Rare Angora goat rejoins her herd after surgery at WSU

Two trusted veterinarians gave Angela Abraham the same advice when they began to suspect a doe from her rare Angora goat herd, prized for their fine mohair, had a serious ovarian issue - this is a case for Washington State University.

Days later, Angela and the 5-year-olddoe, Enya, made the four-hourdrive south from near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, to WSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, home to one of the region's leading agricultural animal reproductive services. Enya would ultimately undergo an advanced minimally invasive procedure to remove her cystic ovaries that had been threatening her health and causing severe behavioral issues, allowing her to return to her herd.

"We have so many great veterinarians in the Pacific Northwest, but not many clinics are able to offer advanced reproductive care for goats and other ruminants," said Dr. Michela Ciccarelli, a board-certified theriogenologist at the teaching hospital. "Anything beyond the routine cases usually needs specialized technology and training, and that's what we provide here."

While most goat producers raise more common white Angoras, at Red Falcon Ranch in Idaho's panhandle, Angela and her daughters, Rachel and Sarah, care for rare colored Angora goats. The Abrahams strive to raise their goats with patience, compassion and a steady respect for the animals' natural rhythms. They shear in-houseand in a low-stress environment. Once sheared, the mohair is shipped to the East Coast, where it is washed and blended with merino from the Rocky Mountains and then spun into yarn. From there, it's knit into socks or woven into throws and returned to the ranch.

"We have probably one of the largest colored Angora goat herds," Angela said. "The colored Angoras usually exist on small, little family farms. It's a very niche breed."

Enya had always been one of the gentlest goats in the herd, but her behavior shifted this past fall at the start of the breeding season. She began showing constant signs of heat, mounting and bucking other goats like a male, and becoming so combative that she had to be isolated from the herd.

Enya's veterinarians suspected a hormonal issue, likely caused by ovarian cysts or a tumor, and recommended that Angela take her to WSU for specialized reproductive testing.

"We have some really great vets up in Bonners Ferry, but they said this is something for WSU," Angela said, "so we made an appointment to go down there, loaded her up and made the trip. And I'm so glad we did."

An ultrasound at the teaching hospital confirmed multiple cysts on both ovaries, leaving surgical removal as the best option. The procedure, known as an ovariectomy, is often completed through a single larger abdominal incision. Recoveries can be painful and lengthy. The theriogenology team, however, is trained to perform the procedure laparoscopically using three small incisions through which a camera and long, slender instruments are maneuvered to remove the ovaries.

"She recovered immediately," Ciccarelli said. "She started eating and returning to her normal self right away, which you don't see with a traditional midline surgery."

Within days, Enya was cleared to return home. After a short period of separation for healing, she reintegrated smoothly into the herd and quickly returned to her easygoing temperament.

Angela was impressed with the level of care provided at WSU, from fourth-yearveterinary student Kate Bouchard, who kept the family updated throughout the process, to the skilled surgeons.

"I am so impressed with all the staff and how dedicated they are," Angela said. "Kate was amazing - and whoever has her as a veterinarian in the future will be lucky. WSU is such an underutilized resource, and people need to know it's out there."