I was out checking the goats the other morning when I noticed one of them was curled up on the ground chewing its cud.
There was clearly some discharge around it, and I was naturally very concerned about what was going on.
The other goats all seemed to be okay, but this one was very weak, seemed depressed, and didn’t much want to move.
I wondered if it could have had diarrhea, and when I mentioned the symptoms to another goat-owning friend, they said it sounded like scours.
I decided to look into it.
Goat scours—what is it and how to treat it?
Scours is a common name for diarrhea in goats. It can appear differently in different cases, but the general symptoms are usually the same. Loss of appetite and general fatigue. You can treat in a few simple ways like hydrating the goat, but calling a vet is always your best bet.
Scours is not something that we ever want to deal with or that we want our goat to go through, but the fact is that it is unfortunately quite common.
Being prepared for it in the event that it happens, and acting fast when it does, is your best bet to treat it.
Let’s look further into this.
What is scours in goats?
Scours is a term used to describe diarrhea in goats.
There are many different forms of diarrhea in goats, and scours is essentially a catch-all term for every variety.
Diarrhea can mean something quite different in goats than it would for us or even other animals, due to the way goats digest their food.
Scours is a term to describe this difference.
Scours in goats is not uncommon, and it is fairly simple to treat, as I will get into.
That said, the consequences for not properly addressing it can still be dire.
So, firstly, let’s look at the signs of scours and how to catch it early.
What are the signs of scours?
If a goat is suffering with scours, then the likelihood is that you’ll first notice it seems weak and fatigued.
It will lie on the floor, with its belly full of food that it is unable to pass.
It will also be chewing its cud, with a ball of something in one cheek.
You’ll also notice it seems depressed and uninterested in doing anything.
It won’t respond to affection or treats.
You will, also, most likely simply be able to see that it is passing diarrhea.
As I mentioned, it can vary in consistency and color. It may be white, brown, dark or light brown, it may even appear black.
If it is watery and not solid, then the goat has scours.
You need to keep an eye out for all of these signs, as they will go hand in hand with virtually any illness.
Scours is, as I’ve said, very common, and though it is easy to treat, it can be deadly if you don’t catch it early.
The most important thing for you to do, then, is to be always vigilant for it.
If you think your goat has scours, then you need to move as quickly as you can to fix it.
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How to treat scours in goats
There are a few things you can do right away to help your goat along.
The biggest problem is going to be that the diarrhea is causing your goat to be dehydrated.
It is passing its water really quickly.
So, you need to make sure it has easy access to plenty of fresh water, to try and keep its hydration levels up.
Be sure to separate the sick goat from the rest of the herd.
Make sure they have shade.
Things like activated charcoal can help with bloating, which will be making the problem worse as gas gets trapped in their digestive system.
Clean the goat’s back legs of any discharge—this will prevent blowfly strike.
Maggots can infest wounds in the goat if left uncleaned.
Antibiotics may be necessary to fully treat the goat of its illness.
Ultimately, if you aren’t sure or you’re not seeing any improvement, then you really need to call a vet as soon as you can.
One of the most common causes of scours is coccidiosis, which is difficult to treat on your own.
Can worms cause diarrhea in goats?
Yes, they can.
Common infections like Teladorsagia or Ostertagia can cause diarrhea and are essentially worm parasites in the goat’s gut.
There are deworming medications you can use in the case that your goat is infected with a parasite.
Again, though, you can’t always treat these things on your own.
The longer you leave it untreated, the worse off your goat will be, and the lower its chances of a full recovery.
As I said, scours is common in goats, and can be easily treated if you move fast.
If you don’t, though, any one of the causes of scours we’ve talked about here could cause fatal results.
Whatever the cause, then, it’s really important that you act fast to give your goat the best route to recovery.
The signs of scours are fairly easy to see, and you should always be on the look out for the symptoms.
As soon as you notice them, make sure your goat is well hydrated and cared for, and keep an eye on it at all times.
If its condition doesn’t improve quickly, you should call the vet.