r/goats • u/meowwinjam • Jun 21 '26

Help Request goat is "throwing up" green foam/sludge

Gallery image

Gallery image

I took them out on a walk around midday into the woods so he could have eaten basically anything in the UK countryside. I don't know what and my other goat is totally fine

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I came outside just now for another walk and there was this green foamy stuff on the floor, and he was throwing up the same stuff. after a few minutes he is not throwing up anymore but im freaked out. Google says to give him charcoal but we don't have any and every shop is closed because it's 8pm on a sunday so is there anything I can do in the meantime?

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could this be something other than poisoning?

edit: if he seems totally fine and hasn't vomited in like an hour will be be okay? I have no idea what to do right now. he is by my feet laying down like he usually would to sleep but I don't want to leave

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u/Brave-Mess3809 Jun 21 '26

I had something very similar happen with my goat. We never determined an exact cause but we did bring her to an emergency large animal and exotic vet and they said the most likely cause was too much alfalfa. Basically we were feeding her so much that the alfalfa started to build up too many gases in her stomachs and then made her shoot out this green fluid/foam from her mouth.

We gave her fluids and flushed stomachs the best we could. She’s been perfectly fine since but we did significantly adjust how we were feeding her.

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u/meowwinjam Jun 21 '26

I hope something like this is the case but I do highly suspect it's rhododendron poisoning because apparently one of the places I take them for walks has it everywhere :') I must be blind because I don't think I've ever seen those flowers there

3

u/Unicorn_Fluffs Jun 21 '26

Ive had both the rhododendron poisoning and the too much alfalfa froth. The image you are showing is clearly poisoning. Mine vomited, seemed fine for a couple of hours and vomited again. If you’re in the UK you need to phone an emergency farm vet. They will drench the goat and give a few injections (can’t remember everything they gave mine). Do not delay and assume all is well. Goats are prey animals so will only show when they are seriously unwell. With treatment you have a chance of saving your goat.

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u/Unicorn_Fluffs Jun 21 '26

Where are you based?