Disease Database C-E

CAE  (See Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis)

Campylobacteriosis

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.  424, and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 271.)  

Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis (CAE)

(Summarized from Mobini, Herd Health management Practices For Goat Production. ,  Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, p. 271, and Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine, p. 73-79.)

CAE affecting the nervous system Penn State Disease Image Gallery http://www.das.psu.edu/goats/health/gallery/

   

CAE affecting the knees (also referred to as the 'arthritic type' of CAE) Susan Schoenian http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/august2005.html#CAE

Capripox  (Goat Pox)

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine,  p. 23-24, and University of Iowa's Goat Pox Fact Sheet  http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/Sheep_and_Goat_Pox.pdf

Crusting on nose                Pox on udder                     Pox on skin                       Pox on tail
        

Photos taken by the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, and contributed to the CFSPH website at: http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesSGP.htm.  Used with permission of CFSPH.

Causative Agent: Capripox virus causing a malignant pox disease mainly found in Africa, the Middle East and Far East, though some reports in California and Scandinavia.  Virus can survive in scabs for 3 months.  Incubation 8-13 days, but sometimes as few as 4 days.
 
Clinical Signs:  Early signs: runny nose, drainage from the eyes, high fever (104 to 107.6 degrees F).  Back is arched.  Not eating. Skin lesions and scabs on nose, lips and inside mouth 1-2 days later.  Some lesions form in the lungs and digestive tract.  Lesions on the mouth may cause mouth ulcers. Hair sticks up straight on skin sores, the skin thickens and crusts form.  May make scars after healing.  Hides are damaged.   Differentiate from Parapox virus (Contagious Ecthyma, Soremouth, Orf) with electron microscope.
 
Transmission is through skin abrasion or by inhaling the virus.  Once it enters the herd, 75% of the stock will get it and half of those will die.  Mortality in kids will be 100% is the kid has other viral infections, such as peste des petits ruminants.  European breeds are more severely affected than local breeds.
 
Treatment: none
 
Prevention: Vaccination to prevent disease . Quarantine and slaughter all diseased animals and all goats they have had contact with.
 
Contagious To Humans: yes

Contagious to Other Goats: yes  
 
Links: 

Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine  p. 23-24 (skin), 183 (eye), 467 (udder).,

Goat Pox Fact Sheet http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/Sheep_and_Goat_Pox.pdf
 
Goat Pox photographs http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesSGP.htm
 
Goat Pox Power point slide show http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ppt/SheepGoatPox.ppt
 
Goat Pox Vaccine http://apps.cfsph.iastate.edu/Vaccines/disease_list.php?diseaseID=56
 
Goat Pox Images http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesSGP.htm
 
Goat Pox http://www.oie.int/eng/maladies/fiches/A_A100.HTM
 
Goat Pox http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/goatpox/
 
Goat Pox http://www.fao.org/AG/AGAInfo/subjects/en/health/diseases-cards/sgp.html

Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, p. 271.   

Caseous Lymphadenitis (CLA)

(Summarized from Mobini, Herd Health Management Practices For Goat Production  http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/field/herd_health99.htm  accessed 6-18-06.)

 
 
  Producer photo

Causative Agent: Corynobacterium pseudo tuberculosis (bacteria).  There are many causes of abscesses.  This is just one type.
 
Clinical Signs: External Abscesses  (Swollen lymph nodes.) May rupture with thick, yellow/green drainage.  Internal abscesses :in lungs may cause breathing problems.
 
Treatment: Immediately separate animal from herd and keep separate for 20-30 days or until completely healed.  Open the abscess when the hair has fallen out and the abscess is shiny, as in the picture to the left.  Flush out the drainage with diluted disinfectants. If you clean it out before the hair has fallen out, it is very difficult to clean out, and it often gets reinfected. 
 
Prevention: Consider culling goats with repeated episodes.
 
Contagious To Humans: Yes. Wear gloves.

