FKS Floppy Kid Syndrome

This taken from www.goatworld.com
"Floppy Kid Syndrome, also known by the acronym of FKS, is a condition that occurs within 3 to 10 days after birth to young kids and is characterized by profound muscle weakness and a kid that is reluctant to nurse. FKS can often be fatal if not detected and treated early. Such treatment includes the oral administration of sodium bicarbonate and/or the tube feeding of milk. More severe cases need to be treated with isotonic intravenous 1.3% sodium bicarbonate solution. Dramatic clinical improvement is noted after administration of intravenous fluids. There appears to be no association found between the treatment with a variety of antibiotics or vitamin / mineral supplements and clinical response. FKS is often confused with a weak kid at birth syndrome - one should note that FKS appears at least 3 days after birth and not necessarily at birth."

While your children may flop when upset and throwing a fit, I'm talking about goat kids. It usually happens the day after they are born if it's going to happen. Last night we noticed this set of twins weren't nursing.

Figured the mamas bag was too big. So the farmer fed them a bottle.

We didn't think much of it til this morning when he went to check and brought me 2 floppy goat kids. I stopped everything I was doing and it was my mission to bring these babies back. First I got a hair dryer and began to warm them up and then grabbed two warm tshirt from the dryer and wrapped each one up. I got warm water and baking soda in a bottle and forced them to drink a little. I also rubbed esssntial oil on their bellies. Something called paragize...that I give my dog.


The sun was beating down today so we took them outside. I could tell the one twin wasn't going to make it. His breathing was much more labored. He didn't last long. We put the other male in the sun and it began to warm up. We gave it some more baking soda water at lunch and then tonight I fed it milk replacer.


He's still a little weak tonight, but he did stand up...which is amazing because if you've ever seen a floppy goat kid all it does is lay and if you try to pick it up, it's head just flops back toward its spine.
We will see what tomorrow brings, but I'm hopeful.