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.
(! During times of severe weather in the Midwest, I may experience a delay in internet service due to the interference of the satellite reception - but will answer your questions as soon as service is restored. !)
Note: Keep in mind, the goat expert is volunteering her time to help other goat owners, she also runs her farm with her own herd of 100 goats and may not be at her computer at all hours. Questions are answered as soon as she can possibly read and answer them, usually within 24 hours.
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
Question I love my 3 little boys. My first goats. When i got them in April, at 3 months old, they had been disbudded (tho' seems not a very good job because they all have multiple scurs) and had been banded for castration. All their scrotal sacs seemed to dry up and drop off just fine with no problems. But 2 days ago Alfalfa butted me...and it clicked in my brain with the small swelling i'd seen on one side of this groin...he probably has an undescended testicle. Dang. The vet is coming out this coming week to look at it. I hope to have the testicle surgically removed.
I really don't like billys. And now he's starting to pee on himself and follow the other guys with his tongue hanging out (literally).
So. Is the danger of this surgery prohibitive?...as in it should only be done in life-threatening condition? I don't want to give my guy away...but,... If he does have surgery..will that he-goat behavior diminish? (i hope)
Thanks very much for any advice.
colleen
Answer Hi Colleen,
You are not going to like this but yes this is a surgery (along with ANY surgery that requires general anesthesia) for life threatening situations because goats do not typically do well under a general anesthesia- I have heard too many stories sadly of loss of life due to a surgery for something not life threatening to begin with and so many very sad goat owners. As far as his goat behavior changing due to removal of a possible undescended testicle? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Some wethers who have both testicles removed successfully just seem to have more testosterone going and act out like a buck- most of the time this does diminish with age. The bright side of this is: usually an undescended testicle is not capable not creating live sperm due to the body temperature so the chance of him breeding and the doe conceiving is very minimal- not impossible but highly unlikely. All wethers will start to go through a sort of rut because they are still boys even without the equipment. Rut is just beginning and will last through Feb- the young boys will test themselves and act like they are intact many times- and some will never act out. IF the vet can do this with a local - go for it- But if he requires an general, I would not take the chance.
Do let me know what you decide and what the outcome is-
goatlady
Goat-Link.com
(PS I love my billys but that is personal preference most people never do like them, so you are in the majority here)
