Manifestations of ketosis disease in goats and effective treatment
Ketosis is a dangerous disease of goats, accompanied by severe disorders of protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. It is very important to timely detect manifestations of ketosis disease in a goat, because it poses a serious danger to the health and life of the animal.
Description of the disease
With ketosis, there is a sharp increase in the concentration of ketone bodies in the body. These are toxic metabolic products produced in liver cells. Ketone bodies accumulate in milk, urine, blood plasma, and soft tissues.
There are two types of ketosis in goats:
- Primary is the most common type of disease, accompanied by metabolic disorders and a deficiency of light carbohydrates. Primary ketosis most often develops during lactation.
- Secondary - this type of disease is much less common. Its causes are food poisoning, childbirth paresis, and digestive disorders.
Overweight animals that suffer from lack of sunlight and physical activity are prone to ketosis. Most often, the manifestations of the disease ketosis in goats develop in animals during pregnancy and lactation.
Causes of ketosis
Symptoms and treatment of ketosis in goats depend on the cause of the disease. The main cause of the disease in high-yielding goats is a violation of the feeding of milk producing animals.
Causes of ketosis:
- Unbalanced diet with a deficiency of carbohydrates, an excess of fats and proteins. It leads to the development of carbohydrate starvation. Lack of protein causes malfunctioning of the thyroid gland and metabolism throughout the body.
- Lack of micro- and macroelements in the animal's diet - potassium, cobalt, manganese, iodine, zinc, magnesium and calcium.
- Food with an increased concentration of butyric and acetic acid, for example, improperly prepared silage, can also provoke the development of ketosis in a goat.
- Obesity that develops in an animal against the background of a hereditary predisposition.
- Diseases of the endocrine system, accompanied by hormonal disorders.
A highly concentrated synthetic mixture used by goats leads to a disruption in the biological synthesis of propionic acids, as well as microbial proteins. This slows down the production of certain hormones, nucleic acids, proteins, and digestive enzymes. This provokes the development of ketosis.
Manifestations of the disease ketosis in a goat
Ketosis is a sluggish disease, so symptoms do not appear immediately and depend on its severity.
Manifestations of the disease ketosis in goats:
- the smell of acetone from feces, urine, milk and animal skin;
- shortness of breath, heart palpitations;
- deterioration in appetite or its complete disappearance;
- digestive disorders - intestinal atony or stool disorder;
- exhaustion of the nervous system;
- a sharp decrease in milk yield;
- dullness of the coat;
- delayed reaction and drowsiness;
- muscle weakness;
- lethargy, apathy, loss of strength and inactivity.
The initial stages of the disease can be determined by increased aggressiveness, nervousness, excitement of unusually loud bleating.Many goats develop an increased sensitivity to touch, to which they react very aggressively.
Severe ketosis can cause mastitis, postpartum complications, and spontaneous abortions in pregnant goats. The animal's liver enlarges - this can be determined by the noticeably rounded right side of the body.
With the progression of the disease, ketosis, the milk and waste products of the goat acquire a sharp, expressive smell of acetone.
Methods for treating ketosis in goats
Treatment of ketosis in goats should be selected by a veterinarian after a complete examination of the animal. First of all, it is necessary to normalize the endocrine system and blood sugar levels, improve the functioning of the liver and all metabolic processes.
Medicines are used to treat ketosis in a goat:
- Hydrocortisone - at a dosage of 10 mg per 10 kg of body weight;
- Catosal - the dosage is selected individually;
- glucose - a 40% solution is prescribed at a dosage of 10 ml per 10 kg of weight;
- insulin - 5 units per 10 kg of body weight;
- adrenocorticotropic hormone - a dose of 300 units is used;
- sodium propionate;
- choline chloride;
- sodium lactate.
In the complex treatment of ketosis, lactic acid is used for the goat. It has an antiseptic and anti-fermenting effect, improves digestion and normalizes the intestinal microflora.
In addition, lactic acid stimulates rumen motility, providing a mild irritant effect on the mucous surface of the gastrointestinal tract and activating metabolism. The drug is taken as an aqueous solution, which is given orally to goats. To prepare it, you need 100 ml of water and 5 ml of lactic acid with a concentration of 40%. The medicinal solution is given to animals in a dosage of 0.5-7.5 ml - it depends on the severity of the disease.
Diet correction
In the treatment of ketosis in goats, dietary adjustments are important. Animals must be given baking soda - at least 10-20 g per day. It helps to lower stomach and rumen acidity. Duration of admission is 15-20 days.
In the morning, goats must be given sweet water with added sugar - 100-120 g per 5 liters of water. At lunchtime, animals should be given a drink with the addition of medications and vitamins prescribed by a veterinarian. In the evening, it is recommended to water the goats with water and baking soda
In order to normalize sugar levels, goats should be fed foods rich in carbohydrates:
- potatoes;
- sugar beet;
- carrot;
- pink and red clover;
- timothy grass;
- fescue;
- cocksfoot.
In the diet of goats with ketosis, hay and fresh grasses, mowed during flowering and earing, and previously dried in the sun, must be present.
Simultaneously with the increase in the amount of sweet vegetables, hay and fresh grass, it is necessary to completely exclude legumes and oilseeds, meal, silage and grain from the diet of goats. When ketosis is mild, one nutritional adjustment is enough for the animal to recover, which occurs over 4-8 weeks.
The consequences of ketosis
In the initial stages, ketosis can be cured by changing the diet of goats without the use of drugs.
If untreated, the disease becomes more severe, accompanied by dangerous complications:
- muscle tremors and cramps;
- pathological enlargement of the liver;
- severe intoxication of the body;
- coma;
- cardiac pathology;
- renal failure;
- fatal outcome.
Ketosis in goats is a common condition that can pose serious health risks to the animal. A timely visit to the veterinarian, the correct selection of drugs and nutritional correction helps to completely cure ketosis, restore the health and productivity of the goat.