Bloat is a fairly common yet serious condition that can affect Pygmy Goats. As goat owners, it is one of the medical issues we need to be aware of as untreated bloat can quickly become a life-threatening situation, but if caught early it can often be treated quickly effectively.
What is Bloat?
Bloat occurs when a goat’s rumen (the fermentation chamber that helps break down food) becomes excessively filled with gas. Normally goats can belch up this gas, but when something goes wrong the gas gets trapped and causes the rumen to expand. This swelling can press on the lungs and other organs leading to severe discomfort and even death if not addressed promptly.
There are several types of bloat: Frothy, Gas, Choke/Obstruction and Abomasal Bloat in bottle fed kids. They have different causes and it is important to know which one you are dealing with to be able to treat it correctly.
The importance of contacting your veterinarian for advice to avoid mismanagement cannot be stressed enough.
Signs and Symptoms of Bloat
Knowing the signs of bloat is crucial for catching it early. Here’s what to watch for:
- Swollen Left Side: The most noticeable sign of bloat is a distended rumen on the left side of the goat’s abdomen. It may appear visibly larger than normal or feel tight when pressed. Having a big belly is part of being a Pygmy Goat, this is why it is so important to know what is ‘normal’ for each member of your herd.
- Behaviour: A bloated goat may seem clearly uncomfortable, biting or kicking at its belly, grinding its teeth in pain, lethargic, unusually anxious, restless or isolated from herd.
- Lack of Appetite and Cud-Chewing: Goats with bloat will often stop eating, won’t chew their cud and stop burping all of which are essential parts of their digestive process. When goats stop eating it needs to be treated as an emergency.
- Laboured Breathing: As the bloat worsens, the pressure on the lungs can make it hard for the goat to breathe, leading to rapid or laboured breathing.
- Drooling or Foam: In the case of frothy bloat, goats may drool excessively and/or have foam around their mouths.
Causes of Bloat
Anything that prevents normal rumen function can lead to bloat, so understanding the possible causes can help you prevent it. Here are some common triggers:
- Dietary Issues: Bloat is usually linked to the diet. A sudden change or increase in feed such as too much grain or access to lush, green pastures can all cause an overproduction of gas in the rumen. Certain legume pastures like clover or lucerne are more likely to cause bloat especially when wet with dew or rain.
- Feeding Practices: Goats eating too quickly or gorging themselves on food can also lead to bloat. Always introduce new feeds gradually and monitor their intake.
- Lack of Forage: Goats need roughage like hay to keep their digestive systems working smoothly. A diet too low in fibre can lead to an imbalance in the rumen causing bloat.
- Secondary Health Issues: Sometimes bloat can be secondary to other health problems, such as choke (a blockage that prevents burping), a lack of proper gut bacteria or recumbency from illness/injury/mineral deficiency that prevents them from staying sternal so the rumen can work properly.
- Enterotoxemia – also know as “overeating Disease” and Pulpy Kidney : Overeating energy rich feed intake such as excessive grain, lush pasture, sudden diet changes or even excessive milk intake in kids can cause an overgrowth of the bacteria Clostridium Perfingens that produces high levels of a toxin in the goat’s gut. This toxin at low levels does not cause problems, but in high levels it gets absorbed into the blood stream and affects multiple organs. Enterotoxemia is a Clostridial disease that is one of the things we vaccinate our Pygmy Goats for because the disease can kill quickly and fat, healthy goats are particularly susceptible to sudden death from this disease.
- Dorsal Recumbency: When goats (like other ruminants) roll onto their backs, they get stuck like a turtle and are mechanically unable to get their feet on the ground to right themselves. The weight of the rumen on the goat’s diaphragm makes breathing difficult and the gas that they would normally burp up then gets trapped. The circulation system is also compromised and the lack of oxygen and blood supply to the brain means the goat can lose consciousness with death following quickly in just 5-30 minutes. Goats that are found in time need to be monitored closely for bloat and other complications.
Treatment of Bloat
If you suspect bloat, act quickly – you cannot take a ‘wait and see’ approach!
- Determine what type of bloat you are dealing with: Contact your vet for advice specific to the situation as treatments will be different. For example: A choke blockage may be able to be removed manually or surgically. Frothy bloat creates bubbles in the rumen that the goat cannot burp up, it is more dangerous than gas bloat and requires a product to break down the bubbles.
- Remove the feed: If feed is the cause, remove it immediately (or remove the goat from the pasture).
- Massage: Start by gently massaging the goat’s left side to help release the trapped gas. Encouraging the goat to walk around can also help move the gas out.
- Administer Anti-Bloat Remedies: Depending on the type of bloat you are dealing with, your Vet may recommend an anti-bloat remedy like oil, detergent in water or baking soda to help break up the gas. Your Vet will advise the correct remedy, dosage and method.
- Emergency Measures: In severe cases, where the goat is in significant distress, a vet may need to use a stomach tube to release the gas or perform a rumenotomy, a surgical procedure to relieve pressure.
- Monitor and Adjust Diet: Once the immediate crisis is over, take a close look at the goat’s diet and make any necessary adjustments to prevent future episodes. Ensure they have access to plenty of roughage and avoid sudden changes in their diet.
- Vit B complex and Thiamine: Goats do not store B vitamins, they produce them daily in the rumen.
This means anything that interferes with daily Vitamin B production – especially Thiamine (B1) and Vitamin B12 can lead to secondary issues like Goat Polio/Thiamine deficiency, so once the immediate emergency is over B Complex and Thiamine injections are beneficial and in severe cases even critical.
Prevention is Key
The best way to deal with bloat is to prevent it from happening in the first place:
- Slow Feed Changes: Introduce new feeds slowly in small qualities and monitor how your goats respond.
- Provide Constant Fibre: Ensure your goats always have access to good-quality grassy hay or other roughage, especially before letting them out to fresh pasture.
- Secure and Limit Risky Foods: Be cautious with high-risk foods like grains and lush legume pastures. Don’t over feed grains or pellets and make sure your goats can never get into your feed shed or into other livestock or chicken feed.
- Grazing Management: Limit access to lush pasture to the afternoon, especially during wet or dewy conditions which increase the chance of bloat
- Regular Monitoring: Keep an eye on your goats’ normal eating habits and behaviour so that you can act quickly if something seems off.
- Bottle fed kids: Don’t over feed, ensure bottle and milk preparation hygiene, don’t abruptly change milk brands, mix powdered milk as per manufacturer’s instructions, dispose of any leftover milk.
- Vaccinating for Clostridial disease: We vaccinate our Pygmy Goat kids at 4 and 8 weeks, pregnant does a month before kidding and all goats 6 monthly for life using Glanvac 3 in 1 that covers for Tetanus, Pulpy Kidney and Cheesy Gland (CLA). Discuss with you vet the best vaccination product for your location.
Please note that while Baking Soda is used as a treatment in some cases of bloat, providing Free Choice Baking soda is not recommended in Australia for most goats as a prevention for bloat and is something that should be researched independently based on your goats specific diet.
Bloat can be a scary experience, but with careful management and quick action, in many cases it can be effectively treated – and more importantly prevented with some careful management. Always have a plan in place and know the signs, so you can keep your Pygmy Goats happy, healthy and bloat-free!