It can be very stressful when you notice that your goat has developed a cough? You will surely look for an immediate remedy and investigate the reason behind its cough. After all, your beloved animal needs help… so it may worry you. I have put together this guide to help explain why goats cough, and how to treat it.
Is your goat’s cough natural?
First of all, you need to identify if it is a normal/routine cough, like the rest of the living beings, or a constant one. A good cough is normal as goats force the cud to their mouth for further chewing. In the process, a cough is a must. However, if the goat isn’t moving its mouth or eating and the cough persists, it can be considered a bad cough.
Reasons Why Goats Cough
The main reason goat cough is because of a dusty environment, allergies, illness, eating too quickly, and lungworm.
Dusty Environment
We live within the four walls of our house, but our goats spend most of the time in open fields. Windy or dusty weather can cause a cough in goats. Goats can also become exposed to moldy hay and strong dusty winds, especially in dry seasons. This can cause their throats to dry out and result in them developing a cough.
It is important that you have a good floor for your goat house that doesn’t collect mold or dusty.
Dust can easily accumulate into their respiratory tract and cause breathing difficulties, thus leading to strong and prolonged coughs. If your goat is munching on dusty or moldy hay, it will probably cough right away. Hay also gathers dust in windy times of the year, and intake of dusty hay is a common reason why goats cough often.
Try offering wet or moistened hay to avoid coughing in goats. It is also important to have fresh clean water available to your goat at all times. This can help wash down dusty hay before it gets trapped in their throat.
Illness
There is also a chance your goat’s cough is due to an illness. The key is to observe your goat and see if you notice any other changes in behavior. Does your goat look like they have less energy or are they not as active as usual? Do they isolate themselves from the other goats? If you answer yes to any of these questions, your goat might be sick.
You must check their temperature to see if they have a temperature. If they have a fever or have trouble moving, you should take them to a vet immediately.
Grazing the grass too quickly
Goats are opportunistic eaters, which mean it is common for them to eat more than they need. Sometimes goats will get too excited when they see food, and will gulp in down too fast. If your goat eats grass or hay to quickly, it may cause a small blockage or irritation in their throat. It can also cause them to grind their teeth.
This irritation can result in a cough. To help avoid this, make sure you feed your goat on a regular schedule so that they never go hungry. If a goat begins to starve, they will start to crave food, and when they are offered some they might eat it too quickly. Your goat might also start coughing if it eats something toxic.
To avoid this from happening, you should also make sure you have fresh water next to their food.
Pneumonia and coughing in goats
Common Pneumonia does not cause goats to cough, but Pasteurella pneumonia abscesses can. This disease creates small ulcers in the lungs of the animal and leaves them coughing for hours.
If your goat is coughing or suffering from the aforesaid chronic disease, you need to take it seriously as it can even kill your goat. The most common symptoms of pneumonia are raspy sounds in the lung tract, wheezing, sneezing, fever, or isolation from other goats.
If you suspect that one of your goats has Pneumonia, you should isolate them from the other goats and take them to a vet as soon as possible. You should also separate the goat from sheep and other animals if you have any.
Common Cold
The common cold can also cause your goat to cough. Human beings get cold, and so do goats. A goat with a cold will likely have a lot of discharge from their mouth and nose. This can result in snot or spit building up on their face.
The use of probiotics and fulfilling their dietary requirements can quickly heal them up. Other essential nutrients must be checked and proper medication for cold in goats given to get rid of coughs. You should also wipe your goats face if it has discharge on it.
Lungworm Cough
Your goat is perfectly fine, with no sickness or physical or medical issue, but still coughing? There is a chance that they have lungworms. Lungworms can reside in healthy goats and create breathing problems as well. Such goats also lose interest in eating and become lethargic. Lungworms, if they persist, can cause bronchitis and pneumonia.
The goats with a better immune system are less exposed to lungworms – but senior and younger goats tend to cough due to lungworm infection. To help avoid lungworms, you should make sure you regularly clean your goats living area. If one of your goats develops lungworm, you should take them to the vet immediate. The sooner lungworm is treated the better.
Allergies
We often undergo infections and allergies, and the same happens to our goats. Different types of allergies can cause coughing in goats. Some goats are sensitive to pollen, and eating grass enriched with pollen is an obvious reason why goats cough.
Therefore, if it isn’t lungworm, high temperature, or pneumonia, your goat might be coughing due to allergies.
What should I do when my goat coughs?
We have discussed the most common reasons behind a coughing goat. If you find your goat in a similar situation, carefully observe the symptoms and try your best to make a diagnosis. If the cough becomes persistent and out of control, call the veterinarian and get them checked.
The best way to prevent your goat from developing a cough is to ensure they are fed a balanced diet and have access to clean water. You should also make sure their living area is well-kept.