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes. Through contact with abscesses or drainage.
 
Links:
 
Caseous Lymphadenitis   http://www.goatworld.com/articles/cl/cl.shtml
 
Caseous Lymphadenitis http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/newsletter/winter00.pdf
 
Caseous Lymphadenitis http://cahfs.ucdavis.edu/disease_pdfs/caseous_lymphadenitis.pdf
 
Smith, Goat Medicine P.26 (skin), 46-49 (overview), 249 (respiratory problems), 259-260 (lung abscesses). 499 (wasting diseases), 569 (lactation), 468 (udder.)
 
Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, at p. 271, http://www.rmncsba.org/smallruminant.pdf, 
 
Mobini, Herd Health Management Practices For Goat Production  http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/field/herd_health99.htm  accessed 6-18-06.
 
To differentiate between abscesses, depending on their location on the body, see the diagrams in Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine (1994) at p. 47 and p. 50, or go to http://goat-link.com/content/view/101/96/.

Berrier, Randall J. DVM.  CLA in Goats. http://www.colorado-serum.com/vets/vol_2/vol2_10.htm accessed 4-2-11 RE: why vaccines aren't given

Chlamydiosis

Causative Agent: Chlamydia Psittaci.  
 
Clinical Signs: Number one cause of late term abortions (those occurring in the last two months of pregnancy), especially occur in the last two weeks of gestation, and often to first time mothers.  Sometimes fetuses are born alive, but are weak.  Most are born dead, but appear fresh.  The doe usually does not appear ill and the placenta is usually not retained.  Other possible signs are arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis (pinkeye), respiratory infections and pneumonia.  Fertility is not usually affected in subsequent pregnancies after abortion.  For diagnostic criteria, see Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, p. 421.  Retain placenta for testing.
 
Treatment: Long-lasting oxytetracycline preparations or Tylosin  (Dosages are given in Smith at p. 422) 
 
Prevention: "Vaccination of all animals before breeding with a sheep chlamydial vaccine has been helpful in some herds.  Annual revaccination, or at the very least, vaccination of each year's crop of doelings, should continue indefinitely."  "Vaccination helps prevent abortion, but it does not eliminate infection."  Aborted fetuses and placentas, if not sent for testing, should be destroyed.  Does that abort should be isolated for several weeks until all vaginal discharge ends.  (Smith at 422)
 
Contagious To Humans: Yes.  Wear gloves.  Pregnant women should not be assisting with birthing.  They could be infected and abort their baby.
 
Contagious to Other Goats: Yes.  Often from ingestion of infected placenta or uterine discharges.  If animal has less than 40 days left in her present pregnancy, then she may abort her next future pregnancy.  If she has 40 or more days of gestation left in current pregnancy, she may abort the present pregnancy.
 
This disease must be reported to authorities.

Links:

Zoonotic Chlamydiaw from Mammals fact Sheet www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/chlamydiosis.pdf
 
Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 421-422 (abortion), 258 (pneumonia), 182-183 (conjunctivitis) 
 
Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272. 

Chorioptic Mange (leg mange)

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.  31, and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272. )  

Causative Agent: Mites, Chorioptes bovis. 

Clinical Signs:  Itching.  Crusts, bald patches, redness and open sores of lower legs, udder, scrotum and genital area.  The pastern areas of the legs are preferred sites for the mites. Usually seen in winter, and often spontaneously regresses in summer.  Some goats have no symptoms, but carry the mites.  Mites can survive for about 10 weeks.

Treatment: Long term treatment is often needed.  All goats in contact with infected goat should be treated and premises should be disinfected..  Haskell recommends Ivermectin every 10 days, or Amitraz dips every 10 days.  (Please note all withdrawal times for meat and milk.)  Smith and Sherman (page 31) say "Lime sulfur (four, weekly, dips or total body sprays, in 2% solution) is safe for lactating dairy goats." Some goats may need antibiotics if any areas become infected.  Antihistamines may be used for itching.
 
