Diseases of Goats

There are many important physiological and behavioural differences between goats and the large animal species to which they are most often compared, sheep and cows, often resulting in important differences in their response to disease and treatments, so that it is not always safe to extrapolate from one species to another. For instance, drug metabolism in goats varies from sheep and cows, so that dose rates and excretion times vary, and response to and recovery from anaesthesia shows important differences. This book considers the major diseases of goats, their treatment and control. It also considers husbandry alongside disease, as so many of the problems encountered are related to husbandry and management. In addition to production and husbandry chapters, the book considers nutritional metabolic and toxic disorders, diseases of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, neurological and reproductive systems, skin and eye disorders, anaesthesia and surgery. A specific chapter also covers the topic of legislation and notifiable diseases.