he lay, he'd been there all night, as there were worn areas in the grass and dirt where he'd been pawing and trying to gain a footing to get up.  I tried to get him onto his feet, but Pancho is a very large Boer buck and we were unsuccessful.  I knew he was dying and at that point I could do nothing more for him.  That was last week and today, when I went out to check on everyone, I discovered another member of the herd missing.  Again a head count and the 2nd in command; Pancho's son, Patrick was missing.  I quickly searched and found him about 150 yards away and sort of splayed out; his back legs not moving with his front and as I approached he looked at me as if "Daddy, I can't walk right....help me."  I now know, that I should have been worming them earlier this year, but the damage is done.  I'm pretty certain that both Pancho and Pat, have contracted MENINGEAL DEERWORM and need to know the best way of stopping the progression.  From what I've read on-line, the use of Safe-Guard is recommended at 10X the dosage per 100# weight, but is it to be injected or given orally?  If injected, then given in the muscle or under the skin?  The nearest goat vet is nearly 25 miles away and doubtful that they'd open up their office on a Sunday....and trying to get a 150+ pound goat into a crate on the back of a stake bed truck and then driving him, isn't in the realm of possibilities either.....although if that's what I'd have to do, I'd certainly give it a try.  But doing such by oneself, isn't an easy task.  So, the alternative is to try and treat him here and now.  HELP!
  

[Mari-in-IN]

I'm so sorry copperkid3 that I don't have any advice - no goats here.  And also indeed sorry that you are going through this.  Seems like it is always something with our pets/livestock - eh?
But I just wanted to pop on here and say that I've been wondering how you were doing - and I do hope that someone here is able to help you out.  
Take care...
~Mari

[Deleted]

According to Tennessee meat goats, use 1% injectable ivermectin given orally at 1vs per 55 lbs of body weight. This is a one time dose. Or safeguard at 2.3 cc per 100 lbs of body weight. Can use paste or suspensions. One time dose only. Also given orally.

www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/meningealworm.html

Hope this helps. I have no experience with this one.

[copperkid3]

Quick update:  After determining that I was going to have to have a larger syringe, I headed into town and purchased a 2 pk of 35cc syringes.  Upon arrival at home, I realized that they didn't come with "needles", so jumped back in the truck and repeated the journey.  Only the original store was already closed.  What to do?  Decided to go to the competition a short distance away and after an agonizing time of trying to check out whether certain brands and styles would fit, got the right size and headed home again.  Filled the syringe to 32ccs of Safe-Guard and noted that the time was approximately 4.5 hrs from the time that I'd first seen Pat in his "condition" until I got to inject him.  During that time period, he'd gone downhill and although still able to drag himself around with his front legs, the rear were not functioning well.  I placed half the solution (16cc) in and under the skin along his left rear flank and then the remainder of the syringe (16cc) the same way on his right rear flank.  From what little I was able to glean from the following: www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/meningealworm.html  even if the treatment is "successful", in that he survives, his quality of life will be limited, as it does not generally 'cure' the paralysis that has already taken place.  IOW, Pat's days as a stud are over.   And realistically, if he survives into the beginning of winter, it will be a miracle.  He's in Gods' hands now...   Why oh why do those bottle babies have to have such pleading and sad eyes???  I'm so sorry big boy....    

[mzgarden]

copperkid3, I am so very sorry.

[Mari-in-IN]

Oct 29, 2018 1:31:43 GMT mzgarden said:

copperkid3 , I am so very sorry.

Me too...

[mzgarden]

If it helps at all, please know that your sadness has taught me. I never knew to treat my goats for prevention of deer worm during the fall. I went out this morning and gave all of mine a dose of Ivermectin, even though we have no symptoms. We have no shortage of deer along our back pasture fencing but I've never treated for prevention.

I'm so very sorry but if it helps, sharing your heartbreak might prevent other goats from being sick.

[Woodpecker]

Sorry copperkid3, I believe in miracles, maybe it’s big boys turn & yours for one🙏🏻Oh, how we love our animal families.

[princessferf]

Any update on how he's doing?

[copperkid3]

see

Nov 21, 2018 17:35:50 GMT princessferf said:

Any update on how he's doing?

