9 month old wether walking around on knees

[oxdrover14]

I have a 9 month old wether who has been walking around on his front knees for a few days he eats and drinks fine and is always wanting to play like usual. What do you think the problem is? If I try to lift his front up his legs just wobbles and collapses and continues what he was doing.

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

:/ Don't know... weird.

 

[elevan]

Have you gotten a fecal for him?

My Speedy (who we lost recently to barberpole worm overload) did the same thing. I dewormed aggressively but it was just too much for him.

eta: I would also get a shot of Bo-Se into him

 

[Pearce Pastures]

I know it is probably not the case but do his hooves need trimming or could he have an infection? I have heard of goats walking on their knees because their hooves were too lon but that woul dbe pretty obvious I would think. If they had some kind of inflammation or infection though, that might not be as obvious.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

Are you graining him? Founder springs to mind...

 

[oxdrover14]

He get just hay first and 2nd cut water Nd free choice minerals.
Haven't gotten a fecal done but he got wormed 2 weeks ago

 

[elevan]

Haven't gotten a fecal done but he got wormed 2 weeks ago

Not all dewormers are effective against all worms AND some dewormers aren't effective at all anymore in some locations.

I would get a fecal done and ask the vet what is still effective in your area and at what dosage.


Beyond that - check his front feet for injury or infection.

 

[HankTheTank]

Are you graining him? Founder springs to mind...

I guess I should know this, but what is founder?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

My first thought would be foot rot, foot scald, or like Nsmithurmond said, founder. Check him out ASAP, because he's probably in pain, which is why he's knee walking.

 

[cmjust0]

I'd lean less toward something obscure and more toward something simple and common...like foot scald. Check between his toes. You may see a white powder, or maybe some redness or swelling. Something like that. Basically, foot scald is like athlete's foot. Sometimes it's really obvious, and sometimes it's not. Start with a good hoof trimming and inspection, making sure there isn't anything buried up in one or both soles, and then douse the foot with Kopertox or some other copper sulfate 'hoof rot' product. May take a few applications of kopertox..

As for it being 'wobbly,' usually any kind of *serious* limb weakness works its way from the back to the front.. Meningeal worms, spinal injuries, things like that.. I've never seen a parapalegic who could walk, but not use their arms...know what I'm saying? So I wouldn't necessarily worry about it being 'wobbly' (which makes it sound like ataxia, which is usually nervous-system related) and think of it more like...he's just unable to bear weight on it. Which could absolutely be from something like foot scald, if it hurts bad enough. And, yes, I've had them walk on their knees with hoof scald before. Usually if it's a sticker or something in a hoof, they'll limp on one front leg -- but again, check to be sure.

And don't let anyone tell you it's CAE, which someone invariably will. CAE makes them not WANT to bend their knees.. Totally opposite of what's going on here. Would be like suspecting knee arthritis in a person because they're crawling on all fours -- not gonna happen!