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Health And Wellness

How to Conduct A Goat Health Check

Tara Hess & Mckenzee Griffler

February 13, 2023

two white goats lay in the grass with a blue sky behind them — Photo: Gabriela Penela / We Animals Media

This resource was updated as part of the veterinary review process. It was originally published on May 24, 2018.

Veterinary Review Initiative
This resource has been reviewed for accuracy and clarity by a qualified Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with farmed animal sanctuaryAn animal sanctuary that primarily cares for rescued animals that were farmed by humans. experience as of February 2023. Check out more information on our Veterinary Review Initiative here!

Much like the common advice given to humans, it’s important to regularly check the health of goats with a routine health checkThe Open Sanctuary Project uses the term "health check" to describe health evaluations performed by caregivers who are not licensed veterinarians. While regular health checks are an important part of animal care, they are not meant to be a replacement for a physical exam performed by a licensed veterinarian. rather than waiting until a goat is showing signs of distress or illness. Not only will this help you get to know what all aspects of a healthy goat look and feel like, it can also help your residents become accustomed to gentle human handling which might help them remain calm during other scenarios where restraint or handling are necessary. Be prepared to check them over every six to eight weeks*! For more information on why regular health checks are important, check out our resource here.

*A Health Check Every Six to Eight Weeks Means Daily Observation
Our recommendation to conduct routine health checks every six to eight weeks must be done in conjunction with daily observation. Caregivers should be trained to observe animals both for behaviors that are abnormal for the species and also behaviors that are abnormal for each individual, keeping in mind issues that are common in a particular species and their warning signs. Thoughtful observation plays a crucial role in catching health issues before they progress into more serious situations. You can read more about daily observation for goat health and well-being here.

Residents With Challenging Backgrounds
Close daily observation can be difficult with certain individuals or groups who come from challenging backgrounds. They may be more likely to hide signs of illness or injury, or they may not allow you to come close enough to them to thoroughly assess their well-being on a regular basis. Challenging backgrounds may include individuals who are not socialized, have lived feral, or were abused or malnourished. If you care for individuals who came from a challenging background, it is imperative to make time to foster a bond of trust so careful observation is possible. A monthly health check is recommended for these individuals until they exhibit signs that they feel safe, and you are confident that close daily observation is possible.

New Resident? Conduct An Intake Evaluation!
If you are conducting an initial health evaluation on a new resident, check out our intake evaluation resource to learn about what you should check for and document!

Supplies

Before conducting a health check, it’s helpful to gather any supplies you may need and have them arranged nearby for easy access. Having everything you will likely need nearby can make the process go more smoothly and will reduce the amount of time the individual must be restrained. If you are performing a health check on someone with a known health issue or detect signs of a certain health condition during the health check, you may need additional supplies besides those listed below. Otherwise, supplies to have on hand during goat health checks may include:

Recordkeeping supplies
A halter (if using for restraint)
Hoof trimmers/shears and/or rotary tool
Gauze squares (non-sterile is typically fine, but there may be times when sterile gauze is necessary)
Exam gloves
Goat-safe topical disinfectant (such as dilute chlorhexidine)
Saline flush
Goat-safe ointments or creams such as a triple antibiotic ointment or silver sulfadiazine cream 1% (SSD)
Cotton-tipped applicators
Tweezers
Headlamp, penlight, or flashlight
Thermometer and lubricant (good to have on hand in case you suspect someone is ill based on health check findings)
Towels
Stethoscope
Clippers (to remove patches of hair if needed)
Fly treatments or deterrents (during fly season)
FAMACHA card (if applicable)

Conducting The Health Check

Ask An Expert
Prior to regularly conducting goat health checks, you should have a veterinarian or compassionate care expert give you hands-on training in order to be the best goat health advocate possible. Being trained to rapidly distinguish healthy conditions from abnormalities can be crucial in early health issue detection and effective treatment!

Before beginning individual health checks (and, if possible, before entering your residents’ living spaceThe indoor or outdoor area where an animal resident lives, eats, and rests.), it’s a good idea to take a few minutes to observe the group. Make note of their behavior, activity level, and general appearance. If residents are up, observe how they are standing and moving and whether or not they are actively eating. If they are lying down, make note of how they are positioned, whether or not they are chewing cudFood matter that returns from the first stomach compartment back to the mouth for further chewing, and whether or not they are away from the herd or are the only one lying down.