Contagious To Humans: yes

Contagious to Other Goats: yes 

Reportable disease: yes

 
Links:

Photo of chorioptic mange on a cow http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/itgmg09.htm, horse http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/itgmg18.htm

Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.  31
 
Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272. 
 
Hutchins, Enough to make your skin crawl: goat skin disease, University of Kentucky Goat Producer's Newsletter, June/July 2004: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/goats/newsletter/ejunejulynwsletter01604.pdf
 
External Parasites  http://www.imagecyte.com/mites.html accessed 8-23-07
 
Mites and Ticks  http://www.pested.msu.edu/Resources/bulletins/pdf/2601/LPNE2601chap3.pdf   accessed 8-23-07
 
Chorioptic Mange Mites In Sheep And Goats, Chorioptes Bovis
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/consultant/Consult.asp?Fun=Cause_206&spc=All&dxkw=chorioptic_mange&sxkw=&signs=

Chorioptic Mange  http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/72001.htm

External Parasites in Goats http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5175/EPP-7019web.pdf

Diseases of Small Ruminants: Common Diseases of Sheep and Goats in Sub-Saharan Africa by Lughano Kusiluka and Dominic Kambarage  http://www.smallstock.info/research/reports/R5499/ch7-arthropods.htm#Mange

Circling Disease (See Listeriosis)

Coccidiosis (Scours)

(Summarized from: Scott Haskell.  Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy: http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf at p. 272, and Scott Haskell,  Herd health Program  http://www.adga.org/kidding.pdf, and Pipestone vet http://www.pipevet.com/articles/tips.htm).

http://www.moa.gov.jo/html/projects/ Livestock%20Health/docs_en.htm

Causative Agent:  Eimeria Sp.
 
Clinical Signs: Usually affects infants and feeding stock 3-5 months of age.
Poor growth, weight loss, diarrhea (may be hemorrhagic,) abdominal discomfort, depression, weakness, dehydration, acidosis, anemia.

Treatment:  Good supportive care, coccidostat, sulfonamides, Amprolium. (Haskell, Small Ruminant...) 
 
SpectoGard Scour Check 1 Squirt (1 ml) twice a day, three- four days.  If continues, recheck cause.  (Dr. Kurt Hallgren DVM)  
 
For severe cases: Albon (sulfadimethoxine) 25 mg./lb. initially IV, then 12.5 mg/lb by mouth or IV thereafter until well. (Haskell, Small Ruminant ...) .
 
Prevention: Good hygiene & management, low stress, no feeding on ground, small group housing.  Use of Monensin, Lasalocid, Deconquinate. (Haskell Small Ruminant Diagnosis and Therapy, p. 273)

-For unweaned kids, Use a milk replacer with a coccidostat in it, (or)  add liquid Sulmet to unmedicated milk replacer or goat milk milk to prevent diarrhea.   (Haskell, Herd Health)  
-For weaned kids: mix 2# of 6% Decoquinate (Deccox) per ton of calf starter or calf grower feed (or) mix 2# of 6% Decoquinate (Deccox) per 50# of white salt and feed free choice   (Pipestone Vet)

 
Contagious To Humans: -

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes.
 
Links:
 
Scott Haskell.  Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 272:   http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf
 
Scott Haskell,  Herd health Program  http://www.adga.org/kidding.pdf
 
Pipestone Vet http://www.pipevet.com/articles/tips.htm).
 
Coccidiosis  http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/April2006.html#coccidia
 
Table of Products Used to Treat or Prevent Coccidiosis: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/coccidtable.htmCol
 
Coccidiosis: repair of damage to the intestine  http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/coccidtable.html

(Treatment with Cat's Claw, prepared as a decoction (5 gms bark simmered 30 minutes in a liter of water)
 
Coccidiosis  http://animalscience.tamu.edu/ansc/publications/sheeppubs/ASWeb050-coccidiosis.pdf

Management and Control of Goat Coccidia http://www.goatworld.com/articles/coccidiosis/goatcoccidia.shtml

Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine, 312-319 (overview) 503-507 (causes of sudden death), 248-249 (cause of coughing), 503 (disposal of body after death), 317 (table of drugs.)  

