04/21/2012 Domino Stubs died in my arms today. My heart is completely broken. There will be a huge void now without him. He was always the first to greet me and was such a happy little goat, so full of life. He had a huge heart and always looked out for his brother Oreo who had health issues. Domino, who was affectionately known as Stubby, was a very special little guy and it is ironic this wonderful goat with the big heart would die of heart failure.
04/28/2012: I am still trying to deal with the sudden death of Stubby. I miss him terribly and about the only thing that's keeping me going is the fact I have other animals who depend on me. Love and hug your precious babies while you can.
Latest: 01/18/2012 Somehow Ashes (aka:my little unihorn) tore her eyelid half off and the vet come out this morning to stitch it back on. She is doing very well and much better then I anticipated. The tear does not seem to be bothering her, and after the vet reattached it she looks no worse for wear, however we are concerned whether the injury was caught in time. If things go as we hope, the eyelid will grow back together and be like new. If not, the tissue will die and Ashes could lose the eyelid...not a good thing. Please send healing thoughts and prayers for Ashes' full recovery!
Update 02/14/2012: Almost all of Ashes eyelid reattached except for a tiny bit on the outer corner which was not viable tissue. (it dried and dropped off) So she has almost a normal eyelid and is doing very well.
UPDATE: 01/16/2012 Lewis has come quite a ways since contracting meningeal worm. He is much more stable and sure on his feet and no longer walks like a drunk. He has returned to his social frisky self, although he still has a little way to go before a complete recovery, his progress has been slow but improving every day!
UPDATE: 12/22/2011 Yesterday, Lewis suddenly had weak back legs and was wobbly on his feet. I called out the vet that morning as soon as I noticed him stumbling and the vet examined Lewis and determined he most likely has meningeal worm for which we are treating him. He shows the signs of having been infected. It is a parasite prevalent in areas with a lot of white tail deer (which we have an abundance of) and the parasite larvae migrates into the spinal cord and/or the brain in goats. He was given a high dose of panacur (or safeguard, a dose which I will repeat in 2 weeks), steroids, a long lasting anti-biotic (just in case this is listeriosis) and banamine. I am hoping there was no, or very little, nerve tissue damage and no lasting neurological deficits. Signs of improvement won't be noticed for about 2 weeks, but I will be giving him physical therapy in addition to nutritional support. Please pray Lewis has a full recovery and send lots of love and healing thoughts his way! TY If you want to know more about meningeal worm in goats there is info here http://
August 31, 2011 LAST UPDATE On Spice: Spice passed peacefully away this morning after a long hard battle with the insidious disease that robbed her of her life at only 5-1/2 years old. We had a special bond since as an orphan, I bottle fed and raised her from three days old. She was my baby girl and I will miss her terribly. The barn will be eerily quiet now without her vocal greeting in the morning when I go out to feed the goats. I am heartbroken beyond words.
UPDATE On Spice July 24, 2011: Spice has taken a turn for the worse and is again off feed. We are going to try long acting antibiotics and I started her on an equine senior feed which is high protein, easy to digest and much easier for her to chew and swallow. I am also syringe feeding a high protein drink in her. Please pray she improves. She is getting to be skin and bones and I am very worried.
UPDATE On Spice July 10, 2011: Spice saw the vet and he could not find anything wrong with her teeth. She needed to be wormed (which I already knew) so he wormed her and gave her a vitamin B complex shot to simulate her appetite. He checked her over thoroughly and could find nothing that would make her stop eating. He thinks she may have gotten a bit of moldy hay, so I have thrown out all the left over hay from last years 3rd cutting and am feeding the goats this years first cutting.
I started her on probiotics and along with the vitamin B shot she has been improving every day so hat her appetite is almost back to normal. She is no longer depressed and is active and once again interacting with the other goats. She's on the mend and thank you to all who helped toward the vet bill.