Now is also a good time to observe the respiratory rate of individuals in the herd since this may become elevated once residents are moved or restrained. While you can certainly assess the respiratory rate for each individual, for starters, you may simply spend a few minutes observing the group, checking to see if anyone appears to be breathing more rapidly or with more effort than the other residents. You could then take their respiratory rate and further evaluate them during their health check (or, depending on other signs they are presenting, you may opt to call your veterinarian). To assess a goat’s respiratory rate, watch their chest movements, counting how many times their chest expands/contracts over one minute. You want to count each paired expansion and contraction as one respiration. Different sources offer different ranges, but according to Large Animal Internal Medicine, 5th Edition, the resting respiratory rate for adult goats ranges from 15-40 breaths per minute with an average of 28. Because there can be a range of normal, it’s a good idea to observe the group and look for anyone whose respirations are much faster, slower, or more labored than their herd mates. Keep in mind that individuals who are active will have an elevated respiratory rate compared to someone at rest. In addition to being an indication of illness, an elevated respiratory rate can also be indicative of a goat being stressed, hot, or in pain.

During this general observation of the group, watch for anyone who stands out as looking or acting differently from the rest of the herd. While this may not necessarily be an indication of a health concern, it certainly warrants further observation and assessment during the health check. For example, if you notice that Leonard is standing in the corner while everyone else is lying down, you’ll want to pay close attention to Leonard and gather more information to assess his health and well-being.

When In Doubt…
Unless you are a qualified veterinarian or have been trained to handle specific conditions, The Open Sanctuary Project strongly advocates that you promptly report any health concerns you find during the course of a health check to your veterinarian or a care expert. You should be the resident’s advocate, not their doctor. Additionally, routine health checks performed by a caregiverSomeone who provides daily care, specifically for animal residents at an animal sanctuary, shelter, or rescue. are not meant to be a replacement for veterinary assessment. The goal is to catch potential signs of concern as early as possible so you can bring concerns to your veterinarian. If necessary, they can then perform a more in-depth examination of the individual.

Up next, we’ll go over important components of a health check. Please note that while these “steps” do not have to be completed in the order listed below, it is helpful to have a set order you follow consistently so as to avoid accidentally missing a step. Some folks like to start at the feet and work their way up, while others like to start at the head and work their way back.

Check Their Weight And Body Condition

Monitoring your goat residents’ weight and body condition gives you important information about their health. A healthy, mature goat should generally maintain a steady weight. If at all possible, it’s a great idea to invest in a scale that can accurately weigh your residents. This way, not only can you track your residents’ weight, you’ll also be able to ensure proper drug dosing by calculating dosages based on their actual weight rather than on an estimated or outdated weight.

Body condition scoring can also be a useful tool, particularly if weighing residents is not possible. We recommend working with a veterinarian for proper training in body condition scoring to ensure the most accurate results. However, if you are not trained in body condition scoring, you can still roughly assess your residents’ body condition. Because an individual’s hair coat can skew our visual assessment of their body condition, this part of the health check requires a hands-on assessment. A thin individual will have a prominent spine, whereas in an overweight individual, the spine will be difficult to detect. Be aware that the size of an individual’s belly is not a useful way to assess their body condition. Goats may have very round bellies, despite being significantly underweight.

Be sure to share concerns about a resident’s weight with your veterinarian. Herd-wide issues warrant a closer look at your residents’ diet, but herd-wide weight loss could also be due to contagious disease or parasitism. Isolated instances of weight gain or loss should also be discussed with your veterinarian. There are a number of reasons a resident may be losing weight, such as parasitism or caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE), which is why it’s important to work with an experienced veterinarian to have the individual assessed. You’ll also want to discuss how the individual is doing overall. Losing weight despite a healthy appetite will suggest different possibilities (such as Johne’s disease) than weight loss accompanied by inappetence. Particularly in elderly goats, weight loss might be the result of dental disease and may require permanent alterations to the individual’s diet.

