White muscle disease (WMD) is an acute muscle necrosis caused by a deficiency in selenium and/or vitamin E.
Affected goats tend to be reluctant to move, weak, exhibit poor growth, and muscular lesions. WMD also causes abortion and stillbirths in pregnant does.
Humann-Ziehank, Esther "Selenium Deficiency in Sheep and Goats" Encyclopedia of Livestock Medicine for Large Animal and Poultry Production. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland (2026)
Attention! This is a potentially life-threatening condition for your goat. Time is of the essence, contact your veterinarian immediately.