Emergency goat help needed *Update pg. 2*

Horselessnomore · 01-03-2009, 05:43 PM

A little background info. It is cold, cold, cold, cold up here. We have 3 pygmy goats who have a nice little pen to run in and an insulated large dog house filled with straw to cuddle up in.
Tonight when we came home 1 of the little guys is on 3 legs. He won't put weight on one of his front legs -- it kind of just hangs there toe to the ground but he is not putting any weight on it. I don't think there's anything wrong with his shoulder, he is not in obvious pain (not bleating), he will still move around, but just on the 3 legs. I don't think it is broken -- I palpated it and he will stand for that. Would love to be able to take him to the vet, but I have called 5 vet offices and nobody works on goats. I will have to try and call a few more when I get home. I have taken all 3 goats down the road to a friend's house where they can stay in the barn overnight. Do you think he might have frozen his hoof? Any thoughts or suggestions?? He is still eating and moving around and doesn't seem to be in any distress. I can feel his leg and there's nothing that seems out-of-place. Do you think he might of sprained or strained something??
Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated right now. They are my son's pets and he is quite upset about this.
Thanks!!

BabyMay · 01-03-2009, 06:01 PM

I am not sure what to tell you. But I know what you are going through trying to find a Vet to work on goats. I went through the same thing when I had them. I will keep your little guy in my thoughts.

Horselessnomore · 01-03-2009, 06:06 PM

Thanks -- I am worried about him as well. I am hoping it is something minor. When hubby gets home he will have a better look at him . . . I really hope he will be OK. If he was just standing in a corner ba-a-aing I would be more concerned, but he is eating and jousting with his brother for his share of everything. There's definitely something wrong, just don't know what.

horselady · 01-03-2009, 06:22 PM

I do not know alot about goats, but is his lower leg hoof cold?
If it is than I would guess frostbite.
How old his he. and is it possible he has lower joint fever? from no antibodies.

Hope you can find out how to help him.

Horselessnomore · 01-03-2009, 06:28 PM

hm-m-m could possibly be frostbite. He's about 9-12 months old. I am guessing on the age. He was bought from someone who kept both him and another in a pen with several dogs. He's been with us for about 4 1/2 months now . . . . and is the friendliest little guy. We will keep him in the barn overnight and check again the the morning. It is suppossed to warm up here tomorrow afternoon.

sharlene bee · 01-03-2009, 06:30 PM

Uncas Vet Clinic in Ardrossan deals with goats. Their # is 780-922-5447. My goats hold up their feet in the cold too. Sometimes they get little snowballs between their toes.

Range · 01-03-2009, 07:19 PM

I was going to suggest checking for something frozen between his toes. With goats, anything is possible.

You could wrap his leg, but if he's getting around okay...he'll probably be fine. I had one that got stepped on by mama and injured his knee. I tried everything to splint it, but it didn't work. He healed up crooked, but got around just fine! Now, he's just over 2 and it's straightened out again.

Now, I don't know about frost bite. Does he still seem to have feeling in the sole and in the ankle area? From what I understand of frostbite, doesn't the area die and fall off? If that happens, he will also be fine if treated for infection...I've met a three-legged goat and a 3-hooved goat and both were more than fine.

You can give him a baby aspirin for pain if he seems to need it. You can also give banamine if you have it...maybe Karen can pop in with a dosage. I think I gave 1/2 cc.

pennyrain · 01-03-2009, 08:11 PM

Every once in a while one of our goats will come up lame, usually it is over with by the next day or so. They can be rambunctious and manage to get hurt in their play and inquisitiveness. I would not think it would be frostbite unless his leg could have gotten really wet. It sounds like he had good shelter and buddies to snuggle with. Ruminants can generate a lot of heat and he probably lies down with his legs tucked under him to chew his cud. Most likely he did something silly like try to go through the door the same time as one of his pals or was knocked down while playing. To quote one of my vets "goats are big wimps". Certainly check him over as well as you can and keep an eye on it but from your description I would not be too worried yet if it was one of my goats.

