Meet Nutmeg: A Little Goat with a Big Place in Our Hearts

#TeamNutmeg

Some animals become part of your family long before you realize just how much they mean to you. For us, Nutmeg is one of those animals.

We've had our Nigerian Dwarf goat, Nutmeg, since she was just 10 weeks old. Today, she's over 10 years old, and after all these years, she remains a very special part of our lives here at The Fickle Fig. ❤️

Recently, Nutmeg has been facing some health challenges, and finding answers has been a long and difficult journey.

It all began back in April, when we started investigating some concerning symptoms. With the help of Dr. Blossom from Ag West Veterinary Group, we began working through the possibilities, one test at a time.

Over the past several months, Nutmeg has undergone an extensive series of investigations, including bloodwork, urine testing, bladder ultrasounds, direct bladder sampling, and fecal testing to rule out parasites. We treated her for a possible infection, introduced additional protein and iron into her diet, and explored other potential causes.

Unfortunately, nothing brought us closer to a clear answer.

With no evidence of urinary crystals, bacteria, or other typical signs of infection, we began to worry about the possibility of a tumour somewhere in her urogenital tract. Even more frustratingly, repeated scans, including those performed with better equipment at a veterinary clinic in Cowichan, continued to show no visible mass.

In May, we began a trial of Piroxicam, an anti-inflammatory medication that can also have anti-tumour effects in certain cancers. It is sometimes used to manage symptoms and slow disease progression. We hoped it might help Nutmeg, but after four months, we saw no improvement.

Nutmeg, however, has continued to be Nutmeg. She's still active, still eating, and still very much herself. Knowing that her kidneys are functioning properly has been encouraging, but we also know that something isn't right.

In October, further testing brought more concerning news. Her bloodwork confirmed that she is now anaemic and has low blood protein levels, with both findings worsening since her previous tests. Although we still haven't been able to identify a mass on imaging, our veterinary team now suspects a bleeding tumour associated with either her uterus or urethra. The recommendation is to proceed with surgery as soon as possible, including removal of her uterus, to help identify and address the underlying problem.

It's been a long road of uncertainty, tests, treatments, and hope. So far, Nutmeg's veterinary care has cost $1,505.99, and the estimated cost of surgery is between $3,179.26 and $4,290.94. She is due for surgery this Thursday, October 29th, 2026

We are choosing to move forward because Nutmeg matters to us. She's been part of our lives for more than a decade, and we want to give her the best chance we can.