Attention! This is a potentially life-threatening condition for your goat. Time is of the essence, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Polioencephalomalacia
Cerebrocortical Necrosis, Thiamine Deficiency
Polioencephalomalacia (PEM) is a nutritional/metabolic syndrome in goats which causes cortical necrosis. It is associated with disturbances in thiamine (vitamin B1) metabolism. PEM is characterized by a sudden onset of apparent blindness and disorientation, followed by neurological symptoms and death, if left untreated.
PEM is most frequently seen in young animals that are on a diet with high concentrated grain. Risk factors for PEM include sudden changes in diet, consumption of horse feed with high amounts of molasses or moldy hay, dietary stress associated with weaning, deworming with levamisole or thiabendazole, consumption of braken fern, and overdosing of amprolium.
Attention! This is a potentially life-threatening condition for your goat. Time is of the essence, contact your veterinarian immediately.