Karen Cole · 01-03-2009, 09:49 PM

I think Pennyrain is right on this I don't think it's a big deal. My only other thought is to check between his toes. If there is a really off smell, it looks flaming red or "cheesy" he could have thrush. We've had several goats come up lame and the consensus is it's icy outside they either twist something or injure the area between the toes with ice..

Karen

Horselessnomore · 01-03-2009, 10:22 PM

Thanks for the info sharlene bee!! Will definitely have to file that for future reference. Both my friend and I have goats and we haven't been able to find a vet that will deal with them in Devon, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and someone suggested Riverview -- which is downtown Edmonton because they treat exotic pets. I wonder how many goats they see in downtown Edmonton

. It is a little more than holding his foot up because it is cold though. I've seen all of them hold their feet up because of the cold and this is something more than that. Since he is moving around fine I can assume that perhaps they were playing a bit rough or he bumped himself coming out the door of the "goat house". I am certain his leg didn't get really wet anywhere -- they have just been eating, drinking and hanging around in their house. Not too many tracks in the fresh snow around the pen. Will check him over more carefully tomorrow when it is not so freezing cold out and when the little guy has had a chance to "thaw" overnight in the barn.
Range -- if I try to feel his let, he has enough "feeling" in it to want to pull it away from me. I don't think he is in any pain. He will hobble around the hay feeder and will move around and not be bleating or making any sounds to indicate he is in pain, so I am a bit

right now.
Thank you for all the replies -- I knew I could count on those more experienced with these little guys for some advice!!

Amy · 01-04-2009, 12:53 PM

?? I am a brand new goat owner, and we just had to rush our little guy into the vet b/c my horse stepped on him... we found him bleeding and with a broken leg... he was not bleating in pain, but it may have been b/c he was scared or in shock... anway he certainly wasn't playing or eating.... good luck with him...

Horselessnomore · 01-04-2009, 10:14 PM

Update -- today the lower part of his leg is swollen and hot to the touch. It wasn't swollen yesterday at all. Tomorrow we are going to pare down his hoof a little to see if he stepped on something or has any cuts there. Am thinking maybe he poked something in his hoof and now has an infection. We have "goat" antibiotics and are going to treat that. Is there anything else we can do -- he is still getting around fine. Shivering a bit, but not a lot. He's in a barn right now with his buddies.
Any other suggestions???
He is still playing & eating with the rest of the group . . . . . . Should we put something like a sweater on him to help keep him warm??

horselady · 01-04-2009, 10:28 PM

My guess, and I am not a goat person, from the shivering, symptom sounds like he has a cold. can you take his temperature and see if he has a fever?
What is normal for a goat. I know dogs, cats and horses but not goats.
just concerned for the little guy, they are so helpless. Hopefully all will be well with antibiotics.
.

Horselessnomore · 01-04-2009, 11:59 PM

Haven't a clue what the normal temp. is for goats. Anyone???
There's not a vet in the immediate area that will work on goats. The nearest possibility is Ardrossan which is about 45 mins. - 1 hr. drive from here. I will call them tomorrow. I can always take one of my daughter's older hoodies and zip one on the little guy tomorrow. Or maybe one of her jackets . . . . . He is in a nice box stall with his buddies right now out of the cold. We are suppossed to get warmer weather starting tomorrow so we will move him home in a few days time. I really hope the anitbiotics will help, but am more concerned about his leg than anything else. Now that it has started to swell a bit, we can narrow it down to something wrong in the lower leg, but what we don't know?

Karen Cole · 01-05-2009, 06:05 AM

102-103 is normal 104 is starting to get high. Heat and swelling of course point to an infection of some sort. Did you find anything when you pared the foot ? Abcess maybe? What antibiotics do you have to put him on? If you do have a sweatshirt you can put on him that would be good. Just make sure where it goes around his belly on the bottom it's been cut out like a horse blanket so he doesn't pee on it. I'd also give him some Thymine if you have it if not B-complex it will just help keep up his appitite and energy. Can they stay at your friends a bit longer?

