Alright, this may sound strange but my one goat had runny nose and sneeeezed full in my face. My eyes and mouth were both open at the time. About a week after that, I started having stomach pain which the doctor thinks is a peptic ulcer. Now, I have been having trouble breathing. Just a tightness in my chest like when you have a bad cold. The doctor ran EKG and asthma tests and did a chest X-ray but said everything looks fine but he was worried about my symptoms. He wanted me to use an inhaler for a couple of days and thinks that will clear it up but with my past of chemical problems, I don't want to use it. The vet said there was nothing he knows of for respitory but I was wondering about lung worms. Well, what do you all think? I was told that their crusty noses were herpies and needed to be cleaned but one girl's nose is runny and coughing. I planned on worming them as soon as I got the wormer but now wonder if it is lung and I would need something stronger. Sorry, rambling here.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), January 30, 2002

Answers

Somewhat off topic, but last summer whn I was milking goats for a neighbor, I developed blisters all over my hands, painful, not itchy like poison ivy (not just on the fingers I was milking with). I was certain I had foot-and-mouth and would be run out of the country for being the first one to get it (yeah, i can get a little carried away sometimes). Turns out it was something called an "Iz reaction" to the systemic poison ivy i had (which I did get from the goats). Hope you feel better soon and try not to worry too much!

-- Elizabeth (lividia66@aol.com), January 30, 2002.

I did a little searching and didn’t see lung worms in the top search results, but that does not mean much. There are a number of organisms that goats can become infected with that can be transmited to humans. I do not know how common transmission from goats to humans are, your doctor and vet should know.

There was one condition, called Q Fever, that you may want to talk with your doctor and vet about, if the symptoms fit your situation, it can be spread by aerosols of body fluids.

The symptoms and complete article can be found at this link: CDC, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/qfever/#Diagnosis1

Only about one-half of all people infected with C. burnetii show signs of clinical illness. Most acute cases of Q fever begin with sudden onset of one or more of the following: high fevers (up to 104- 105° F), severe headache, general malaise, myalgia, confusion, sore throat, chills, sweats, non-productive cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and chest pain. Fever usually lasts for 1 to 2 weeks.

According to this link U.C. Davis, http://ehs.ucdavis.edu/animal/health/qfever.html There are two ways which Q Fever is spread; aerosols of body fluids and the bites of ticks.

Hope this helps.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), January 30, 2002.

i avoid doctors like the plague, and consider them more deadly usually.

couldn't it just be a cold of some sort, period?

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), January 30, 2002.

Not to belittle your health problems but how is the goat? I ask as the goat would have to be sick for you to have gotten anything from her. Also if she was sick and got better then you may too. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef@getgoin.net), January 31, 2002.

Gail, My goats have had crusties on their noses since I first got them. I asked the vet and he said goats sometimes have herpies and isn't contagious to people. The breeder told me to pick off the scabes and clean with benadine. She also said herpies. I believed that the runny noses was the herpies like they said, and after the benadine, some started running a little more. So no, they are not better.

BC, I never had a fever but it did say one or more symptoms so I will definitely bring it up to the doctor and have the vet do a check too. Thank you

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), January 31, 2002.

toxoplasmosis can be transmitted from goats to humans. The symptoms are flulike. This illness is incredibly dangerous to the fetus if you are pregnant, otherwise it is harmless. You can be tested for it, too.

Most bacteria can be transmitted between species and inhaling a goat sneeze would be 100% transmission of whatever bacteria, virus, protozoa, fungus..... was in her resperatory system.

-- Just Duckie (Duck@spazmail.com), January 31, 2002.

I thought toxoplasmosis (sp) was from cleaning cat boxes when you were pregnant. I didn't know goats carried it too! Hmmmmm, that doesn't seem right. I know too many pregnant women who have goats and very healthy babies. This sounds like one of those rumors that could get started and cause problems for goats.

Susan

-- Susan in Minnesota (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), January 31, 2002.

Susan, yes toxoplasmosis is carried by goats too, and sheep and and and..... Your friends probably are imune to toxo because they work with thier animals and have been exposed. At least that was what our doctor told my wife when she was pregnant. It's still advised to avoid contact with fecal material from all animals. Not a lot of respritory diseases are shared by animals and humans, personally I wouldn't worry about catching a disease. That I've been stabbed by dirty needles sneezed on covered in every kind of goo and animal can produce, doesn't prove you can't, just that I havn't.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 31, 2002.

All the "books" say is for pregnant women to stay away from the lambing barn. The posion ivy thing is orf or ringworm which can be transmitted to humans and is blisters or of course you know what ringworm is. My daughter once got it from the horse, even though I could never find any onthe horse. Although when sheep have it you can pretty well see it, they lose the wool in that area. Someone mentioned above is you goat okay? I can't imagine you catching anything but..we all would like to know to take the precautions we haven't been taking! Thanks, Debbie

-- debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), January 31, 2002.

I think that people can get sick from goat abcesses, (CL), and I know that we can get ringworm from critters.

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

Whoops! I meant Id reaction.

-- Elizabeth (lividia66@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

I talked to the vet today and asked about Q fever. He said we don't have it in the Northeast but would look it up to be sure. He called me back and said he really didn't feel this was my problem but we could check the goats if I wanted once he found a lab that did the test. Apparently, this is usually only in Europe or Mexico.

I am going to try going to a different doctor on Monday. One that is more into natural healing (hopefully) I am starting to think that my sinus and lung just need more moisture since I feel better in the high humidity in work. Thanks all. And Ross, you made me feel better with your post. I guess I've gone through alot too (called the vet about sticking myself with Ivermectin)

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), January 31, 2002.

I got pretty sick once after accidently jabbing myself with a bloody needle while drawing blood for a CAE test. The doe turned out to be positive. I'm not sure if it was Q fever- a lot of the symtoms matched, or CAE (humans aren't supposed to be able to get it), and I couldn't go to a doctor, so guess I'll never know...I had the chest pains too if I remember rightly.

I too have heard the bit about pregnant women staying away from birthing does; well I just couldn't do it. I should have at least worn gloves, but didn't, and nothing happened to me. That's not to say soemthing couldn't have happened, but I was fine through two pregnancies like this, delivering lots of goats, rearranging kids, and so forth.

Something I have had trouble with is that every once in awhile I get allergic to my goats. If any manure gets on me, I break out in a rash there and it is very itchy and irritating. The same happens from going inside a doe to check her during birthing, my whole arm will be broken out in a rash before I can get to the house and wash it off. I can't drink the milk- ever- without feeling like my throat, esophogus and stomach are itching somethign awful, so I don't drink it. Once it is well cooked, it's OK, but pasteurizing is not enough. Cow milk is the same way.

Goats do not carry toxoplasmosis by themselves, they catch it from cats, and it is a parasite, passed in the feces. Cats should not be allowed to poop in the feed or hay, and kittens are more of a threat than adult cats ( I think the adults get immune and don't shed much.)

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 31, 2002.

Dee, The only disease you can catch form goats is soremouth and perhaps ringworm. With soremouth the goats have a crusty ugly scabs on the mouths and inside their mouths and sometimes on their udders if the kids have it and they are nursing. You can get it if you have a cut on your skin and touch the scabs. I would not buy a goat that had a runny nose and crusties on their noses. They are very susceptible to pneumonia and respiratory illnesses. I have never heard of a human getting a respiratory illness from a goat. The goats could very well need antibiotics as well as to be dewormed. I would have them vet checked if you are concerned about their health. Most doctors for people know little to nothing about goats or their illnesses. If your goats are healthy then you would not have to worry about catching something from them.

-- Karen Mauk (kansashobbit@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.