hilarie
Loving the herd life
OK, yeah, William's "defects" (I love how medicine depersonalizes things, don't you?) were a lot bigger than Millie's. How big, you ask? This was a week after his surgery:
De-Horned 2yr old Doe-WEEK 3 update
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hilarie
Loving the herd life
Sorry so graphic and awful; but I figure anyone still reading is in it for the long haul. The bone actually migrates from the periphery of the wound across to the center, and skin actually granulates/ grows in from the edges to the center too. It was pretty miraculous, watching that "defect" - let's face it, it looks like an active volcano - get smaller and smaller. I agree with the vet's edict on not changing it until you have to. I wouldn't have, if William hadn't been so swollen. We only changed it when it began to unravel which was every 3-4 days on a *good* stretch (sometimes it was twice a day toward the end, when he just wanted that bandage off). And yes, it's definitely a multi person job, especially in the beginning. My friend Elizabeth, who lives with us and who is a SAINT (and a genetics major who studied dental bone formation for 12 years, so she's very qualified!) helped me most of the time. We'd put William on the milking stand and put something delectable in front of him, like beet pulp, which he loves. Then one of us would feed him and keep his mouth busy while the other unwrapped and rewrapped as fast as humanly possible. When it sticks, it can be awful; if it gets that way, and hurts her to remove it, get some Adaptic, or if you can't find it, I'll send you some. I'm glad you were helped by my experience - you're a good soul for doing this and going thru it with her.
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- #33
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Great pics. We used a gigli wire on Millie... is that what was used with William?
My daughter many years ago dehisced after abdominal surgery... of course 4 hours before, I TOLD the nurses they needed to check her as something was not right and I thought infection may be setting in... of course they looked at her monitors and said nope she's fine. 2 month old baby so they go by monitors... I said I'm her mom... I KNOW something is wrong. Left for a few hours to sleep and came back and she was moved to another area in the NICU as they saw me approach they panicked ( yes there were many incidences of this kinda thing).... anyway yes something WAS wrong- duh- and she had dehisced. Not something you want to happen but as it goes it was amazing to watch as this massive incision was now a gaping open wound. It took weeks of course but eventually closed. I kind of associate the procedure with this one... it will close over.
@Baymule - I don't know if this is true or not but I have heard that if a cow is in estrus the horns will bleed a lot more... true?
I have seen the cattle dehorners but never the process... UGH don't think I'd want to.
My daughter many years ago dehisced after abdominal surgery... of course 4 hours before, I TOLD the nurses they needed to check her as something was not right and I thought infection may be setting in... of course they looked at her monitors and said nope she's fine. 2 month old baby so they go by monitors... I said I'm her mom... I KNOW something is wrong. Left for a few hours to sleep and came back and she was moved to another area in the NICU as they saw me approach they panicked ( yes there were many incidences of this kinda thing).... anyway yes something WAS wrong- duh- and she had dehisced. Not something you want to happen but as it goes it was amazing to watch as this massive incision was now a gaping open wound. It took weeks of course but eventually closed. I kind of associate the procedure with this one... it will close over.
@Baymule - I don't know if this is true or not but I have heard that if a cow is in estrus the horns will bleed a lot more... true?
I have seen the cattle dehorners but never the process... UGH don't think I'd want to.
hilarie
Loving the herd life
Oh, your poor daughter....
They oughta know to LISTEN to mom. I learned my first year out of school to *listen* when a patient says something's wrong. It might be anxiety, but it might not. And if they say "I don't want this surgery - if I have it, I'm going to die," call the OR and CANCEL.
They oughta know to LISTEN to mom. I learned my first year out of school to *listen* when a patient says something's wrong. It might be anxiety, but it might not. And if they say "I don't want this surgery - if I have it, I'm going to die," call the OR and CANCEL.
Baymule
Herd Master
@Southern by choice it was 20 years ago, my ex's family were all in cattle and everybody pitched in. It was hot, hard, dirty, dangerous at times, and I loved it. I sure could spring for the fence a lot faster than I could now! LOL
PendergrassRanch
Loving the herd life
I work at a large/small animal vet that also boards horses. We have a small herd of goats (4 does, 2 wethers). They are all full size dairy goats and only one has horns. He is the biggest, fattest and a bully with big horns that he knows how to use. The vets have been talking about dehorning him so he will not be so effective against the other goats.