This is how we make our ER blankets of course the size of the goat dictates whose sweat pants or shirt I cut up

Karen

pennyrain · 01-06-2009, 01:42 PM

With the redness and swelling on top of the pain, there is definitely inflammation. At this point I would want some vet advice. Please let us know how things turn out and good luck with your little goat!

Peter-John's Love · 01-06-2009, 02:41 PM

Many vets have no "goat" experience and so a great resource is....

http://www.goatworld.com/911/response-team.htm

They are goat people that you can call day or night - email for help - they work with various breeds and are able to talk you through an emergency....all goat people should have this bookmarked....

Prayers for your little one to heal...

Horselessnomore · 01-06-2009, 05:52 PM

Thanks for the link Peter-John's Love -- I have e-mailed the situation to them and am waiting for a reply.

Range · 01-06-2009, 07:27 PM

I would also give a tetanus antitoxin.

Chrystalstar · 01-06-2009, 08:06 PM

hi, goats do have been known to break legs just from fooling around. I would give the anitbiotics just in case, and wrap the leg in vet wrap. If it gets better in a few days, it was an infection, if it is taking longer, chances are it is broken.
We've gotten pretty good at casting goat legs around here, as every couple of years some little goat breaks it's leg. They heal up really well.

Try a vet in a more rual location, they seem to be willing to work on any farm animal. I know our vets in Veg and Bellis both work on goats.

Fran

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01-03-2009, 05:43 PM
Horselessnomore Started Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,328	Emergency goat help needed Update pg. 2 A little background info. It is cold, cold, cold, cold up here. We have 3 pygmy goats who have a nice little pen to run in and an insulated large dog house filled with straw to cuddle up in. Tonight when we came home 1 of the little guys is on 3 legs. He won't put weight on one of his front legs -- it kind of just hangs there toe to the ground but he is not putting any weight on it. I don't think there's anything wrong with his shoulder, he is not in obvious pain (not bleating), he will still move around, but just on the 3 legs. I don't think it is broken -- I palpated it and he will stand for that. Would love to be able to take him to the vet, but I have called 5 vet offices and nobody works on goats. I will have to try and call a few more when I get home. I have taken all 3 goats down the road to a friend's house where they can stay in the barn overnight. Do you think he might have frozen his hoof? Any thoughts or suggestions?? He is still eating and moving around and doesn't seem to be in any distress. I can feel his leg and there's nothing that seems out-of-place. Do you think he might of sprained or strained something?? Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated right now. They are my son's pets and he is quite upset about this. Thanks!! Last edited by Horselessnomore : 01-12-2009 at 03:05 PM.

01-03-2009, 06:01 PM
BabyMay Started Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,779	I am not sure what to tell you. But I know what you are going through trying to find a Vet to work on goats. I went through the same thing when I had them. I will keep your little guy in my thoughts. __________________ For the love of all animals.

01-03-2009, 06:06 PM
Horselessnomore Started Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,328	Thanks -- I am worried about him as well. I am hoping it is something minor. When hubby gets home he will have a better look at him . . . I really hope he will be OK. If he was just standing in a corner ba-a-aing I would be more concerned, but he is eating and jousting with his brother for his share of everything. There's definitely something wrong, just don't know what.

01-03-2009, 06:22 PM
horselady Kid Safe Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: albany new york Posts: 6,357	I do not know alot about goats, but is his lower leg hoof cold? If it is than I would guess frostbite. How old his he. and is it possible he has lower joint fever? from no antibodies. Hope you can find out how to help him. __________________ www.rainbow-horse-retirement.com We love and take care of your companion for the remainder of his lifetime

01-03-2009, 06:28 PM
Horselessnomore Started Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,328	hm-m-m could possibly be frostbite. He's about 9-12 months old. I am guessing on the age. He was bought from someone who kept both him and another in a pen with several dogs. He's been with us for about 4 1/2 months now . . . . and is the friendliest little guy. We will keep him in the barn overnight and check again the the morning. It is suppossed to warm up here tomorrow afternoon.