Cobalt Deficiency (White Liver Disease)

Summarized from: Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf at p. 272.

Causative Agent:  lack of cobalt in diet
 
Clinical Signs: Anemia, hypoproteinemia, thinness, weakness, listlessness, pale mucous membranes, edema below jaw, diarrhea, Polioencepalomalacia/thiamine deficiency, progressive emaciation, and hepatic lipodystrophy (Haskell at 272)

Treatment:  Provide cobalt in diet at 1 mg/head/day, Vitamin B12 shots, cobalt pellets to correct deficiency. 
 
Prevention: Provide cobalt in diet at 1 mg/head/day at all times
 
Contagious To Humans: no
 
Contagious to Other Goats: If the diet is deficient for one, it may be for all goats in the same area.
 
Links:

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 235-236  and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy,  http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p. 273. 

Causative Agent: CHF in the goat has been attributed to cor pulmonale (disease of the heart secondary to disease of lungs or their vessels).  It may be secondary to pneumonia, mediastinal thymoma ( tumor or mass) or VSD (a defect in the heart between the ventricles). (Smith at 235)

Clinical Signs:  Pulsing and/or swelling of the jugular vein (Check first to see whether the goat's collar is too tight, as this also causes swelling in this area), moist cough, tachycardia, ascites (abdominal swelling), chronic weight loss, swelling below the jaw line, exercise intolerance,, fluid in lungs, around heart, in abdomen, enlarged heart, ventricular dilation. White muscle disease (d/t to lack of selenium in diet) may lead to CHF. 

Treatment: Can include Digoxin (as in small animals), diuretics and lidocaine. (See discussion of drug options at p. 236, Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine.)

Prevention:   --

Contagious To Humans: no

Contagious to Other Goats: no

Links: 

Contact Dermatitis

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 36-37 )

Causative Agent: Excessive exposure to irritants.

Clinical Signs:  Skin is damaged. 

Treatment / prevention: Identify source of the problem and treat accordingly.  Examples: 1) Rotting away of skin from dehorning past. (Don't use it!)   2) Rubbing so much while drinking milk from the mother, that the hair is taken off, and skin lesions form on the lips and face of kids.  (Wipe or wash kid's face after each feeding if it is a problem.) 

Contagious To Humans: no

Contagious to Other Goats: no

Links: 

Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 36-37

Contagious Agalactia

(absence or failure of milk secretion ability)

(Summarized from Contagious Agalactia http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/agalactia/index.htm)

Causative Agent: Incubation period of 5-7 days after subcutaneous inoculation and up to 60 days after natural exposure. 

Clinical Signs:  High fever, 105.8 - 107.6 degrees F (41-42 degrees C)
Depression, lack of appetite, inflammation of the cornea of the eye which may lead to swelling, ulceration, decreased vision or blindness, arthritis, mastitis, abortion.

The goat's milk becomes yellow, and if left to stand for a while, becomes separates out into a green layer with sediment at the bottom.  The acidity of the milk changes from a normal pH of 6.8 to pH 7.8,,  The udder atrophies over time, and milk production drops.  

Joints, especially the carpal and tarsal joints, become swollen and painful, and this may lead to lameness.  Sometimes these joints rupture, and pus comes out of the joint.

Animals in late pregnancy may abort either dead or living infected offspring and will develop vaginal discharges. 

Treatment: none

Prevention: avoid contact with infected goats. 

