Not Medical Advice: It would be coccidia, a range of microscopic protozoan parasites that inhabit the intestines and, occasionally, other bodily organs of animals and humans.
It can cause coccidiosis, a diarrhea-related illness that results from overcrowding, dirty and/or wet pens, and unclean water.
Goats become infected after ingesting the oocyst ("egg") from the environment. Goats pick up and "mouth" everything in their surroundings. Some of those objects are goat "pills" (feces) that are coccidia-infected; the parasites quickly take up residence in the intestines.
Although there are several species of coccidia that can infect goats, two species are particularly troublesome: Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae and Eimeria arlongi.
When goats come down with the signs of coccidiosis, there are some treatment options (sulfa drugs such as sulfamethazine, sulfadimethoxine [Albon] and sulfaguanidine, tetracycline and amprolium [Corid R]), that usually last for five days.
Not all of these products are labeled for use in goats. These drugs are called coccidiostats. They do not kill coccidia. However, they slow it down.
However, with a heavily infected goat, treatment may not be successful and death may occur within 24 hours.
Keep your goat herd healthy! Check out some tips to prevent worms and coccidia in goats at Motherearthnews.com.