Check Their Head And Neck

Certain areas of the head require a closer look and are discussed in detail below, but you can start by checking their head for any sign of asymmetry, a head tilt, or frequent head shaking. If a resident has a head tilt or one side of their face is drooping, this is cause for concern, and your veterinarian should be consulted. Also pay attention to how they are holding their head. While their head will be close to the ground when grazing or otherwise eating from the ground, constantly holding their neck and head low to the ground is not normal. Other concerning signs include constant extension of the neck, holding their head so that they are looking straight up, or arching their neck backwards.

Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is common in goats and could result in abscesses on the head (namely under the ear or along the jaw) or on other parts of their body. CL is contagious and spreads via discharge from abscesses, so if you find an abscess, work with your veterinarian to determine if it is caused by CL and take measures to prevent disease spread. You can read more about CL here.

If the individual has horns or scurs (horn-like tissue that, unlike a true horn, is attached to the skin rather than the skull), be sure to check that these are not growing in such a way as to cause injury or irritation to the face. Work with your veterinarian to determine the best course of action if a horn or scur is causing a problem.

Feel along the neck for any swelling, lumps, lesions, or areas that are sensitive to the touch. Keep in mind that some goats have wattles, which dangle from their neck. Many goats also have a beard. If burs or other seeds or vegetation get tangled in the beard, these can be gently removed.

Check Their Eyes

Goats should have clear, bright, alert eyes that close fully when blinking. Squinting, crusting, or discharge could indicate an issue. Check that the eyelids are not rolling inward. This condition is called entropion and requires veterinary intervention to correct. Without correction, this condition can cause corneal scarring and ulceration. Angora goats may need the hair trimmed around their eyes if it is impeding their vision or irritating their eyes.

Make note of how the eye is sitting in the eye socket. Sunken eyes may be a sign of moderate to severe dehydration, or they could be due to fat loss in very thin individuals. Bulging of the eye should also be noted. Check the mucus membrane of the lower eyelid to look for evidence of (pale mucous membranes) which could be a sign of barber pole worm infection or other serious condition. If you are trained in FAMACHA scoring, be sure to use your card and record their score (please note that your veterinarian may recommend performing FAMACHA scoring more often than just at routine health checks). You can also check for a menace response by moving your hand towards each eye a few times (without touching their eyelashes or eyes). Goats over 2 weeks of age should reflexively blink in response to this test.

Now check the eye itself. Goats have an elongated horizontal pupil. These should be symmetric and should constrict in response to bright light. Check for thickened blood vessels or an abnormal color to the eye, which depending on the part of the eye affected, could indicate a number of issues including or scarring.

All eye issues should be raised with your veterinarian as soon as possible. They can do a much more thorough examination, if needed.

Check Their Ears

Different breeds have very different ears in terms of size and positioning. Some breeds, such as Nubians and Boers, naturally have droopy ears. Other breeds, such as Saanens and Alpines, have more upright ears. LaManchas have uniquely tiny , though even among LaManchas, pinnae size varies. It’s important to familiarize yourself with what is normal for the individual so that you can pick up on any changes. Ears should be symmetric and should not be droopier than usual. The ears should be warm (but not hot) and soft. Cold ears could be cause for concern, and cold scabby ear tips could be a sign of frostbite. If a goat has hot and swollen ears, they should be evaluated by a veterinarian. Hematomas of the ears could be a sign of ear mites, resulting in frequent head shaking, and subsequent trauma to ears. If the is hard, this could be a sign of scarring.

Next, look inside the ears, checking for any discharge or dirtiness and also checking for any unusual odors. It is not uncommon for LaMancha goats to have wax build up in their ears. This can be gently removed with a cotton-tipped applicator, taking care not to push the wax deeper into the ear.

Check Their Nose

A small amount of thin, clear, discharge from the nostrils may be normal, but copious amounts of discharge or discharge that is thick is cause for concern and could be a sign of infection or parasites. Also pay attention to the skin and hair under the nose. Hair loss or skin irritation could be a sign that the individual has intermittent nasal discharge, even if they do not currently have active discharge.

Pay attention to their breathing. Flaring of the nostrils could indicate increased respiratory effort. If you hold your hand in front of their nose, you should be able to feel air coming from both nostrils equally. Also make note of any abnormal odors coming from their nose. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect a respiratory issue.