Here is Pete, the ass
Thanks for posting this, maybe someday we can do the same to Pete
Here is Pete, the ass
Thanks for posting this, maybe someday we can do the same to Pete
hilarie
Loving the herd life
It's amazing how that can take 'em down a notch - removing the ammunition really changes the way you view the gun.....
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- #38
Southern by choice
Herd Master
I have been wanting to udpate and just haven't had time so here are a few pics.
This is at 1 week after removal. All looks good. The one side that looks all goopy is "snot". No infection and looking good. We wiped clean put ointment on it and re-wrapped her head. We didn't put enough tape on and 15 minutes later she had it off so of course we redid- it and taped it with alot of tape. This tape is not vet tape and doesn't stick real well.
2nd week.... all looks good... couldn't find the pics nut we had to start using duct tape
So the Brat has learned to rub her head on any thing sharp, like a wire or something that will "catch" on the tape... it snags and pulls the wrap off her head. Yep she is still a brat.
We now use "Kissy lips"decorative duct tape and really wrap it on. This last time she snagged it she ripped a part of the scab off.
We decided to put her back in the field with the other does. Something so obvious and I didn't even think of it.... all the does stay clear of Millie LOL so there wasn't any chance of them going near enough to try and chew on her bandage. DUH
This was very interesting. The does all came up to figure out what this was on her head. They followed single file everywhere behind her. The dogs checked her out. She went to butt and hook one of the goats and missed... hahahahaha cuz she has no horns!
It took a few times and I think she figured out she doesn't have horns anymore.... rude awakening for her. She has lost her "power". She didn't know what to do... she went down to the woodline and just stood in the woods. She is a bit lost. She has been dethroned... the fall is hard.
She is doing well and is still a snot and a brat and adorable too!
Millie is stylin'....
Next time we change bandages I'll get more pics. We change the bandage about 1x week as it does stay dry and she is healing well but slow. We check it everyday and look for any wetness, odor etc.
This is at 1 week after removal. All looks good. The one side that looks all goopy is "snot". No infection and looking good. We wiped clean put ointment on it and re-wrapped her head. We didn't put enough tape on and 15 minutes later she had it off so of course we redid- it and taped it with alot of tape. This tape is not vet tape and doesn't stick real well.
2nd week.... all looks good... couldn't find the pics nut we had to start using duct tape
So the Brat has learned to rub her head on any thing sharp, like a wire or something that will "catch" on the tape... it snags and pulls the wrap off her head. Yep she is still a brat.
We now use "Kissy lips"decorative duct tape and really wrap it on. This last time she snagged it she ripped a part of the scab off.
We decided to put her back in the field with the other does. Something so obvious and I didn't even think of it.... all the does stay clear of Millie LOL so there wasn't any chance of them going near enough to try and chew on her bandage. DUH
This was very interesting. The does all came up to figure out what this was on her head. They followed single file everywhere behind her. The dogs checked her out. She went to butt and hook one of the goats and missed... hahahahaha cuz she has no horns!
It took a few times and I think she figured out she doesn't have horns anymore.... rude awakening for her. She has lost her "power". She didn't know what to do... she went down to the woodline and just stood in the woods. She is a bit lost. She has been dethroned... the fall is hard.She is doing well and is still a snot and a brat and adorable too!
Millie is stylin'....
Next time we change bandages I'll get more pics. We change the bandage about 1x week as it does stay dry and she is healing well but slow. We check it everyday and look for any wetness, odor etc.
Scooby308
Loving the herd life
Found this link today doing some research as the sleet pounds down.
http://nigeriandwarfcolors.weebly.com/polledhorned-genetics.html
http://nigeriandwarfcolors.weebly.com/polledhorned-genetics.html
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- #40
Southern by choice
Herd Master
That is a very helpful chart. I always laugh at the percentages as we all know it never is what you hope. We have 1/2 our herd polled the other horned. Hoping for better than average polled this year.
