Parelaphostrongylus tenuis

Well, that is what I am suspecting anyway.  P tenuis, or meningeal deer worm, can be a big problem for goats.  White tail deer are the natural host and are seemingly unaffected by the parasite.  The life cycle involves a snail, which the goats can eat when grazing.  Because the worm is in the wrong host, it migrates abnormally, aberrant migration, and ends up in the brain or spinal cord.  If that happens then neurological symptoms occur.

J noticed one of the new billy goats dragging a rear leg one day.  The next day he said the front leg on the same side was affected.  There is no test for the worm and little to no treatment.  But, being a vet I had to try.

J got out his handy, dandy catch pole so I could treat the billy.  I gave him a big dose of ivermectin dewormer, and some banamine, an anti inflammatory.  J said today he was no worse but probably no better either.  It is usually a chronic progressive disease.  So we will wait and see.   Another vet at the clinic with goats recently lost one due to neurological problems.  She had hers necropsied and they diagnosed the worm then.

Meanwhile, the nannies are all doing good.  The weather has been dry, which they love.

And Mary Lou, and Crazy were happy to see me.

Then just some nice pictures to get our minds off the billy goat.

That's Bea on the left, and the puppies which I can't tell apart without seeing there tails.