Have you noticed your goat’s jaw looking swollen and squishy? That alarming sight could be a condition known as bottle jaw, which often signals an underlying issue.
As responsible goat owners, it’s crucial to understand what causes this ailment and how to address it promptly. Buckle up, folks, because we’re about to dive into the nitty-gritty details of bottle jaw in goats!
What causes bottle jaw in goats?
Before we delve into the specifics, let’s address the million-dollar question: what the heck causes bottle jaw in our beloved goats? Well, brace yourselves, because the culprit is often a common parasite. Yep, those pesky little critters can wreak havoc on your herd’s health.
The most common culprit behind bottle jaw is a nasty little parasite called the barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus). These worms latch onto the goat’s digestive tract and feast on their blood, leading to severe anemia and, ultimately, that dreaded bottle jaw.
Symptoms of bottle jaw in goats
Now, let’s talk about the telltale signs that your goat might be dealing with bottle jaw. The most obvious symptom is, you guessed it, a swollen, squishy area under the jawline.
It’s like your goat has a water balloon tucked away there! This fluid buildup, called edema, is the result of a disruption in the balance of pressure and proteins between blood cells.
Your furry friend might seem lethargic, lose their appetite, and exhibit signs of anemia (more on that later). The severity of anemia can be determined using a FAMACHA score, which involves comparing the color of your goat’s inner eyelid to a handy-dandy color chart.
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During the grazing season
If your goat develops bottle jaw during the grazing season, it’s a safe bet that those pesky barber pole worms are to blame.
These critters lay their eggs in the pasture, and when your goat munches on the grass, they ingest the eggs, perpetuating the vicious cycle.
Keeping your goats on fresh pasture and practicing pasture rotation can help reduce the risk of ingesting these pesky worm eggs.
Nutrition
But wait, there’s more! Bottle jaw can also stem from nutritional imbalances, such as copper deficiency or toxicity. Copper is essential for goats, but too much or too little can lead to all sorts of problems, including anemia and, you guessed it, bottle jaw.
A copper deficiency is usually caused by a lack of copper in the soil or an abundance of other minerals like molybdenum, which can block copper absorption. Goats with copper deficiency may exhibit signs like:
- Poor appetite
- Slow growth
- Faded hair color or a dull coat
- Poor fleece
- Musculoskeletal problems
On the other hand, copper toxicity can lead to sudden weakness, depression, anemia, and even sudden death. It’s more common in sheep than goats, so never give sheep feed or minerals intended for goats.
Infectious Disease
Okay, folks, buckle up because we’re about to explore some of the infectious culprits that can cause bottle jaw in goats.
1. Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis, caused by microscopic parasitic bacteria, can wreak havoc on your goat’s digestive system. In severe cases, this nasty little bug can lead to anemia and diarrhea, and consequently, bottle jaw.
2. Flukes
Don’t let the cute name fool you – flukes like the liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) and Fascioloides magna can be a real pain for your goats. These parasites can cause anemia and, you guessed it, bottle jaw.
The liver fluke is a common parasite in the Pacific Northwest and (occasionally) the Gulf Coast region, causing goats to appear unthrifty and underweight.
Fascioloides magna, found around the Great Lakes and the Northwest, can cause problems much quicker, potentially leading to anemia and bottle jaw.
3. Johne’s Disease
Johne’s Disease (paratuberculosis), caused by bacteria, is a chronic wasting disease. In some cases, it can lead to anemia and bottle jaw, but it’s often accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms like extreme weight loss and diarrhea.
If one of your goats tests positive for Johne’s Disease, it’s crucial to test your entire herd, as this disease is contagious and often fatal.
4. Anaplasmosis
Last but not least, we have anaplasmosis, a progressive disease caused by a blood parasite (Anaplasma ovis) transmitted by blood-sucking critters like ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes. This nasty bug destroys red blood cells, leading to (you know it!) anemia and bottle jaw.
Trauma
Sometimes, bottle jaw isn’t caused by parasites or diseases at all. Severe injuries that result in significant blood loss, such as a fracture or a deep wound, can also lead to anemia and, consequently, that telltale swollen jaw.
My goat has bottle jaw, is it anemic?
If your goat has developed bottle jaw, it’s a surefire sign that they’re severely anemic. Anemia is no joke, folks, and it’s crucial to address the underlying cause before it becomes life-threatening.
What exactly is anemia in goats?
Bottle jaw is a swollen, fluid-filled area under a goat or sheep’s jawbone. This fluid buildup, called edema, happens when there’s an imbalance of pressure or proteins in the blood cells.
The fluid leaks out of the blood vessels and builds up between the cells, causing the swollen jaw. The most common reason for bottle jaw in goats is a lack of protein after a bad infestation of barber pole worms. These worms feed on the goat’s blood, causing anemia.
Anemia means there are not enough red blood cells in the blood. It can be life-threatening for goats if not treated quickly. To check for anemia, you can do a FAMACHA test that looks at the color of the goat’s eye membranes. The paler the color, the more severe the anemia.
What causes anemia in goats?
As we’ve discussed, anemia in goats can stem from a variety of causes, including parasitic infestations (hello, barber pole worm!), infectious diseases, nutritional imbalances, and even trauma.
