Most clinical cases occur between 5–8 weeks of age. Most goat kids have inapparent infection. In subacute or acute infections, the usual signs are poor fecal pellet formation (pasty feces), decreased appetite, stary coat, and decreased weight gain. More severe acute cases show diarrhea with or without blood presence, possible tenesmus, dullness, anorexia, and weight loss. Severe problems lead to rapid onset of diarrhea, often with blood, tenesmus, signs of abdominal pain, lethargy, weakness, recumbency, and death. In chronic infections, there is increased time to puberty, increased time to finish, decreased weight gain, and decreased feed intake.

In most countries, few or no treatments are licensed for goats, although products licensed for cattle and sheep are often available which is the case in the USA. Water and feed intake is usually decreased in ill kids, so it is best to treat by drenching rather than rely on including any medicine in the drinking water or feed. It may be necessary to use electrolyte and nutritional solutions to feed ill kids because they can become anemic from the coccidia.

Natural products such as Lespedeza cuneata in feed pellets have decreased fecal signs and oocyst counts in kids. However, relying on this alone, to prevent coccidiosis in very young kids, is risky.

In the first few days after birth, if a kid has diarrhea, it is not coccidiosis.

What Can Cause Foul Smelling Diarrhea in the first 3 weeks after a kid is born?

Last week, a goat breeder from Maryland contacted me and related that she had a kid who was 1 day old with runny stools. She noted a terrible odor to the loose stools on day 2.

• 
  Could this be coccidiosis in a one day old goat?
  No. Coccidiosis in goats is a complex, multifactorial problem. Coccidiosis in goats is caused by various Eimeria species of protozoan parasites. Transmission of coccidiosis to kids occurs when infected animals shed the organisms in feces, resulting in contaminated feed or water. When clinical disease occurs in kids, it is often because of the periparturient (around the time of birthing, temporary loss of naturally acquired immunity to internal parasites that results in higher shedding of gastro-intestinal parasite eggs). rise in oocyst (An oocyte is an immature egg cell) excretion in pregnant does, probably compounded by residual infection in the environment and exacerbated by multiplication through successive groups of kids. Usually, clinical signs occur in 1- to 2-month-old kids when large numbers of oocysts are ingested over a short period.
  Most goat kids have inapparent infection. In subacute or acute infections, the usual signs are poor fecal pellet formation (pasty feces), DIARRHEA, particularly mucoid (having lots of mucus), smelly, and sometimes bloody, decreased appetite, stary coat, and decreased weight gain, anemia (low red blood cell count), and dehydration.
  
  So what can cause smelly diarrhea in a 1 day old goat kid?
  Bacterial enteritis: . Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli
  (ETEC) and Cryptosporidium parvum are considered
  among the most prevalent causative agent of enteritis
  in goats, E.coli.
  Severe enteritis culminates in death due to severe
  dehydration.
  
  What have you used successfully for ecoli in goat kids?
  Hydration must be maintained by offering milk or milk replacer in small amounts in short intervals.
• Consult your Veterinarian about possible treatment with antibiotics and administering an anti-diarrheal medication.
  
• Information credit: Merck Vet. Manual

Important! Please Read The Following Notice!

All information provided in these articles is based either on personal experience or information provided by others whose treatments and practices have been discussed fully with a vet for accuracy and effectiveness before passing them on to readers. Much of my page content is from Veterinary Colleges and Manuals.

In all cases, it is your personal responsibility to obtain veterinary services and advice before using any of the information provided in these articles. JoAnna Mertz is not a veterinarian. Neither JoAnna Mertz nor applejofarms.com nor any of the contributors to this website will be held responsible for the use of any information contained herein.

The following is included for any who are concerned that Baycox or Toltrazuril is unsafe to use because it is not FDA approved yet in the U.S.

Adverse Reactions:

Although all adverse reactions are not reported, the following adverse reaction information is based on voluntary post-approval drug experience reporting. It is generally recognized that this method of reporting results in significant under-reporting of adverse drug reactions. It should be noted that suspected adverse drug reactions listed here reflect reporting and not causality. The categories of adverse reactions are listed in decreasing order of frequency by body system.

Lack of efficacy has been reported in countries other than Canada. To reduce concerns associated with lack of efficacy, follow label instructions regarding correct dose and timing.

Studies indicate that the metabolite, toltrazuril sulfone, accumulates in soil when undiluted manure from treated feedlot cattle is repeatedly spread on the same agricultural field. This may affect groundwater and negatively impact the growth of certain crop species.

If you do not have a feedlot full of kid goats which are being dosed with Baycox, this is not a concern obviously.

Personally, I have never seen any documented information on adverse reactions from goat kids getting proper dosages and applications of Baycox or Toltrazuril. If you see documentiation, please share it with me.