AboutGoatlady Expertise Specializing in New Goat Owner understanding of goat physiology, goat anatomy, goat care and herd management. *I am not a veterinarian, any advice and information should be verified by your veterinarian before administering to your goats.
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Experience 18 years experience of raising goats and herd management. Active hands on experience with goat herd and research with various Caprine University Research and Extension Centers nationwide. 15 years dedicated to helping other goat breeders/owners with goat anatomy, goat disease and goat health care issues via phone, published goat care articles and internet interaction. The information I have to offer is not only from personal experience and years of research updated often as new information is made available to me, but supported by many Veterinary Research colleges and all medications and information I have to offer on how the medications work and what dosages "I" use, is information I have acquired by discussing directly with the company's veterinarians and staff research experts.
Organizations 5 year active member of International Veterinary Information Service
Publications United Caprine News, Homesteaders Magazine, Columnist for Goat Magazine, Owner and Author of GoatPedia™
Education/Credentials Graduate Programs in Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University
We have two nubian wethers....the Wright Brothers (Wilbur and Orville). They are approximately 2 years old. We live in Oregon.
Saturday I went to feed them and noticed that Orville was limping. His left front ankle is swollen to at least twice normal, and there is a cut beneath his dewclaw. I am going to guess that he possible caught in on a fence as there is nothing else in the pasture that would harm them.
He favors the hoof, putting very little to no weight on it, but he does put some weight on it. I tried to feel it, and could not find a break.....but I probably am not very good at that.
He has been up whenever I go out to feed them. He was lying down once when I went to their barn, but immediately got up. When the goats hear me coming, he does try to respond; just not as fast as his brother (or our other nubian).
We received a product from the previous owner called "Red Wonder" (there was a small cut on the other goats leg when we picked them up). This has a label from a local Vet clinic. I have applied that twice. It was applied once a few hours before the attached picture was taken.
I have also given him three baby aspirin...one pill on Saturday, one on Sunday, and one Today.
Unfortunately, our vet is out of town, and no other vet will respond to our area.
Should I be soaking his leg? More aspirin?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Pat
Answer Hi Pat, Thank you for the rating- How is his foot doing? What did the vet say/do? goatlady
Hi Pat,
Ouch! Ok What I would do is this:
IF you can.. soak his foot in an epsom salt solution (1/4cup epsom salt to gallon of pretty warm water) for 15 minutes a couple times s day to draw out the infection
Also , I would put him on penicillin procaine G injections twice a day injected subQ 1cc/25lbs is what I use. AND you can also take the needle off the pennG and squirt some right on the infected sore (in it if you can) Don't wrap it. Also get some tetanus anti toxin equine origin 1500 unit bottle holds about 4ccs. DO this even if he has had a CDT vaccine. You can repeat the tetanus anti toxin in 7 days.
You can also apply neosporin ointment to the area after you put penicillin in it and it dries a bit. You can give him a whole adult aspirin 325 mgs for that size goat. Watch yourself for any open cuts on you as if this is a staph infection it could spread to you. Best to wear gloves while handling him. The swelling is what is causing the pain. The infection is causing the swelling. You should see improved results in a day or so. If you are able to see the vet and get some banamine which is prescription, it works as a pain killer and anti inflammatory. He will tell you how much to use if he prescribes it.
Remember when injecting PennG to draw back on the syringe plunger before you inject to make sure you are not in a blood vessel. Let me know how he does.
goatlady
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