Had my scare for the day...

Well, not just the day, as he's still not totally out of the woods yet...

I was gone for a couple of hours this afternoon, and came back to my 2 week old Nigerian Dwarf baby, Milo, flat out on his side, and head pulled back to his shoulder. He was chilly, but I suspected that wasn't his real problem.

Sure enough, I got him back inside (he's indoors at night, because he's a bottle baby), warmed him up, and he still wasn't snapping out of it...couldn't pull his body upright...basically no real motor control, meaning Goat Polio. The head being twisted round to his side was the biggest 'clue'. So I pulled out my bottle of thiamine, got it into him IV, gave him a bit of banamine, and some penicillin (mainly to rule out listeriosis, as the two are very similar).

Well, that was an hour ago, and he is markedly improved already; he has gotten himself up, piddled, and eaten a bit of milk, coffee, honey solution. He still is very unstable of course, because his body will basically have to 'relearn' everything, even suckling. But considering where we started; flat out, no suck reflex, 'body stiffness', head pulled back, eyes simply staring (not 'flat' or lifeless...they just stare), in alot of pain, etc...I am hopeful he will make a full recovery.

This is the little impish baby...

I hope that he recovers completely, and soon. The goat at my ranch had her kids a couple of days ago. She's a pygmy, and the dad is a nubian, and she ended up having 3 kids. All very cute, but the owner is taking a very hands off approach to caring for them. :( Give him pets and let him know I'm sending good vibes his way.

Aww...he's adorable! I'll send thoughts and prayers your way. Hope he continues to improve.

Why is the owner 'hands off? (haha, hijacking my own thread...) Does he not want them to be 'okay' with human interaction?

And don't worry, as I was shaving and prepping his iv spot, I was telling him he couldn't die; he has WAY too many fans where I live (on a boarding school campus)...I will give him more pets and your vibes though!

Aw, what a sweetie! Too cute to be sick! Lots of love and prayers and healing energy your way...Keep us updated!!!!

Well, my lil buddy is doing TONS better today...has regained most of his mobility, although he's a bit mad because he's been on 'bed rest'...tehehe. He is still on the B-complex shots, and will be for about a week. Then he will get calf manna mixed in with his milk, to make sure his vitamin intake remains consistent. I'm so glad I caught him soon enough, and knew how to IV the meds into him, as I'm not sure he would have made it otherwise...Polio comes on so fast in babies, and more than often kills them, so I am praising God that he is still with me.

Two thumbs up!
What a cute thing!
I hope it'll all go well!

Dude, I've heard of that syndrome! I forget what it's called *headdesk*. I'm glad he's doing better (: