Why does a goat grind its teeth: causes and what to do, methods of treatment

Kids don't always grind their teeth because their teeth are growing. A novice or inexperienced farmer may not attach importance to this phenomenon, but most often the grinding of teeth in goats is a clear sign that indicates the presence of a disease. In this case, it is better not to postpone the veterinary examination, and it is advisable to find out the reason as soon as possible: why the little goat often grinds its teeth.

Noncommunicable diseases

Compared to other farm animals, goat offspring have an enviable immune system and rarely get sick. If the goat gets sick, then you should identify the presence of the disease in time and try to help him.

A non-communicable disease can occur if:

• fed the kids incorrectly (low-quality feed);
• give goat offspring milk from sick females;
• keep young animals in unsuitable conditions.

Non-communicable diseases in goats are rare, but difficult to treat, and the likelihood of developing pathologies in such cases is high. The first sign of illness in a goat that grinds its teeth is a loss of appetite.

Poisoning

If the kids are very small, then the farmer does not take them out to pastures, and the probability of getting poisoned by poisonous plants is minimal. Most likely, the animal may be poisoned due to improper feeding with unsuitable feed or food that is only suitable for adult goats. Feed may contain harmful pesticides or toxins.

Besides gnashing of teeth, a goat may have the following symptoms:

• disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
• refusing food;
• nervous system disorders;
• high blood pressure and rapid heart rate;
• breathing too fast.

If the animal is severely poisoned, then the nervous system may have serious symptoms, such as convulsions, paralysis and temporary loss of vision. You can help yourself or call a veterinarian if the poisoning was caused by a dangerous poison.

Avitaminosis, hypovitaminosis

If a growing goat does not eat, does not drink milk and grinds his teeth, then perhaps his metabolism is disturbed, and his body lacks any elements. If you feed the goat incorrectly, then over time he will have a lack of vitamin substances, such as A, B, C, D and E. The appearance of an animal that has beriberi is emaciated and thin.

Teeth grinding is a common symptom that indicates a lack of nutrients in the body. Hypovitaminosis can occur if the animal receives vitamins, but in insufficient quantities. In this case, it is better to change the diet in order to give the kids better types of feed.

Gastroenteritis

Improper feeding can contribute to the development of such a non-communicable disease as gastroenteritis. Feeding poor-quality feed to animals contributes to inflammation of the gastric mucosa. The disease makes itself felt when young animals are fed milk obtained from a goat with mastitis. Also, individuals who have been abruptly transferred to plant-based nutrition from compound feed can get sick with gastroenteritis.

In addition to teeth grinding, symptoms such as fever and indigestion appear.

Acute tympania

Provokes the appearance of acute timpania frequent change of diet or low-quality food. The animal begins to suffer from abdominal pain, which arises from an excess of gas.

Examples of diet changes that can cause gas in the intestines of goats:

• transfer from milk and animal feed to hay;
• shifting from whole grains and beans to juicy foods and organics.

Infectious diseases

The list of infectious diseases of domestic farm animals is extensive, and not only a small goat, but also its owner can get sick, since infections are transmitted to people too. Diseases of an infectious nature arise from the fact that young animals become infected with dangerous microorganisms, for example, in a pasture or in a dirty barn.

Echinococcosis

Parasitic helminths enter the body of goats with feces, which they can eat along with grass. Goats become infected when they graze on pastures and eat infected plants with the waste products of sick animals. The disease affects the kidneys, liver and general muscles of the kid. Over time, the individual is greatly depleted.

If young animals have symptoms such as teeth grinding and convulsions, then it is possible that helminths are not only in the stomach, but also in the brain. There is no cure for this disease, as there is no cure for it. Prevention and therapy for echinococcosis does not exist.

Dictyocaulosis

Lung invasive parasites can be found in livestock when they eat grass contaminated with dictyocaulosis faeces from other animals.A goatling can become infected if it is older than 3 months old and has already been released to graze with adult goats in a meadow or pasture. The reason for the appearance of pulmonary parasites is a rare change of pasture, which should be done every 5-6 days.

In addition to the dental problem, the goats begin to cough and sticky mucus flows from their nasal cavities. Sick kids are given Phenothiazine, a drug that kills larvae of parasites.

Piroplasmosis

Parasitic damage to the circulatory system by the pathogen Piroplasma ovis. The parasite enters the body when an animal bites a tick carrying the piroplasmosis virus. The disease is seasonal, and the risk of contracting it increases from May to June.

Symptoms of piroplasmosis in goats:

• fever;
• anemia;
• yellowing of mucous membranes;
• general deterioration of well-being;
• rejection of feed formulations;
• rapid heart rate;
• digestive disorders.

In addition to gnashing of teeth, a small child of goats defecates dark red urine, as hemoglobin begins to be excreted excessively through the kidneys.

In most cases, little kids die from piroplasmosis and only 30% of the total infected number survive, but have weak immunity in the future.

Infectious agalactia

Infection occurs in female goats that are in lactation. The course of the disease can be in acute or chronic form, in the form of damage to the mammary glands, joints and eyeballs. Almost 50% of infections lead to the death of livestock. Infected queens become carriers of the virus, they are dangerous to their offspring.

With newborn kids, sick queens are not placed in the same pen. To prevent the spread of infectious agalactia, the farmer needs to do complex sanitary and veterinary treatments of the premises.

Infectious mastitis

With poor quality milking, udder infections can occur in females, especially if the individual has stagnation of milk for some reason. Mastitis can be provoked by keeping dairy goats in a too cold space in which they lack warmth. Little kids are unlikely to get this infection. In adult goats, the disease is determined by the following signs:

1. Affected udder becomes hard and enlarges.
2. The skin on and around the nipples turns blue-violet.
3. From the udder liquid is released at first, and then - blood with pus.
4. The body temperature rises and the animal becomes weak.
5. Goat refuses favorite food. The individual does not have chewing gum, it may begin to grind its teeth regularly.

Infectious pleuropneumonia

The lungs and pleura are affected by harmful microorganisms - mycoplasmas. Individuals from the age of 3 years are prone to the disease, but even at an early age, kids are also not immune from infection. It is easy for livestock to become carriers of mycoplasmas through contact with disease vectors.

Infection is transmitted through saliva when coughing or mucus secreted from the nasal cavities, as well as through the urine of goats. The infected goat suffers from general weakness in the body, coughing and wheezing in the lungs. Body temperature becomes elevated, appetite disappears and, as an additional symptom, an unpleasant grinding of teeth occurs.

Despite the fact that goats are hardy, immune animals, the risk of contracting dangerous infectious or non-communicable diseases is high. If the goat began to grind its teeth, it should be checked for infections, since this minor sign is not always associated with the eruption of bone formations.

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