Contagious To Humans: -

Contagious to Other Goats:  yes

Links:  

Contagious Agalactia (accessed 8-24-07) http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/agalactia/index.htm
 
Contagious Agalactia (accessed 8-24-07) http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mmanual/A_00070.htm

Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP)

(Note: This is NOT the same as Pleuropneumonia.) (Make sure you consult up-to-date references on this disease.  Classifications have changed.)

(Summarized from  Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine at p. 256-257)

Wt nose often seen in CCPP  
Photograph from http://www.das.psu.edu/research-extension/goats/health/disease-image-gallery/

Causative Agent: F38 biotype mycoplasma.  (Formerly M. Mycoides, subspecies capri was cited as the source of this illness, but the disease from that organism is now designated as Pleuropneumonia instead. See the section on Pleuropneumonia in this database.)  CCPP is found in eastern Europe, Africa, Asia.  Transmitted by aerosol (breathing, coughing, sneezing.) Lesions in lungs  Incubation period 6-10- days or longer.  Affects all ages. 
Clinical Signs:  High fever, lack of appetite, cough, painful respirations with grunting, forelimbs held widely separated (trying to make more room for lungs to work), Head held low, frothy nasal discharge, salivation, goat will not move.  Death 2-10 days after onset. 

Treatment: Tylosin (11 mg/kg), Oxytetracycline (15 mg/kg), Chloramphenicol (22 mg/kg), Streptomycin in the 30 mg. per kg strength.  Recovery with prompt treatment is 85%.  See page 257 in Goat Medicine for more information.:
Prevention: Vaccination with inactivated F38 vaccine in Kenya produced good protection for as long as 1 year after a single immunization.

Contagious To Humans: -

Contagious to Other Goats: Yes.  100% morbidity (the % of animals exposed to the disease, that actually get the disease). 58-100% mortality (% of animals that get the disease and then die.)... 

Links:

 
Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/diseaseinfo/notes/ContagiousCaprinePleuropneumonia.pdf
 
Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia Power Point Slide Show www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ ppt/ContagiousCaprinePleuropneumonia.ppt

Contagious Ecthyma (Orf, Soremouth, Contagious Pustular Dermatitis)  

(Summarized from Herd Health Management Practices For Goat Production,Seyedmehdi Mobini, DVM, MS)

            

   Orf on a goat's mouth
Penn State Disease Image Gallery http://www.das.psu.edu/research-extension/goats/health/disease-image-gallery/

Orf on a human finger
Penn State Disease Image Gallery http://www.das.psu.edu/research-extension/goats/health/disease-image-gallery/
 

Orf, early stage
Photos taken by the Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine and contributed to the CFSPH website at:
http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesCE.htm Used with permission of CFSPH.
 

Orf, later stage
Photos taken by the AFIP and contributed to the CFSPH website:
http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/ImageDB/imagesCE.htm
Used with permission of CFSPH.

Causative Agent: Parapox virus
 
Clinical Signs: Pus-like sores on mouth, lips, face, ears, feet, scrotum, teats, vulva. Treatment: Immediately isolate from other goats and keep isolated until gone.  Then clean out pen and disinfect it.  Offer concentrates instead of scratchy hay until healed. .
 
Prevention: Do not buy from herds with a history of soremouth.  Consider culling goats with repeated cases. Isolate new stock for a month prior to putting them in the herd. Vaccine available, but not recommended if animals were just exposed, but didn’t have active cases.  Use vaccine only if you have had repeated cases in the herd.
 
Contagious To Humans: Yes. Wear gloves.
 
Contagious to Other Goats: Yes.  Through contact, or from scabs that have fallen into the bedding.
 
Links:

Cryptococcosis (fungal pneumonia, C. Torulosis, European Blastomycosis, Busse-Buschke's Disease)

Summarized from Cryptococcosis Fact Sheet at http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/cryptococcosis.pdf, Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.  260, and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p.273

Causative Agent: Fungus.  Usually cryptococcus neoformans.

