craptacular

You are reading http://livinginthehood.blogspot.com

I did the dumbest thing last night. Ma came home with a burger, onion rings and black raspberry shake for my supper. I couldn't finish the shake. I mixed it with the regular 2% cow's milk I feed my goats.

Oh, my gawd! They started SPEWING! They had the runs -- if you can call projectile water poop "runs" -- ALL night long! Their butts, back legs and tails were crusty by morning. The protective blanket over my bed, with a sheet of plastic under it, was just a mess. I was the only one running.

I could smell the "berry" flavoring in it.

They're not sickly. They're playing and bright eyed. Which means they're sharing the wealth all over the house. I've turned into a human mop, following them with a wet towel.

I can't put them outside. It snowed last night.

Right now, they seem less incontinent than they did last night. Of course, that's why they call it, "breakFAST," because they haven't eaten in about seven hours.

I've done some internet research.

The runs in goats is called "scours," with good reason. Their guts must be completely scoured, by now!

I learned to replace the electrolytes they're losing. In other words, they need baking soda. They also need potassium, so I'm feeding a little grapefruit juice. To restore their gut bacteria, I'm making them drink a bit of brewers' yeast and yogurt in their bottles of milk. They don't like it much, but what the hell?

Some people say don't feed grain. Some people say don't feed hay. Some people say don't feed milk. Um... THAT'S ALL THEY EAT! Well, they like cornflakes, icecream cones, bread and corn chips, but that's all grains, really, and I ONLY give them in small amounts, as treats. I'm thinking starving them is no solution.

So, I'll try to keep them extra hydrated today, and suppliment with those things I mentioned above.

I can give them pepto bismal, but that sounds kinda disgusting -- for the goats, not for me. Someone suggests blackberry plants: forage or tea.

I've wiped down their backsides and dried them off. They're currently sleeping on an old blanket, in front of the heater in my room. They seem no worse for the experience, but I'm worn out.

Before this even happened, I was aware that certain types of diarrhea can kill goats in hours or days. So I was pretty alarmed to see this.

Too much milk, changes in feed, etc. can cause scours. I'm thinking a black raspberry milkshake from Lotta Burger is NOT good goat feed.

Imagine a bazooka, less than a foot tall, traveling about 8 mph, capable of climbing any furniture surface in your house, spraying split pea soup as it goes.

I'm too old for this....