Noah is, hands down, my favorite goat! He loves to give kisses (sometimes with his teeth, oops), stares at leaves on trees to indicate I need to grab some for him, and he is in desperate need of your help!
A couple weeks ago, I made an impromptu visit to the goat barn, hoping to hang out with my little buddy Noah before my shift started. What I saw broke my heart – Noah standing in the corner of the barn, back arched, crying out in pain.
I knew the symptoms immediately and that time was of the essence. Like all neutered male goats, Noah is prone to bladder stones that can block urine flow. Without immediate intervention, the condition is fatal.
We rushed Noah to UC Davis’ Veterinary Hospital, where he underwent surgery. This was Noah’s second surgery and the risk of failure was higher. Scar tissue had developed, making getting to his bladder difficult. After several hours, the vets successfully removed dozens of stones! Noah spent a few days at the hospital before coming home.
But he isn’t out of the woods yet. Noah’s catheter is connected to his bladder. Every day, we will challenge this catheter, closing it off to see if he can start to urinate on his own.
Noah is currently isolated, which is sad, but we cannot risk another goat ripping out his catheter. Every day staff, volunteers, and interns spend time with him to keep his spirits up. If successful, we will have the catheter removed and Noah will finally be able to go back into the goat barn.
For the rest of his life, Noah will be on special medication, fluids, and preventative antibiotics to reduce the likelihood of infections and future blockages. We are giving him the best chance possible to have a long life.
Keep Noah hydrated for life with a $25 donation. To keep flushing the bladder out, Noah will receive fluids each week.
With love for Noah,
Hannah Beins
Animal Care Director
PS. A $10 donation covers Noah’s special supplement, ammonium chloride, for a week which helps keep his urine less acidic.
