Most likely causes

• Ruminal acidosis (grain overload): This follows a sudden change in feed, raiding the feed bin, or too much grain or treats. The goat is depressed, may bloat, may have diarrhea, and may grind its teeth. It can progress to recumbency and death.
• Rumen stasis or indigestion: Causes include a feed change, moldy hay, or toxic plants. Mild cases clear in 1 to 2 days. Lasting longer than that suggests something else is going on.
• Bloat: Look for a swollen left flank. It is an emergency.
• Foreign body or blockage: Plastic, rope, or a hair ball can cause this.

• Barber pole worm (Haemonchus): This is the most common killer of goats. Look for pale or white inner eyelids (FAMACHA score 4 or 5), a swollen jaw ("bottle jaw"), weakness, and loss of appetite. It needs no discharge to be severe.
• Coccidiosis is more typical in kids, but it can occur in adults under stress.

• Pregnancy toxemia (ketosis): Consider this if she is pregnant or recently kidded, especially with twins. The signs are going off feed, lethargy, a sweet or acetone breath smell, and tremors.
• Hypocalcemia: This happens around kidding or in early lactation.
• Polioencephalomalacia (thiamine deficiency): Look for blindness, stargazing, head pressing, and circling.

• Listeriosis: Linked to silage or moldy hay. Look for a head tilt, a drooping face or ear, drooling, and circling. It starts as poor appetite and fever.
• Enterotoxemia (Clostridium perfringens): This is "overeating disease." It can be sudden and is often fatal.
• Caseous lymphadenitis (CL), pneumonia, abscesses, or mastitis: All of these can cause a fever and loss of appetite.
• Johne's disease: This causes chronic weight loss, usually with diarrhea. Goats often have no diarrhea, so it is easy to miss.

• Dental or mouth problems: Check for a broken tooth, an abscess, or a stuck object.
• Urinary blockage (urolithiasis): This mainly affects males, especially wethers fed grain. Look for straining, dribbling urine, and distress.
• Toxins: Rhododendron, azalea, wild cherry, yew, oleander, or similar plants. Also moldy feed, or copper or other mineral toxicity.
• Heat stress, a painful foot problem, or social stress.

What to check now

1. Temperature. Normal is 101.5 to 103.5°F (38.6 to 39.7°C). A high or low reading changes the picture.
2. Rumen movement. Press your fist or ear against the left flank. You should feel or hear 1 to 2 contractions per minute. None means rumen stasis.
3. Cud chewing. If she isn't chewing cud, the rumen is not working.
4. Eyelid color. Pale or white suggests anemia from worms.
5. Feces and urine. Check for diarrhea, pellet size, dribbling, or straining.
6. Bloat or distension of the left flank.
7. Neurologic signs: head tilt, circling, stargazing, head pressing, or tremors.
8. Hydration, gums, and any recent feed change or access to grain or plants.
9. Pregnancy or milking status.

Why this can't wait

• Offer fresh water and good grass hay.
• Offer probiotics or a ruminant paste like "Probios", or rumen fluid if you can get it.
• Don't force-feed grain.
• Don't give antibiotics or dewormer without a diagnosis. A wrong guess can make things worse.

Questions that would help narrow it down

• Is she pregnant or milking?
• Any recent change in feed, or access to grain?
• What are her eyelids like, and is she passing manure?
• What is her temperature, and is she bloated?
• Any neurologic signs?
• Is she alone, or are other goats affected?

1. On-farm checks (free, do today)

2. Simple tests a vet or you can do quickly

• Packed cell volume (PCV) and total protein. This confirms anemia. Under about 15 to 19% is clinical anemia. FAMACHA is a reasonable screen but not perfect, and validation work supports using it alongside PCV. A high PCV with high protein means dehydration.
• Fecal egg count (FEC). This is the McMaster or Mini-FLOTAC method. A high count with a high FAMACHA score supports Haemonchus. The ACSRPC guidance says a count alone shouldn't drive individual treatment decisions, because it doesn't always reflect the worm burden. Ask for a coccidia oocyst count too.
• Urine or blood ketone test. A ketone strip on urine, or a handheld beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) meter on blood, confirms pregnancy toxemia or ketosis. This is quick and cheap, and it matters if she is pregnant or has recently kidded.
• Rumen fluid pH, smell, and microscopy. A tube sample is best. A pH below about 5.5 supports subacute acidosis, and below 5 supports acute acidosis. A sour smell and a lack of live protozoa also point to acidosis.

3. Blood and lab work (vet-ordered)

• CBC: Looks for infection, anemia, and inflammation.
• Chemistry panel: Checks liver and kidney values, glucose, BHB, and electrolytes.
• Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium: Hypocalcemia is common around kidding.
• Thiamine response: There is no easy test. A vet may treat as a trial, giving thiamine and watching for improvement if polioencephalomalacia is suspected.
• Copper and selenium levels: Used for mineral deficiency or toxicity.

4. Targeted tests for infectious causes

• Johne's disease: Fecal PCR or culture, or serum ELISA. Sensitivity is low in early cases.
• Caseous lymphadenitis (CL): Aspirate and culture any lump, or use serology.
• Listeriosis: There is no reliable live test. It is diagnosed from the clinical signs, response to treatment, and sometimes CSF analysis. Confirmation is at necropsy.
• Enterotoxemia: Confirmed by intestinal contents, toxin typing, and necropsy findings.
• Pneumonia: Lung auscultation, plus a chest ultrasound or X-ray.

5. Imaging and procedures

• Abdominal and thoracic ultrasound: Looks at rumen motility, foreign material, liver abscesses, and pregnancy status.
• Radiographs: Used for suspected foreign bodies or urinary stones.
• Rumenocentesis or rumen transfaunation: Reserved for severe, non-responding cases.
• Necropsy: If a goat dies or if any herdmate is lost, ask for a necropsy. It is often the most cost-effective way to protect the rest of the herd.

Which test points to which cause

Order I would suggest

1. Temperature, FAMACHA, and rumen sounds today.
2. A ketone strip if she is pregnant or recently kidded.
3. PCV and fecal sample if she is pale or thin.
4. A vet visit with CBC and chemistry if she isn't clearly improving within 24 hours.