Commonly found around bird and chicken droppings, but can also be found on vegetables and fruit, in house dust, air conditioners, air and sawdust.  Enters the body through inhalation or through the skin.  Can be transferred to mammary glands through contaminated syringes, treatment cannulas, or antibiotic preparations.  
 
Clinical Signs: In goats, often appears in the form of pulmonary disease or mastitis. Potential signs of cryptococcal pneumonia are nasal discharge, coughing, difficulty breathing and depression.. 
 
Treatment: Amphotericin B, Flucytosine, Itraconazole, Fluconazole.  Amphotericin B and Flucytosine are often used together. (Cryptococcal Fact Sheet) accessed 8-24-07.  
 
Prevention: Avoid exposure to soil full of bird droppings, and areas around eucalyptus trees.  Do not contaminate syringes, mastitis treatment cannulas or other mastitis treatment equipment with soil or bird droppings, and clean udder orifice very well before putting a treatment into the mammary glands.
 
Disinfection: 1% sodium hypochlorite, iodine, phenolic disinfectants, glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde.  Also can be killed by exposure to moist heat of 121 degrees C for a minimum of 15 minutes.
 
Contagious To Humans: Unlikely, but possible with immunocompromised people.
 
Contagious to Other Goats: Unlikely.
 
Links: 

Cryptococcosis Fact Sheet http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/cryptococcosis.pdf ) accessed 8-24-07.  
 
Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.   260.
 
Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy  http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf at p.273.

Cryptosporidiosis 

Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 319-321 and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy , http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf at p.273)

Causative Agent: Small protozoal parasite cryptosporidium parvum of the subclass Coccidia, and the suborder Eimeriina.  This is a separate genus from the Eimeria and Isdospora general commonly associated with coccidiosis.  Life cycle is completed in one week.  Transmitted by eating something with contaminated feces on it.
 
Clinical Signs:  White to yellow, watery diarrhea in kids under 2 months old.*  Diarrhea may last from a couple days to two weeks and may by mild to severe.  Diarrhea may recur.  Also animal appears to be depressed, has decreased appetite and rough hair. Animals in late stages will be dehydrated, have electrolyte imbalances and acidosis.  Some animals spontaneously recover, but many die..  
*This is the predominant cause of diarrhea in kids under 1 month old.
 
Treatment: Reduce the amount of milk you feed per feeding, and feed smaller amounts more frequently. 
 
50 anticoccidial, antibacterial, and antiparasitic drugs have been tried and none have been found to be effective in treating this disease.  You can stop outbreaks without the use of drugs by removing and isolating affected kids at the first sign of diarrhea. 

Personnel handling ill kids should not also handle well kids. If you do not have extra help, work in well kid pens first.  When that work is all done and you are ready to go in the house, then work with the sick kids.  Wear shoe covers and coveralls that are only used in the sick kid pen, and dispose of the boot covers, and take off the coveralls before you leave the pen so you don't spread the disease.  Have separate cleaning tools in the well kid area and the sick kid area.  Do not work back and forth between sick kid pens and well kid pens.  
 
Prevention: Remove kids from does at birth.  Feed colostrum in clean bottles.  House kids away from adult herd, and keep in small groups or individual pens.   Excellent sanitation practices in housing, bedding and feeding equipment is best prevention.   
 
Common disinfectants are not effective against this organism.  Steam cleaning of pens is recommended between uses.  
 
No vaccine is available.
 
Contagious To Humans: Yes.  Wash hands well. 
 
Contagious to Other Goats: Yes

Links: 

Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 319-321
 
Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p.273

Cutaneous Myiasis (see Fly Strike)

Cutaneous Neoplasias (Papilloma (warts), Squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer), or Melanoma)

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 37 and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy,  http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf at p.274

Causative Agent: Tumors
 
Clinical Signs:  May see masses ( tumor tissue) in the genital area, ear, mammary glands and planum nasale.. 
 