How to diagnose anemia
Diagnosing anemia in goats is as easy as pie (well, almost). You’ll need to perform a simple FAMACHA test, which involves comparing the color of your goat’s inner eyelid to a handy-dandy color chart. The whiter the eyelid, the more severe the anemia.
How to treat anemia and bottle jaw in goats
Alright, folks, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and tackle this issue head-on. The key to treating bottle jaw and anemia is addressing the underlying cause.
De-worm
If you suspect that pesky barber pole worm is the culprit, it’s time to de-worm your goats. But hold your horses! Don’t go de-worming willy-nilly – those worms can develop resistance if you overdo it with dewormers.
I had a herd of six goats, and three of them developed bottle jaw during the grazing season. I immediately de-wormed them with ivermectin, but two weeks later, the symptoms were back.
That’s when I realized I was dealing with a resistant strain of barber pole worms. After consulting my vet, I switched to a different dewormer, and within a month, my goats were back to their healthy selves. – Sarah, a goat farmer from Oregon.
Ivermectin for bottle jaw
Ivermectin is a wormer that has been used to treat barber pole worms. A common over the counter ivermectin wormer is Ivomec. Treat the goat using the ivermectin and then re-treat 10 days later.
Supplements
When treating anemic goats, it’s a good idea to supplement with vitamins like B12 (which you’ll need to get from your vet) and Nutri-Drench. These can help replenish essential nutrients and give your goats a much-needed boost.
Give your goats a second dose of ivermectin about 10 days after the first. This catches any worm eggs that hatched since the first treatment, as ivermectin doesn’t kill unhatched eggs.
However, some barber pole worms have become resistant to ivermectin because too many people give it as a preventative instead of only when needed.
So it’s better to use dewormers like Cydectin or Prohibit (which contains levamisole) when your goats actually have worms.
Iron Supplements
Severely anemic goats might also benefit from injectable iron supplements like Ferrodex 100 or Dextran. Just be cautious with kids (baby goats, not human children), as they can overdose on iron more easily.
I had a doe that was severely anemic after a difficult kidding. My vet recommended giving her iron injections, and within a couple of weeks, her energy levels and appetite bounced back.
The bottle jaw took a little longer to go away, but those iron injections were a game-changer. – Tom, a goat owner from Texas.
Giving Red Cell for Anemic Goats
If needles aren’t your thing, you can also try an oral iron supplement like Red Cell, which was originally created for horses but can work wonders for our caprine friends.
The dosage for Red Cell in goats is 3 cc per 50 pounds of body weight or 6 cc per 100 pounds.
Feed
For goats that are too weak to eat on their own, tube feeding might be necessary. In that case, you’ll want to use a kid milk replacer and electrolytes specifically formulated for ruminants.
As soon as the goat can eat on its own, offer it fresh green leaves, quality alfalfa hay, and high-protein goat feed. Remember, it takes time for goats to regain weight after a bout of anemia, so be patient and monitor their progress.
Weaning
If you have a nursing doe (mother goat) that’s anemic, it might be best to wean her kids. The stress of nursing can make it harder for her to recover, so separating them could be the best course of action.
Blood Transfusions
In severe cases, a good old-fashioned blood transfusion might be the only thing that can save your goat’s life. This is an expensive and often hard-to-find treatment, so you might need to call around to find a vet equipped to handle it.
I had a valuable breeding buck that developed bottle jaw due to a severe barber pole worm infestation. Despite our best efforts with deworming and iron supplements, his condition kept deteriorating.
As a last resort, we took him to the nearest vet school for a blood transfusion. It was a costly procedure, but it saved his life.” – Emily, a goat breeder from Kentucky.
Bottle jaw treatment sheep
Believe it or not, the treatments for bottle jaw in sheep are pretty much the same as for goats. After all, these woolly friends can suffer from the same parasitic and nutritional issues.
Is bottle jaw contagious?
Here’s the good news: bottle jaw itself isn’t contagious. However, the underlying causes (like parasites or infectious diseases) can certainly spread from one animal to another.
For example, if the cause of bottle jaw is the barber pole worm, the goats cannot pass the worms directly from one goat to another.
They can ingest more worm eggs by grazing on infested pastures. Practicing pasture rotation and co-grazing with other species like cattle or horses can help reduce the risk of parasite transmission.
On the other hand, if bottle jaw is caused by an infectious disease like Johne’s Disease, it is considered contagious and can spread quickly through infected manure, water, milk, or feed.
Here are some treatments to help your goat recover from anemia or bottle jaw:
- Worming medications like Ivomec, Cydectin, or Prohibit
- B12 injectable (must be obtained from a veterinarian)
- Nutri-Drench vitamin supplement
- Ferrodex 100 or Dextran iron injections
- Red Cell oral iron supplement
- Goat milk replacer
- Ruminant electrolytes
- Stomach tube feeder
- Goat kid bottles
Whew, that was a lot of information to digest! But fear not, fellow goat enthusiasts – armed with this knowledge, you’ll be better equipped to tackle bottle jaw and keep your herd healthy and happy.
Remember, early detection and addressing the underlying cause are key to treating bottle jaw and anemia in goats. Don’t hesitate to consult with your veterinarian, especially in severe cases or if you’re unsure about the best course of action.
