Goat Kids Dieing...What to Do

My eight does gave birth to 13 kids (some of the kids did not make it but our total healthy kid count after the first couple weeks was 13). Two died from angling themselves in the gate. Fixed that problem. My wife and I went to buy a car and were gone for a week. When we got back five of our 11 goat kids were diarrhetic. We called the vet and the vet said they were malnourished. I was baffled because they always have plenty of food and water. So we followed the vets instructions on how to bring back appetite, cleanse the stomach from potential parasites and get them more nutrition. Goats still dying. Wife got online to look up symptoms and they seem to match listeriosis. One of the kids that was doing very poorly this morning I just put down because she would not drink or eat anything and had the pre death look.

I've got two left. Vet won't answer my calls. Should I put them down to keep the other seemingly healthy kids healthy? I've got eight kids left that look alright, one seems a little week but she been small and week from day one and that may be me just seeing into things. We got blood work done in April and everything was clear.

My wife also had a miscarriage in April at five months and now she is afraid that maybe she picked something up from the goats that killed our baby and is now killing the baby goats.

Any thoughts would be helpful.

PLease keep in mind that we are in a rural location in Siberia, Russian Federation. No vet supply store, limited drug store, herbal remedies and home brews and human meds is what we mostly have access to.

First--truly sorry about all the recent losses and worries.

Secondly--Did you give selenium shots or gel when born?

Justus, I have no idea what is going on with your kids. I will keep reading in hopes I can learn something. But mainly, I just want to offer my support and concern. I am hoping for a recovery.

So sorry. So so sorry, for the kids and for yours and your wifes loss of a child.

hugs

Thekla

I asked a few of my goat-keeping friends and, whilst they didn't come up with anything conclusive, they did share a few ideas.

First a link to a blog post about Recent goat miscarriage: possible causes & implications

And a few thoughts from a very experienced UK breeder

"Things come to mind for scour/weight loss of young kids - clostridial infections, e-coli, salmonella (would have a high temperature and tend to die suddenly) coccidia (no high temperature and looks like plain old ill thrift, they go pot-bellied and thin as well as having dark diarrhea).

Older kids, worms is the most obvious, clostridia again. Clostridial vaccines may not work as well on goats. Some deficiences, like B12 and selenium can give similar symptoms but don't usually cause death."

Hows it going Justus? Hope things have gotten better.

Thanks all for your responses, thoughts and condolences. I think the down sides of the "good life" get less attention but they can be very real.

I'll look into selenium. Never gave them any of that.

Of the five that were sick, four died. Too bad. One is still kind of weak but I think he is pulling out of it.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!!

We will carry on!