Therapeutic Management of Osteodystrophia Fibrosa in Early Weaned Malabari Male Goat Kids

Osteodystrophia fibrosa is a metabolic disease of goats resulting from the insufficient mineralization of bones, excessive bone resorption, and improper bone development, leading to subsequent accumulation of the fibrous connective tissue. This report describes the successful therapeutic management of acute osteodystrophia fibrosa in early-weaned goat kids by following a medical protocol. Three Malabari male goat kids of forty days old from two different litters of the same farm were presented with spontaneous, bilaterally symmetrical, non-inflammatory facial swelling, protruded tongue, prominent eyeballs, frothy drooling saliva, diarrhoea, and inanition due to the inability in mastication or suckling for the last two weeks. As per the history, these kids were weaned and started feeding pelleted concentrate feed and jackfruit leaves along with the milk sucking three weeks back only. On clinical examination, the vital parameters were normal and the key phenotypic abnormalities noted were the abnormally developed maxilla/mandible, manifested as a swelling that was hard to touch, and the loosely attached teeth. In biochemical evaluation, the reduction in Ca:P ratio was evident and the serum creatinine level was within normal ranges. A therapeutic protocol was devised for three weeks by including calcium (calcium gluconate), phosphate-binder (Kaolin), vitamins (Vit. ADEH), and anabolic steroid (Nandrolone; a well-established drug promoting formation and mineralization of bone in mammals). Considerable improvement was observed after three weeks of therapy and the animals were having apparently normal facial appearance on the review after three months. The kids showed normal healthy growth and were slaughtered later for meat purpose after gaining adult body weight. This report accentuates the possibility of acute hypocalcemia-induced osteodystrophia fibrosa, rather than hyperphosphatemia-induced, and its management using anabolic steroids for better clinical recovery in growing goat kids.