While checking their nose, make note of any lesions, scabs, swelling, or areas of discoloration. You can also feel along the bridge of their nose for any asymmetry.

Check Their Mouth And Jaw

Start by looking at their lips for any sign of scabbing – this could be indicative of orf (also known as sore mouth), which can be spread to humans. Always wear gloves if a goat is showing signs of orf. Pay attention to their breathing, looking for open-mouth breathing, which could be a sign of overheating or a respiratory issue. Look for excessive drooling or green liquid around the mouth or in the beard. Also make note of the area under the jaw, checking for fluid build up (bottle jaw). This can be caused by low concentrations of protein in the blood, which may be the result of barber pole worms. Contact your veterinarian if a resident has bottle jaw.

Check/feel their jaw for any lumps, lesions, or areas of swelling or discharge. A lump along the lower jaw could actually be due to the individual collecting cud in their cheek which could be a sign of a dental issue. Your veterinarian can perform a dental examination to determine if they require any dental work, and they can also make recommendations if the individual requires dietary changes due to their dental issues. Lumps along the jaw that are not packed cud should be evaluated by your veterinarian.

Carefully part their lips so you can see their teeth and gums. Do not put your fingers inside the goat’s mouth, particularly near their molars, which are incredibly sharp! Goats have four pairs of lower incisors, but no upper incisors; instead they have a dental pad. While a full dental exam is beyond the scope of a caregiver-performed health check and should be reserved for your veterinarian, you can look for missing, broken, or visibly loose incisors, which are not uncommon in older goats. You can also check their gums which should be moist and pink. Red, pale, or tacky gums can indicate a problem.

While checking their mouth, make note of any abnormal odors on their breath or originating in their mouth. An abnormal odor could be a sign of a respiratory infection, dental issue, or even an issue with the rumen.

Check Their Rumen

As ruminants, assessing the digestive tract is an important part of evaluating goat health. While your veterinarian can perform a more in-depth evaluation of a goat’s digestive system, you can gather some basic information during your routine checks. First, you can visually assess the individual. When standing behind them and facing them, their rumen will be on the left. A slight asymmetry in the contour of the abdomen is normal due to the presence of the rumen on the left side. In Angora goats and related breeds, this asymmetry may not be noticeable through their hair. You can also feel their abdomen, especially in the area of the paralumbar fossa on their left side. This is the triangular area behind the last rib and in front of the hip bone. If the goat has eaten recently, the paralumbar fossa will be about flush (give or take a little) with the last rib. If they have not been eating, this area will be depressed, and in the absence of thick hair, you may even be able to see a clear outline of the triangular area. If the paralumbar fossa is distended significantly past the last rib and/or feels tight, this indicates bloat, a potentially life-threatening condition. Other signs of bloat include labored breathing, grunting, open-mouth breathing, extension of the neck, frequent urination, and other signs of discomfort. As the condition progresses, the goat may become recumbent. When you tap on the paralumbar fossa of a bloated goat, it may produce a kettle drum-like sound. Contact your veterinarian immediately if a resident is showing signs of bloat as prompt intervention is imperative.

You can also listen for rumen contractions by placing a stethoscope over the paralumbar fossa on their left side. You should hear a rumen contraction (sometimes described as sounding like a thunderstorm or dull roar) approximately 1-2 times per minute. If you note long gaps between contractions or weak contractions, please consult with your veterinarian.

Check Their Sides, Underside, And Back

While checking their rumen does require checking part of their left side, you want to also take time to check the rest of their left side as well as their right side, underside, and back. Check for any lumps, swelling, wounds, edema, etc. In Angora goats with thick hair, these issues can be concealed by the hair, so it’s helpful to feel through the hair for any issues. While checking the goat’s left side, you can listen to their heart and record their heart rate. To do this, place the stethoscope on their left side, right behind their elbow. An adult goat’s resting heart rate is typically between 70-110 beats/minute with an average of 85. An extremely high heart rate could indicate the individual is in pain. Consult with your veterinarian if you have any concerns about a goat’s heart rate or the way their heart sounds.

Be sure to check for pressure sores, particularly in the areas that typically make contact with the ground when the goat is lying down. Early signs of pressure sores include hair loss and irritated skin before becoming open sores or scabbed areas.

