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Description

Most goat owners have faced a moment of uncertainty—staring at a sick goat and wondering, “Should I call the vet?” In this solo episode, Deborah Niemann lays out the answer with clarity and urgency.

While goats are often thought of as hardy animals, they are also prey animals that instinctively hide illness until they’re critically sick. This episode covers the top emergency symptoms that signal you need to stop Googling, skip the Facebook group, and call a veterinarian immediately.

Drawing from decades of goat-keeping experience and real-life stories (including her own hard lessons), Deborah walks through what serious symptoms look like, what they might mean, and why waiting too long can cost your goat its life. She also explains when supportive care at home can help while you wait for the vet to arrive—and when it can’t.

What you’ll learn:

• The most common and overlooked emergency signs in goats
• Why not eating or drinking is a major red flag, not a minor issue
• How to identify true bloat (ruminal tympany) versus hay belly
• The meaning behind a goat screaming, grinding teeth, or lying down and not standing
• The difference between ruminal and abomasal bloat—and why it matters
• Signs of neurological distress, including circling, blindness, and seizures
• Why urinary blockage is a life-threatening emergency in wethers
• How to tell the difference between pooping and peeing behavior
• The dangers of bloody or rusty urine, and when it could signal copper toxicity
• Why Pepto Bismol is not a real treatment for diarrhea in kids
• What a goat’s fever (or low body temp) may indicate—and what to do
• Recognizing tetanus symptoms before it’s too late

Resources Mentioned:

• Goat Bloat (article)
• Podcast episodes on:
  • Listeriosis in Goats
  • Goat Polio
  • Urinary Calculi
  • Skin Cancer in Goats: Melanoma
  • Tetanus in Goats

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