01-03-2009, 06:30 PM
sharlene bee Newborn Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Tofield, Alberta Posts: 7	Uncas Vet Clinic in Ardrossan deals with goats. Their # is 780-922-5447. My goats hold up their feet in the cold too. Sometimes they get little snowballs between their toes.

01-03-2009, 07:19 PM
Range Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back of Beyond Posts: 6,708	I was going to suggest checking for something frozen between his toes. With goats, anything is possible. You could wrap his leg, but if he's getting around okay...he'll probably be fine. I had one that got stepped on by mama and injured his knee. I tried everything to splint it, but it didn't work. He healed up crooked, but got around just fine! Now, he's just over 2 and it's straightened out again. Now, I don't know about frost bite. Does he still seem to have feeling in the sole and in the ankle area? From what I understand of frostbite, doesn't the area die and fall off? If that happens, he will also be fine if treated for infection...I've met a three-legged goat and a 3-hooved goat and both were more than fine. You can give him a baby aspirin for pain if he seems to need it. You can also give banamine if you have it...maybe Karen can pop in with a dosage. I think I gave 1/2 cc. __________________ "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery

01-03-2009, 08:11 PM
pennyrain Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: minnesota Posts: 783	Every once in a while one of our goats will come up lame, usually it is over with by the next day or so. They can be rambunctious and manage to get hurt in their play and inquisitiveness. I would not think it would be frostbite unless his leg could have gotten really wet. It sounds like he had good shelter and buddies to snuggle with. Ruminants can generate a lot of heat and he probably lies down with his legs tucked under him to chew his cud. Most likely he did something silly like try to go through the door the same time as one of his pals or was knocked down while playing. To quote one of my vets "goats are big wimps". Certainly check him over as well as you can and keep an eye on it but from your description I would not be too worried yet if it was one of my goats.

01-03-2009, 09:49 PM
Karen Cole Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,506	I think Pennyrain is right on this I don't think it's a big deal. My only other thought is to check between his toes. If there is a really off smell, it looks flaming red or "cheesy" he could have thrush. We've had several goats come up lame and the consensus is it's icy outside they either twist something or injure the area between the toes with ice.. Karen

01-03-2009, 10:22 PM
Horselessnomore Started Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,328	Thanks for the info sharlene bee!! Will definitely have to file that for future reference. Both my friend and I have goats and we haven't been able to find a vet that will deal with them in Devon, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and someone suggested Riverview -- which is downtown Edmonton because they treat exotic pets. I wonder how many goats they see in downtown Edmonton . It is a little more than holding his foot up because it is cold though. I've seen all of them hold their feet up because of the cold and this is something more than that. Since he is moving around fine I can assume that perhaps they were playing a bit rough or he bumped himself coming out the door of the "goat house". I am certain his leg didn't get really wet anywhere -- they have just been eating, drinking and hanging around in their house. Not too many tracks in the fresh snow around the pen. Will check him over more carefully tomorrow when it is not so freezing cold out and when the little guy has had a chance to "thaw" overnight in the barn. Range -- if I try to feel his let, he has enough "feeling" in it to want to pull it away from me. I don't think he is in any pain. He will hobble around the hay feeder and will move around and not be bleating or making any sounds to indicate he is in pain, so I am a bit right now. Thank you for all the replies -- I knew I could count on those more experienced with these little guys for some advice!!

01-04-2009, 12:53 PM
Amy Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chino Valley, AZ Posts: 556	?? I am a brand new goat owner, and we just had to rush our little guy into the vet b/c my horse stepped on him... we found him bleeding and with a broken leg... he was not bleating in pain, but it may have been b/c he was scared or in shock... anway he certainly wasn't playing or eating.... good luck with him...

