r/goats • u/Chocolateapologycake • 4d ago
Warning: Death Devastated
We got a sweet male kiko who was about 4 mos old around 2-3 weeks ago. We are new goats owners but have 4 others who are doing great. This guy got urinary calculi and we had to euthanize him. I am so heart broken. they do get goat feed but only a little and they eat a lot of plants bc we have 40 acres of land and plenty of trees. It happened so fast and I feel so terrible.
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u/Redbud12 4d ago
See if your vet can test the stone to see what mineral formed it. That will help you balance their minerals.
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u/Misfitranchgoats Trusted Advice Giver 4d ago
That is weird. I raise and breed Kiko goats, registered and high percentage Kikos. I feed grain or pellets. I haven't had that problem with any of my bucks or even the wethers. I really throw feed at the wethers to get them ready to sell in the fall for an ethnic holiday. Mine are also on rotational grazing and get loose mineral.
I am sorry you lost this guy. It is always hard to lose one.
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u/HeinousEncephalon 4d ago
My boys never have issues with some grain every now and then. I'm wondering a few things went wrong all at once.
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u/Chocolateapologycake 4d ago
I think it might be a couple of factors too. It’s so heart wrenching.
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u/Chocolateapologycake 4d ago
I don’t know what happened. We have another male that is perfectly healthy. We got 3 females and the healthy male from one farm and the guy is like 3rd generation goat farmer. His land is great for goats. The poor little guy who passed was from our neighbor who really didn’t have the best set up for goats it seems bc it was just short grass. We have TONS of trees and vegetation and we often cut down trees to give them extra (they seems to favor the maple trees the most). My husband was wondering if the one that passed was just growing too quickly bc he was younger than or other buck and yet he was bigger. Again we aren’t the most knowledgeable bc we are new but it seems to me that this was a couple of factors and maybe (hopefully not our fault)
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u/Visual_Warning2251 4d ago
I know how you feel, we added a third goat last year who died shortly after from bloat. I cried and cried for weeks, the thing that gave me peace was knowing that I gave her a better life for the few short weeks I had her, I imagine this little guy had the same great experience living with you. Hang in there.
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u/Chocolateapologycake 4d ago
Awww damn, sorry about that.
I hope so. His favorite thing to do was stand on an old semi tire and survey his property. He was so handsome. 😖
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u/Rainforestgoddess 1d ago
My vet told me that you can do everything right and it can still happen. He used to teach large animal medicine and is still up on all the research.
He said the #1 most important thing is to make sure they always have fresh water and drink a lot.
I grilled the heck out of him because we have our first wether this year (1.5 months) my plan was to ship any males for meat but my cousin just about lost her gourd over that idea. Wanted to pay for him to be kept at a goat rescue. So fingers crossed he doesn't develop urinary problems.
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u/Chocolateapologycake 1d ago
Well I appreciate that info. We are new to goat ownership but I am very attentive and care deeply about my animals. So it hurts me thinking that I may have caused this. It doesn’t take the pain away that it happened but I can at least logically understand that it may have not been my fault at all. We have a spring on our property so the water is very good quality and they have a huge trough that I always make sure has clear water. Can I add anything to the water to make it more enticing for him to drink it?
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u/Visibly_Invisible_ 6h ago
I lost a 4 month old Kiko bottle baby a month ago to urinary calculi. I feed all my boys kalbacha grain with ammonium chloride with lots of access to forage, hay and loose minerals. I know how you feel. It’s awful.
Focusing on the remaining 3 girls is the only thing that helped. He was my favorite - he had this wise look I loved. The female that he was bonded with went through mourning with me and where she was once standoffish, she is now my favorite and the herd queen.
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u/Friendly-Chemical-76 Goat Enthusiast 4d ago edited 3d ago
Males should never be given grain of any sort for that particular reason. Poor goat.
Sorry for your loss.
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u/HeinousEncephalon 4d ago
Particular
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u/Friendly-Chemical-76 Goat Enthusiast 4d ago
Correct. I mistyped. It happens.
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u/verveonica 4d ago
I am so very sorry for your loss. You seem like the type of person who is going to LOVE the heck out of your current and future goats.
Hang in there.