Some of the Most Common Signs of a Sick Goat are:

• 1. Teeth Grinding or Teeth Gritting- this is a sign of pain and possibly the first sign you will see in a goat who is sick.  
• 2. Weight loss in a normally well conditioned goat- Older goats are many times thinner than a younger goat so you must know who is older and who should be well muscled.   
• 3. Goats who separate themselves from the main herd, who are not  eating, standing with head and tail down, are the most common first signs of a suspected sick goat- Goats normally Only separate themselves for kidding or if they are sick or injured. 
• 2. Weight loss in a normally well conditioned goat- Older goats are many times thinner than a younger goat so you must know who is older and who should be well muscled.   
• 4. Signs of scouring (diarrhea) on rear of goat. Could be worms, coccidia, pneumonia or a variety of other diseases.   
• 5. Cloudy, runny or closed eyes on a goat - could be signs of pink eye or worms  as a severely wormy goat will have a purulent discharge from the eyes. 
• 6. Stargazing - a goat who holds it's head up as if looking at the stars could be a sign of Listeriosis or Goat Polio. 
• 7. Drunken Gait- a goat who seems as though it is walking drunk could very well be signs of Goat Polio- Thiamine is the treatment for this.  
• 8. Stiff Sawhorse appearance could be signs of tetanus Look for puncture wounds or in kids who have been disbudded or castrated recently- Always a good idea to prevent this with an injection of Tetanus Anti toxin at the time of disbudding or castration- this gives a 7-10 day added protection. Also when a goat has had an injury.  
• 9. Dull scruffy coat is a sign of worms, lice  OR copper deficiency. 
  
• 10. Runny Noses could be a sign of pneumonia- summer pneumonia is very common 
• 11. Not peeing could be a symptom of Urinary Calculi in bucks and wethers, or a sign of urinary infection in does. Not pooping is indicative of digestive upset as is scouring caused by a myriad of reasons- but pay attention to the elimination process of all of your goats in particular those who you feel are not well. 

What is Normal for a Goat?

Basic physiological norms for goats:

• Rectal temperature is in the range 101.5 to 103.5 degrees F
• Pulse rate is in the range 70 -80 beats per minute
• Respiration Adult Goats- 10-30 per minute
• Respiration Kid Goats 20-40 per minute
• Rumen Movement 1 – 1.5 per minute
• Estrus (length of heat cycle)–12 to 36 hours
• Heat Cycles– 20 to 23 days
• Breeding Season –July to February
• Gestation period is in the range 145 to 160 days ( typically 150)
• Puberty (depends heavily on breed) but can be as early as  just 2 months for pygmy bucks, later for other breeds. 2 mos to 18mos (depending on breed)
• Rumen development for kids - fully developed rumen functions at 1 yr of age. 
• Lifespan Bucks – The average is around 8 years but up to 12 years
• Lifespan Does – The average is around 11-12 years and up to 20 years
• Growth from Birth to Maturity is 2 years