01-04-2009, 10:14 PM
Horselessnomore Started Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,328	Update -- today the lower part of his leg is swollen and hot to the touch. It wasn't swollen yesterday at all. Tomorrow we are going to pare down his hoof a little to see if he stepped on something or has any cuts there. Am thinking maybe he poked something in his hoof and now has an infection. We have "goat" antibiotics and are going to treat that. Is there anything else we can do -- he is still getting around fine. Shivering a bit, but not a lot. He's in a barn right now with his buddies. Any other suggestions??? He is still playing & eating with the rest of the group . . . . . . Should we put something like a sweater on him to help keep him warm??

01-04-2009, 10:28 PM
horselady Kid Safe Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: albany new york Posts: 6,357	My guess, and I am not a goat person, from the shivering, symptom sounds like he has a cold. can you take his temperature and see if he has a fever? What is normal for a goat. I know dogs, cats and horses but not goats. just concerned for the little guy, they are so helpless. Hopefully all will be well with antibiotics. . __________________ www.rainbow-horse-retirement.com We love and take care of your companion for the remainder of his lifetime

01-04-2009, 11:59 PM
Horselessnomore Started Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,328	Haven't a clue what the normal temp. is for goats. Anyone??? There's not a vet in the immediate area that will work on goats. The nearest possibility is Ardrossan which is about 45 mins. - 1 hr. drive from here. I will call them tomorrow. I can always take one of my daughter's older hoodies and zip one on the little guy tomorrow. Or maybe one of her jackets . . . . . He is in a nice box stall with his buddies right now out of the cold. We are suppossed to get warmer weather starting tomorrow so we will move him home in a few days time. I really hope the anitbiotics will help, but am more concerned about his leg than anything else. Now that it has started to swell a bit, we can narrow it down to something wrong in the lower leg, but what we don't know?

01-05-2009, 06:05 AM
Karen Cole Started Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,506	102-103 is normal 104 is starting to get high. Heat and swelling of course point to an infection of some sort. Did you find anything when you pared the foot ? Abcess maybe? What antibiotics do you have to put him on? If you do have a sweatshirt you can put on him that would be good. Just make sure where it goes around his belly on the bottom it's been cut out like a horse blanket so he doesn't pee on it. I'd also give him some Thymine if you have it if not B-complex it will just help keep up his appitite and energy. Can they stay at your friends a bit longer? This is how we make our ER blankets of course the size of the goat dictates whose sweat pants or shirt I cut up Karen

01-06-2009, 01:42 PM
pennyrain Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: minnesota Posts: 783	With the redness and swelling on top of the pain, there is definitely inflammation. At this point I would want some vet advice. Please let us know how things turn out and good luck with your little goat!

01-06-2009, 02:41 PM
Peter-John's Love Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,315	Many vets have no "goat" experience and so a great resource is.... http://www.goatworld.com/911/response-team.htm They are goat people that you can call day or night - email for help - they work with various breeds and are able to talk you through an emergency....all goat people should have this bookmarked.... Prayers for your little one to heal... __________________ Love is a visible gift of God like when you see Peter-John's and Darlin's souls touch

01-06-2009, 05:52 PM
Horselessnomore Started Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 2,328	Thanks for the link Peter-John's Love -- I have e-mailed the situation to them and am waiting for a reply.

01-06-2009, 07:27 PM
Range Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Back of Beyond Posts: 6,708	I would also give a tetanus antitoxin. __________________ "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it all... you just might get it all, and then some you don't want." Chris Daughtery

01-06-2009, 08:06 PM
Chrystalstar Halter broke Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alberta Posts: 173	hi, goats do have been known to break legs just from fooling around. I would give the anitbiotics just in case, and wrap the leg in vet wrap. If it gets better in a few days, it was an infection, if it is taking longer, chances are it is broken. We've gotten pretty good at casting goat legs around here, as every couple of years some little goat breaks it's leg. They heal up really well. Try a vet in a more rual location, they seem to be willing to work on any farm animal. I know our vets in Veg and Bellis both work on goats. Fran