I don't know much about goats, but I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.

--Johanna

I am sorry as well. My daughter used to keep goats and they do become pets and always provided us with funny anectdotes.

I don't think it was the beans. I know soybeans were once a common fodder for goats. I don't have any ideas what happened. I'm just sorry for your loss.

I don't know anything about goats so I can't help you with that, but I sure am sorry about you losing your pet. That is a heart-breaker. I know your husband feels badly too.

oh i'm sad for you. i lost a goat a few years ago but it was due to illness. he was the same way, like a big ole dog. so sorry for your loss.

without a necropsy, there's really no way to tell. i would think you would have noticed any signs of injury or predation by dogs or coyotes. barring something like that, it's just very hard to say. did she look like she had struggled? it could easily have been a quick, natural death and hopefully it was.

it's so tough to lose a pet, even something many would consider a farm animal. i have been watching stories of the pets left to fend for themselves after the hurricane. it's just plain heartbreaking.

again, sorry for your loss. nina

I'm also sorry you lost your pet.I wonder if you had any lightning that day? It's believed that the owner of the other pair of twin kids I have ( There were for of them ) had lost their kids to lightning.The kids had been snuggled up together up against the metal barn wall where it seems lightning must have hit and killed them.
I have 6 goats myself and understand that they are so unlike any other pet.Although they are almost like having dogs each with their own personalities.Again i'm sorry for your loss.
Ann.

How old was she? My pygmy goats have only lived to be 12-13 years old. Some have looked fine and then just passed on naturally without warning. I hate to lose them but I don't plan on getting any more since I am getting older and want to retire and travel in a few years.
Martha

Oh, I am so sorry to hear it. Our goats were like dogs too, they even had to go on walks with us and the dogs :) They have wonderful personalities. I don't think it was the vines, it is a common fodder. She may have something wrong with her that just didn't show. It can be very frustrating not knowing what happened. Do remember that she had a good life with y'all and enjoyed being your 'baby'.

Goats can bloat. If it wasn't used to eating the bean plants and it ate a lot, it could have caused bloat, especially if the goat had always been fed hay & dry feed.

Its always a good idea to introduce new foods gradually to any ruminant so their stomachs have time to get accustomed to the different things.

She was only 7 months old....so she wasn't getting on up in age and she had been eating leaves on trees....and also had been given pea vines. She hadn't been struggling. DH said she was laying down like she always does. He thought she was just asleep. He came in to tell me and I could tell that something was wrong from the look on his face. He told me later that he hated so bad to have to tell me that she had died. I don't know what happened to her....Just hate it...

Thank you all for your comments.

Jan

Jan, so sorry to hear of your pet goat's death. It is always hard to lose an animal you love and when you don't know what happened, it feels worse. Sometimes these things just happen and we have no idea why. Perhaps she had a congenital condition of some kind. I doubt if it was the bean vines, but you may want to do further research about them before trying again. Take comfort in the good life you gave her and the bond between you -- and when it feels right, get another goat. There is no reason to think such misfortune would happen again.

Probably not the beans, but what kind of trees was she grazing? Wilted cherry and apple leaves build up cyanide once they're off the tree...that's my biggest worry around here.

Sorry to hear you lost your sweetie.