Udder warts are common in white goats such as Saanens or Angoras.  May be flaky or form elongated skin horns.  May transform into squamous cell carcinomas (skin cancer) with a wide base, and an ulcerated (open sore) on the surface.  Carinomas often involve the vulva, perineum and ear.  Melanomas (abnormal moles) also are found in the same areas.
 
Treatment: Resection (cutting out), if possible, for valuable animals.  Other less valuable animals may be culled..
 
Prevention: -
 
Contagious To Humans: -
 
Contagious to Other Goats: -
 
Links: 

Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 37
 
Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 274

Dermatophilosis (Dermatophilus congolensis, Streptothricosis) 

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p. 26 and Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p.274)

Causative Agent:  Gram positive, anaerobic bacteria. activated by moisture.  
 
Clinical Signs:  Tiny wart-like scabs on hairless parts of ears.  If you rub them off you will see light-colored area underneath.  Last 2-3 months if not treated.  Also see it on the, nose, muzzle, feet, scrotum, under tail.  When healing, you will see dry crusts. Often affects young goats during periods of heavy rains or high humidity.
 
Treatment: Remove crusts.  Bathe with iodophors, 2-5% lime sulfur.  Treat with Penicillin-streptomycin, Tetracycline, Naxcel, Chorhexidine.
 
Prevention: Use external parasite control. Disinfect brushes after an infestation to avoid spreading it.
 
Contagious To Humans: Yes
 
Contagious to Other Goats:  Yes
 
Links: 

Dermatophilosis.  Smith and Sherman Goat Medicine, at p.26
 
Dermatophilosis.. Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy at p. 274 

Hutchins, Enough to make your skin crawl: goat skin disease, University of Kentucky Goat Producer's Newsletter, June/July 2004: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/goats/newsletter/ejunejulynwsletter01604.pdf
 
Dermatophilosis (article has pictures of cows and horses with this illness) http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/70600.htm

Dermatophytosis (see Ringworm)

Diarrhea

(Summarized from Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine, p.287-288)

Causative Agent: Diarrhea is a symptom of many diseases, and it is important to determine the cause of each case.  (See Smith, Goat Medicine, p. 288,for a table of causes of diarrhea).

Clinical Signs: Runny stools. Later dehydration, weight loss, weakness, death.
 
Treatment: Test stool for causitive agent and treat by cause.  Until then, make sure they are drinking plenty of water.  Administer electrolyte solutions until vet diagnoses problem.  
 
Prevention: Depends on cause.
 
Contagious To Humans: -
 
Contagious to Other Goats: Depends on causitive agent.
 
Links:

Emergency Diarrhea treatment 
Keep these items on hand all the time, so you are prepared for emergencies.
1 can beef consume
1 package fruit pectin (Sure-Jel)
1 tsp. lite salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 quarts of water
Mix together well.  Use in place of milk for 1 ½ to 2 days, then return to regular milk diet.  Make a fresh batch each day. (Steevens, Barry, and Ricketts, Rex, “Feeding and Housing Dairy Goats”.  University of Missouri.)

Endotoxemia 

(This is a general summary of endotoxemia.  This illness can be caused by E Coli, Klebsiella, Salmonella, Serratia, Pseudomonas and others.   Some of these are listed individually elsewhere in this Disease Database. 

(Summarized from a non-veterinary resource:Gram negative bacteria and Endotoxemia http://www.saanendoah.com/gramneg.html, accessed 8-20, 2007.

Causative Agent: Gram negative bacteria such as E Coli, Klebsiella, Salmonella, Serratia, Pseudomonas that have toxins in their cell walls.  They are always present in the gut, but if they get into the bloodstream, disease or shock can occur.

Clinical Signs:  (Early) Fever, mild depression, lack of appetite.  (Late) signs of shock: increased heart rate, weak pulse, dehydration, darkening of guns, cold feet, ears, below normal temperature, increased respiration rate or diarrhea.  This is an emergency situation with very high mortality.

