Lethargic Kid Goat
History. A 6-month-old female kid goat is presented for lethargy and difficulty breathing. Two months ago, in April, the owners bought this goat and another at a sale as pets for their children.
The goats have been provided with a small amount of goat feed daily, along with access to a pasture. The owners noticed that both goats were initially very playful, but both have seemed progressively lethargic during the last month. Also, they seem to have more difficulty breathing, even at rest. No vaccinations, deworming, or other treatments have been given.Clinical Examination. The goat is somewhat thin and is reluctant to stand. There is a swelling (likely edema fluid) under the jaw. The goat’s temperature is slightly elevated. The pulse and respiratory rates are moderately increased. The mucous membranes are very pale, which makes the capillary refill time difficult to assess. Respiratory sounds are increased (suggesting possible pulmonary edema). There are no other abnormal findings on physical examination.
Comment. The very pale mucous membranes suggest marked anemia. Indeed, centrifugation of a blood sample reveals that the goat’s packed cell volume (Hct) is only 12%. Plasma protein concentration is also below normal, at 4.5 g∕dL. Given the lack of deworming, you suspect parasitic infection associated with Hemoticlius coιιtortιιst Ostertagiai or Tricho- Strongyliis. A fecal analysis is positive for Hemonchus and Ostertagia.
Parasitism is a common problem in sheep and goats. The parasites mentioned damage the abomasum, which results in blood loss. The consequent anemia would explain the goat’s lethargy, because anemia limits O2 delivery to the organs, especially during exercise. The elevated respiratory rate and heart rate reflect the animal’s attempts to compensate for low O2 delivery to the tissues by increasing air flow into the lungs and blood flow through the circulation. Plasma protein is lost along with RBCs. This hypoproteinemia could account for the edema, because the proteins in plasma exert an important osmotic effect to oppose the tendency for plasma water to leak out of capillaries and into the tissue (interstitial) fluid (see Chapter 23).
Treatment. Ideally, a transfusion of whole blood would be given to help restore both RBCs and plasma proteins; the kid would then be dewormed. However, even if appropriate whole blood were available, transfusion in such an animal is risky. This goat's ability to deal with stress has been severely compromised, and even the physical restraint needed to administer a transfusion might trigger physical collapse or even death. On the other hand, without the transfusion, the animal has little chance of recovery if only treated for the parasites.