Dead Goat

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Some of you may remember me but in case not -- I was on the forum about a year and a half ago trying to nurse my goat to health. She was not even a year and she had pneuamonia. I was successful and she did wonderful this spring and summer. I got her a friend, a little pygmy. She was a half nubian. They did well together. I put some extra straw in their hut last evening because it was starting to snow. They had water, they had hay and they had a dry place to sleep. She was laying down at the time but didn't look sick. She ate some grain and I went out this morning to check them and open the door to the hut and change the water, etc. and she was in the same place as I had left her last evening -- dead. She looked like she died in her sleep. I have NO idea what happened and it has upset me a great deal. I thought I was doing everything right. The other goat is fine, a little sad. She didn't greet me with her normal "baa" sound this morning. The water wasn't frozen in the hut so it wasn't too cold. Can anyone have a guess as to what went wrong? Is it possible that she got a hold of something that may have been poisonous? We have a rhododedren bush in the yard and they can't get to it, but the neighbor children can. Sunday, those children were around the goats. I have told them on numerous occasions to not feed my goats. I didn't see them feeding them anything but it is possible. Would it be possible -- almost three days from the fact she could have been poisoned? I am beating myself up over this -- I mean I nursed her back from pneuamonia (the vet said she was lucky she was still alive) She was my little baby. And now she is gone. I am going to have to try and find a buddy for my pygmy because I really feel they need a friend. They do better.

-- Wendy Hodorowski (wendy@hodorowski.com), November 27, 2002

Answers

Wendy, first let me say that I am so sorry that she is gone. :-( There really is no way to know exactlt what happened to her- it may have been a heart attack. Whatever it was, sounds like she died quickly and in peace so that is something to be thankful for. It may be that the pneumonia had weakened her and that she lived but her health just was not up to par. It sounds like you take excellent care of them, she had everything she needed, it wasn't your fault that she died. Rhododendron is very poisonous, I could be wrong but think it kills the goat the same day, within hours. It could be though, that the kids picked some and then left it where the goats could get to it later on and that that is what happened. Again, I am sorry and don't beat yourself up over it anymore- you didn't do a thing wrong and she knew a lot of love while she was alive- that's what really counts to an animal.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), November 28, 2002.

I'm sorry for your loss. It sounds like your doing everything right so don't beat yourself up.

-- bergy (bbergbower@hotmail.com), November 29, 2002.

maybe the kid gave the leaf to the goats

-- brandi rohr (HRohr2410@yahoo.com), March 03, 2005.

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