I'm so glad you that you asked princessferf and I've been meaning to bring everyone that's been following this post,
up to speed with Pats' progress and prognosis and what all that I did (or didn't do) that has brought us to this point. 

Woodpecker....your prayer(s) been answered!  What happened is nothing short of miraculous and I'm still in awe at His power in doing the impossible.

Truthfully, I had little hope and even less faith in the massive dosage of drug he was about to receive and so it was with some trepidation that I started
the treatment.  Not having a scale to place him on, I guesstimated his weight at around 150 pounds (more or less) and figured out that he was to receive
roughly 32cc of injectable Ivermectin (Safe-Guard) every day for 5 consecutive days; which I initially started to do, but the 2nd day turned into night before
I could get home to do it and not having a light, decided that I'd put it off to doing it EVERY OTHER DAY and see how he responded.  I know...I know....that
wasn't in the recommendations, but when you're dealing with that much medicine and not knowing if you guessed his weight correctly, plus the fact that he
was pleading (bleating) whenever Daddy came by with that huge needle.....I wimped out and gave him and myself a bit of a breather.....that and I figured 
that it probably wouldn't make much of a difference anyway....as I didn't expect him to survive to the end of the month.  Boy, was I wrong on so many counts.
Not only did he survive, but by the beginning of the 5th day, which was nearly at the half-way point of the REVISED treatment, he was actually showing signs of RECOVERY!!!  He wasn't dragging himself around as much as the previous days, but was more stiff legged in the rear, but the legs were now more functional as well.  In fact, by the beginning of the 6th day, the entire herd was out in the forest about 150 feet away when I came out to feed them and they all started hollering and running towards the feeder that I was getting ready to place a bale of hay in.  Guess who arrived ahead of EVERYONE else, and leading the group?  
Yeah....that's right.....Patty Cake was first in line and he was literally running in front of the rest of them!!!  I simply couldn't believe it and my mouth must have hung open for nearly 5 minutes while I took in the sight.  After that, he continued to improve, although he still favors his right rear leg a bit and his evil step-brother, the infamous CopperKid, Copper, or just plain RED, has noticed that he's not quite himself yet and has taken particular delight in bashing Pat in the side and driving him to his knees whenever he gets the opportunity.  Pat fortunately, has either shaken it off or now gets in a few licks of his own and appears to have re-established his dormancy of the herd....although next rut around, it could be a blood bath between the two; both having horns and attitudes.  Still, the progress that he has made, has been remarkable and I thank God in his goodness for giving us both a 2nd chance.  One thing I might add in my treatment blunders, and that was around the 8 day (or the 4th injection), I was trying to get the needle in and having trouble due to Pat's reluctance to cooperate, as he now had some mobility and had taken to leaving the area when he would see me approaching with something hidden in my hand.  He's no dummy and I would literally have to chase him down and get in front of him to stop him long enough to get the needle into position and give him his shot.  Since I'd been normally breaking the injections into 2 each; 16cc into one flank and then the remaining 16cc into the other, I was in a bit of a hurry and failed to notice, that while the injection seemed to go more quickly than normal, it wasn't until I started to remove the needle, that I then observed that I'd pinched his skin and inserted it into and OUT the other side!!!  Effectively rending that injection useless, as the medicine was now on the OUTSIDE and dripping down his fur.  Stupid me!  Only thing that I could do, was go back to the house and get the other bottle, refill it and try, try again.  Which we then did....although the final dosage, two days later, was given ALL AT ONCE in just the one flank; Pat wasn't having much more of the sticking him here and THERE too.  I promised him that it would be the last time and hopefully he will continue to do well.  I've been opening up loaves of Cinnamon Raisin bread that a friend gave me to give to my chickens and of course, when the goats see something like this going on, they've got to partake as well and Pat has been the biggest mooch of them all.....he seems to appreciate getting a couple of slices and the new lease on life as well.  

[mzgarden]

copperkid3, I am so happy to hear this!


I've looked every day for an update and was so afraid I would see painful news. Everytime I've looked at my own little herd, I've wondered how you and your boy were doing. This is such good news!

[Mari-in-IN]

That is indeed fantastic news copperkid3, I am very happy for you - and of course for Pat!
~Mari

[Woodpecker]

This post has made me so happy copperkid3, Thank God for Pat's healing... Oh, the Power of Prayer! You did a fine job too