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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #26: Caprine Polioencephalomalacia

Goat veterinary case - Hard - March 29, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A young goat is examined for sudden onset blindness and disorientation.
  2. The owner reports the kid has been wandering aimlessly and appears unable to find feed.
  3. On examination the goat is dull and intermittently opisthotonic.
  4. Menace response is absent, but pupillary light reflexes are preserved.
  5. Response to thiamine therapy is strongly supportive of the diagnosis.
  6. A metabolic or nutritional disorder causing cerebrocortical necrosis commonly produces cortical blindness and dorsomedial strabismus in small ruminants.

Diagnosis

Caprine Polioencephalomalacia

This case is most consistent with Caprine Polioencephalomalacia because the goat has acute cortical blindness, neurologic dysfunction, and a supportive response to thiamine treatment. The most important clues are the absent menace with intact pupillary reflexes and the classic forebrain signs, which make ocular disease much less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this goat case supports the provided diagnosis, Caprine Polioencephalomalacia, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A young goat is examined for sudden onset blindness and disorientation.
  2. Clue 2: The owner reports the kid has been wandering aimlessly and appears unable to find feed.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: On examination the goat is dull and intermittently opisthotonic.
  2. Clue 4: Menace response is absent, but pupillary light reflexes are preserved.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Response to thiamine therapy is strongly supportive of the diagnosis.
  2. Clue 6: A metabolic or nutritional disorder causing cerebrocortical necrosis commonly produces cortical blindness and dorsomedial strabismus in small ruminants.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this goat case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Caprine Polioencephalomalacia?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Caprine Polioencephalomalacia?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.