Treatment: Identify causative organism.  NOTE: Antibiotics will kill the bacteria, but won't stop the effects of the toxins released from the cell walls. 

Prevention:  -

Contagious To Humans: -

Contagious to Other Goats: -
 
Links: 

Gram negative bacteria and Endotoxemia http://www.saanendoah.com/gramneg.html accessed 8-20-07

Enteritis (Colibacillosis)

Causative Agent: Multiple causes. Affects young stock.

Clinical Signs: Weakness, dehydration, fluid diarrhea, Most causes are self-limiting.  The major goat is to keep the kid at his best until it passes.  

Treatment: Provide warm dry conditions to maintain body temperature.

Provide fluids by mouth or IV to counter dehydration, electrolyte depletion, hypoglycemia and acidosis. Use a product with sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, glucose and glycine in it to rehydrate the animal.  

Alternate oral electrolyte solutions with small feedings of milk.  (Note: milk replacers fed in normal amounts will increase diarrhea.) 

You can give oral antidiarrheal medications such as bismuth subsalizylate or kaolin/pectin.  

Yogurt or lyophilized lactobacillus cultures can be given to restore flora in the gut.
If stool cultures indicate bacterial infection, then use broad spectrums such as trimethoprim/sulfa by mouth or IV. 

In debilitated kids, antibiotics may be given to ward off onset off secondary pneumonia.

Prevention: Keep environment clean.  Isolate sick animals.

Contagious To Humans:  yes

Contagious to Other Goats: yes
 
Links: 

Diarrhea. Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine at p. 287.  See p. 342-345 for treating Neonatal Diarrhea complex.

E Coli: (Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p. 274, 342.)

Salmonella: (Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p. 274.  Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine at p.302-305 (general), 425 (cause of abortion.) 

Campylobacter (vibrio): (Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p. 274.  Smith and Sherman, Goat Medicine at p.424.)

Rotavirus (B type): Destroys villous epithelial cells.  maladsorption diarrhea. (Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p. 274.  Also see Schoenian at http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/scours.html (non-veterinary article.))

Cryptosporidium: Fecal transmission, severe ileum damage, goat is all "tucked up" due to abdominal pain.. (Smith and Sherman. Goat Medicine, at p. 342, Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy, http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p.275.)

Enteritis. Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy,  http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  at p. 274.

Enterotoxemia (overeating disease, pulpy kidney disease)

(Summarized from Herd Health management Practices For Goat Production. Seyedmehdi Mobini, DVM, MS)

Causative Agent:  Epsilon toxin of clostridium perfringens type D in the environment and intestinal tract. Usually from nursing too heavily or eating too much grain.  Can be transmitted in contaminated feed, water, or aerosol (respiratory).
 
Clinical Signs: Onset can be very quick, or it may be a chronic.   Symptoms range from watery diarrhea (sometimes bloody), to sudden death.  Neurological signs are common   Death may occur after several weeks, or a normal kid may drop, convulse and be dead in minutes. Some animals show excitement, are uncoordinated, have convulsions. Postmortem examination shows the rumen and abomasum containing large amounts of food.
 
Treatment:  In a fast case, no treatment is effective..  In a slower case, give Penicillin at 5cc/100 lb, along with fluids and steroids (from vet).  Can also give clostridium antitoxin according to label directions.
 
Prevention: Vaccinate stock..  Annual CDT vaccination should be given to does 4 weeks before expected birthing date.  This will protect the kids for 1-2 months.  Then kids get a vaccination at 4 weeks of age and another 3-4 weeks later.
 
Contagious To Humans: No.
 
Contagious to Other Goats: No
 
Links: 

Enterotoxemia http://animalscience.tamu.edu/ansc/publications/sheeppubs/ASWeb052-enterotoxemia.pdf
 
Pulpy Kidney (enterotoxemia) http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/sheep/8179.html