When checking male residents, check around the preputial opening for crystals, sandy deposits, blood, scabs, sores, or dryness. If they urinate during the health check, watch that they are not straining and that they have a normal stream of urine. Straining, dribbling urine, or producing a weak stream of urine could be signs of urinary blockage, and your veterinarian should be contacted immediately. Left untreated, this condition can be fatal. Lesions around the preputial opening could be due to pizzle end rot. If hair is covering the preputial opening and becoming soaked with urine, this can be carefully trimmed to prevent skin ulceration.

When checking females, observe and gently palpate their udders, checking for signs of mastitis such as asymmetry, abnormal temperature (hot or cold), swelling, firmness, pain, or discharge. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect mastitis. If one of your residents, male or female, appears to be producing milk unexpectedly, consult with your veterinarian for guidance.

When checking a goat’s back, make note of any hunching when the individual is standing. Their back should be fairly flat. Hunching could be a sign of a variety of things, including white muscle disease.

Check Their Legs

Carefully check their front and back legs for any signs of swelling, particularly noting if there is asymmetry between the right and left corresponding legs (i.e. note if a goat’s front right leg is larger than the front left leg). Swelling, heat, or sensitivity in the carpi (often referred to as the “front knees”), tarsi (“hocks”), or fetlocks (“ankles”) could be a sign of infection, injury, or arthritis (including the arthritic form of CAE). When checking the front legs, be sure to continue your observation all the way up into their shoulder area, and in the back, check all the way up to the hips. Particularly when checking their back legs, look for any signs of pressure sores (hair loss, irritated skin, scabs, or open sores). Bald patches on the carpi are not unusual.

Also check for any signs of pain by observing how they stand and move. They should bear weight evenly, and there should be no crepitus (cracking or crunching sounds) when they move. You can carefully assess their range of motion and feel for crepitus by gently flexing and extending the joint, particularly the carpi, tarsi, fetlocks, and stifles. Do not force movements if the individual resists or if the motion elicits a pain response. Also make sure you do not bend the joint in an unnatural position or overextend the joint, which could result in injury.

Osteoarthritis is quite common in goats as they age, so it’s important to keep a close eye on their mobility and discuss any concerns with your veterinarian. An appropriate pain management plan is an important part of caring for arthritic residents.

Check Their Feet

Pay attention to how the individual is standing. A goat with a foot issue may be reluctant to bear weight on the affected foot/feet. Before examining the feet, use a piece of gauze or a cloth to remove any dirt or debris, if needed, in order to more clearly assess the foot. Look and feel around the coronary band and between the claws for any redness, heat, swelling, sensitivity, odor, or discharge. If there is any debris stuck between the claws, gently remove it. In muddy conditions, mud can build up and harden between the claws, resulting in discomfort and lameness. A foul odor and/or a black tarry appearance between the claws likely indicates footrot. Crustiness under the dewclaws could be a sign of mange.

Next, examine the bottom of the foot. Evaluate the length of the hoof wall and check for separation from the sole. Trim or even out the hoof as needed. You can read about hoof trimming here. Overgrown hooves can predispose residents to various health issues, so regular trimming is important.

Check Their Rear End

A goat’s rear end and tail should be free of fecal matter. However, be aware that goats have a sebaceous gland on the underside of the base of the tail. This produces a brown waxy secretion, which should not be confused with diarrhea or discharge. Feces matted hair is a sign of loose stool (normal feces should be pelleted). Not only should the cause of the issue be investigated, the individual will also need to be cleaned up to prevent flystrike. Cleaning the individual will also make it easier to observe if the issue continues or not. If their back end remains dirty, it’s difficult to assess whether or not they continue to have loose stool unless you are able to watch them defecate. If their rear and tail has been cleaned but becomes matted or stained with feces again, this confirms that the issue is ongoing.

You should also visually check their anus, and in females, their vulva, ensuring that they do not have any prolapsed tissue. When checking the vulva, make note of any discharge, crystal deposits, or lesions. Though perhaps not as common as with some other species, females can develop various reproductive issues, so be sure to contact your veterinarian if you observe abnormal discharge.

