Top 10 common diseases in goats

Cause: Caused by the bacteria Clostridium perfringens types C and D, which thrive in the intestines of goats, especially when they consume high-carbohydrate diets.
Symptoms: Sudden death, abdominal pain, lethargy, diarrhea, and nervous signs like muscle tremors.
Prevention: Vaccination and managing feed intake (avoid sudden changes in diet).
Treatment: Antitoxins, antibiotics, and supportive care, though it is often fatal once symptoms appear.

Cause: Often due to bacterial infections like Pasteurella or Mannheimia, but can also be caused by viruses, stress, or environmental factors.
Symptoms: Coughing, nasal discharge, fever, labored breathing, and lethargy.
Prevention: Adequate ventilation, reducing stress, and vaccination against common pathogens.
Treatment: Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and supportive care.

Cause: Caused by a combination of bacteria (Fusobacterium necrophorum and Dichelobacter nodosus), often due to poor hygiene and wet conditions.
Symptoms: Lameness, foul-smelling discharge from the hooves, and swelling around the hoof area.
Prevention: Regular hoof trimming, foot baths, and maintaining dry conditions.
Treatment: Antibiotics, trimming affected hooves, and foot baths with zinc sulfate or copper sulfate.

Cause: Caused by protozoan parasites (Eimeria species) that infect the intestines of goats, especially in young animals.
Symptoms: Diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, and poor growth.
Prevention: Proper sanitation, avoiding overcrowding, and using anticoccidial drugs in feed or water.
Treatment: Coccidiostats (such as amprolium or sulfa drugs) and supportive care.

Cause: Caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, which infects the lymph nodes.
Symptoms: Abscesses around lymph nodes, weight loss, coughing, and chronic wasting.
Prevention: Biosecurity measures, including isolating infected animals and vaccinating.
Treatment: Drainage of abscesses and antibiotics, though the disease is difficult to eradicate once established.

Cause: Inflammation of the mammary glands, commonly caused by bacterial infections such as Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli.
Symptoms: Swollen, hot, or painful udder, changes in milk (clots or blood), and decreased milk production.
Prevention: Clean milking practices and proper udder hygiene.
Treatment: Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and supportive care.

Cause: Caused by a retrovirus that primarily affects dairy goats.
Symptoms: Swollen joints (arthritis), difficulty walking, weight loss, pneumonia, and in kids, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
Prevention: Testing and culling infected animals, preventing the spread through colostrum or milk from infected does.
Treatment: There is no cure, but supportive care can improve the quality of life for infected animals.

Cause: Occurs in late pregnancy due to the high energy demands of the growing fetus, leading to a deficiency of glucose in the bloodstream.
Symptoms: Lethargy, decreased appetite, muscle tremors, and in severe cases, coma or death.
Prevention: Proper nutrition in late pregnancy with an appropriate energy-rich diet.
Treatment: Glucose supplementation, propylene glycol, and supportive care.

Cause: Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), leading to chronic wasting.
Symptoms: Diarrhea, weight loss, poor coat condition, and eventually death due to malnutrition.
Prevention: Biosecurity measures, testing, and culling infected animals.
Treatment: There is no effective treatment, and prevention through herd management is key.

Cause: A prion disease affecting the central nervous system, similar to BSE (mad cow disease) in cattle.
Symptoms: Behavioral changes, itching, incoordination, weight loss, and eventually death.
Prevention: Genetic selection of resistant goats and biosecurity measures.
Treatment: There is no treatment for scrapie, and infected animals must be culled to prevent the spread.