If you are worried that an individual is ill, it can be helpful to take their rectal temperature, as this can be useful information to share with your veterinarian. To do so, coat the tip of the thermometer in lubricant, and gently insert it about two inches into the individual’s rectum. The thermometer should slide in easily. If you meet resistance, do not force the thermometer in. It’s important to have the individual properly restrained and to hold on to the thermometer while getting the reading (some folks use a string and clip to secure the thermometer to the individual’s hair so that it does not fall out and get lost in the pen). Particularly if using a glass mercury thermometer, additional care should be taken, as a broken thermometer could put residents at risk of injury and exposure to toxic mercury. Also keep in mind that a mercury thermometer must be shaken down in order to get an accurate reading, and it must be left in the rectum for at least three minutes. According to Large Animal Medicine, 5th Edition, the normal rectal temperature for an adult goat is 101.5-103.5 Fahrenheit/38.5-39.5 Celsius. Be aware that body temperature can be affected by the ambient temperature, so comparing an individual’s rectal temperature to someone else in the group may be useful. Contact your veterinarian if you have concerns about a resident’s rectal temperature.

Check Their Hair And Skin

A healthy goat should have a smooth, shiny coat. A rough, dry, or dull coat could be a sign of illness or nutritional issues. Check them for hair loss, keeping in mind that most goat breeds shed in the spring. Some breeds, such as the Angora, will need to be shorn in order to maintain their comfort. In agricultural settings, shearing of Angora goats and other breeds that produce mohair is most often scheduled with a focus on getting the best quality fiber. In a sanctuary setting, shearing should be scheduled based on what is in the best interest of the individual (i.e. shearing them at the coldest time of year is not advised because it will leave them vulnerable to the cold).

Be sure to investigate if a goat is showing signs that part of their body is itchy (signs include biting or rubbing the area), and be sure to look more closely at any area that is covered in flies, as this could be a clue that they have an open wound and are at risk of developing flystrike.

During this part of the health check, you want to make sure you are thoroughly checking their entire body for external parasites, skin issues, or other concerns that may be concealed by their hair. Thick hair, in particular, can hide a number of ailments, so it’s helpful to closely examine any dirty or matted areas and to feel all along the individual’s body for any lumps, lesions, discharge, etc. If you feel something odd, part their hair for closer evaluation. If you note that a goat has dry skin, check in with your veterinarian. This issue could be a sign of poor nutrition or underlying disease.

Isolate If Necessary

If you notice that a goat is unhealthy, it’s crucial to consult with a veterinarian or compassionate care expert and prioritize accurately diagnosing the problem. Depending on the health concern, it may be necessary to isolate the goat in order to protect the rest of the herd from a potentially infectious disease. However, with some illnesses, once a goat is showing symptoms, the other residents in the herd may have already been exposed. In these instances, you will need to consider what is in the best interest of all of your residents. A sick goat who is isolated from their herd may become more stressed, which could delay recovery, but in some situations keeping them with the herd may not be safe. Depending on the health concern, separating the goat with a calm companion might be a good compromise.

Though it may seem like an overwhelming amount of factors to be aware of, once you’ve gotten to know a goat and what good goat health looks like, you’ll be an excellent goat health ally in no time!

Writing It All Down

As you may know, regular documentation is a critical part of responsible sanctuary animal care. In order to maximize the value of your goat health checks, we’ve developed a free printable goat health check form for sanctuaries and rescues!

SOURCES:

Small Ruminant Handling And Assessment | North Valley Animal Disaster Group

Large Animal Internal Medicine 5th Edition | Bradford P. Smith (Non-Compassionate Source)

Sheep And Goat Medicine, Second Edition | D.G. Pugh And A.N. Baird (Non-Compassionate Source)

Goat Medicine, Second Edition (Non-Compassionate Source)

Identifying Sick LivestockAnother term for farmed animals; different regions of the world specify different species of farmed animals as “livestock”. With Dr. Lisa Lunn | UAF Extension (Non-Compassionate Source)

The Basic Clinical Exam: Key To Early Identification Of Sick Animals | AgriLIFE Extension (Non-Compassionate Source)

Non-Compassionate Source?
If a source includes the (Non-Compassionate Source) tag, it means that we do not endorse that particular source’s views about animals, even if some of their insights are valuable from a care perspective. See a more detailed explanation here.