Leg Injury

[stano40]

We spotted an ad on craigslist selling 3 Saanen X Boer doelings. We found out that one had a leg injury but the doeling was OK with it and walking with a limp.

We went to take a look and eventually got the injured doeling for $25.00 and her sisters for $50.00 each. I didn't want to leave the injured doeling behind without her sisters.

We were told that a pet sitter was caring for them while they were on vacation. The doeling was found hanging by her back leg in the wire fence. The previous owners were told by another experienced goat farmer that nothing could be done because the tendon was damaged and most likely she would never be normal again.

She was given penicillin and other antibiotics by the previous owner. They were also told by their friend with the goats to give her aspirin(bute) for 10 days. It was recommended to give the injured goat another regimen of aspirin starting the 22nd of this month.

The doeling does get around fine but favors that leg. She puts little pressure on it but raises the leg to run.

Our plan is to take her to a goat vet. But in the meantime I was wondering if we wrapped the bad leg with a surgical wrap that they use on horse's to give her stability with the leg will that help. I can buy those for about $3 or $4 at TSC. I am going to wash the wound area and apply 7% Iodine to it.

Is there a best way to wash the leg and wound and will the iodine be effective?

Any advise is appreciated.

Here are 3 photo's I was able to take before the batteries ran out on the camera. The blue on her leg I was told was wound-kote spray dressing.

Our future plans for them are for milk production and to impregnate them with a full blood Saanen buck. The mom was Saanen and the dad was a Boer. All 3 doelings are 10 week old sisters (triplets).

Right now the injured doeling is going to be kept strictly as a pet. We'll have to see how they all develop.

bob

 

[freemotion]

You need to stop looking at craigslist, Bob!

So I take it that she has not been seen by a vet? It is hard to see by those photos....I like to clip around a wound so it can be more easily treated and monitored. When did it actually happen? Over ten days ago, sounds like. I don't understand continuing with the bute after a break....bute can be rough on the stomach, that may be why. If it has been in the two week range, the wound should be well on its way to healing. Now time will tell. If the tendon was damaged, she may live with a mechanical limp....different from a limp caused by chronic pain. If she gets around ok, you could potentially breed her. Maybe. Too soon to tell and too little information.

The story they told you sounds like it could be true.

 

[stano40]

You need to stop looking at craigslist, Bob!

Yea, tell me about it. This time it was fault. I found the ad and really liked the girls, they really reminded me of Jasper the Saanen cross that was born to us last May. To bad we wethered him. Now I'll have to look for a Saanen buck to do the dirty deed.

All the information I posted is what was learned from our visit and emails so far. The wound is a month old but by the looks of it it looks like it was done in the last few days. For 10 days the doeling had to wait for any treatment before the owner came back from vacation.

I guess a good washing with soap and water, clip the area to view the extent of the damage and get her to a vet. I'm going to wait until we get her cleaned up before I proceed with any treatment to help her get around better.

We have 13 goats now, but 3 of them have been sold and is due to leave here Monday. I did sell my Nigerian and her two twin does to a nice couple who has goats. They make goat cheese and they will be a welcome addition to their herd.

I know those photos are rough so once we get her cleaned and trimmed I was planning to take another shot to post here.

Do you think the wrap would help her use that leg and lessen any pain she may be having.

Thanks,

bob

 

[PattySh]

I don't think I would wrap it. Good chance she will pull off the wrap or that the leg will swell and it will become too tight. My friend took in a goat last summer with a leg injury similar to that. Goat got hung up in a rope. NASTY looking wound skin ripped off one inch wide the whole length of lower leg! We cleaned it (chlorahexidine is great)and bag balmed it daily and it healed without a noticeable scar. She limped terribly at first but after several months no limp. The limping was especially bad when the large scab made the leg tight so that is when to keep the bag balm to it. Went on to breed her in the fall, she delivered a nice doeling and is milking fine. So give it your best shot. I agree Craigslist is dangerous !

 

[stano40]

Thanks for that advise PattySh. You would think the wrap would help keep the pressure off the leg wound so she could use the leg more. We're going to try and get her cleaned up today.

I was just thinking about picking those girls up yesterday and remembering the lady saying that the leg with the wound loses all the hair in that spot from time to time but the hair does grow back.

bob

 

[glenolam]

Darn craigslist gets you every time! On the other hand....I may have just sold 2 of my wethers off craigslist and just got $100 for a landscaping pond we aren't using anymore

Is that foot swollen or is that just the angle of her foot?

I agree with Free- I think you should clip the hair there to see what you've actually got on your hands and I wouldn't wrap it - just clean it out and spray with blue kote or something to keep it sanitized and the flies away.

Has she had her CD&T vaccination?

 

[stano40]

Yes she had her CD&T shot and is due for another on Aug. 8th. She was given penicillin for 2 days when the injury happened.

Strangely enough I emailed a friend who lives near by the people we bought the doelings from only to find out it was her adopted son we bought them from so she filled me in on what she did seeing she was the one who found her. She is an experienced goat person and has had goats for many years breeding top line animals.

The story is piecing together slowly but at least I know most of how it happened and what was done for her up to know.

bob

 

[stano40]

All cleaned up:

You can see on the wound-kote stuff where the fence wire was and how deep it cut into her.

My wife Michelle shaved the leg down, washed with a drop of dawn dish soap and 7% iodine solution (we had clorohexdrine but some how it disappeared), put some bag balm on it, cleaned & trimmed the hoof.

She dug out quite a bit of junk out of the hoof and a lot of dry flaky stuff. She said the whole area was hard and hot. What worried us though was within the hoof area she dug out what looked like soft matter and said she hoped it wasn't hoof rot. We do have some awful smelly stuff for the hoof, but she didn't want to put it on yet until she was sure.

bob

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Wow, it's pretty darn swollen still. It's probably not foot rot, that comes from a bacteria, not necessarily related to injuries.

I'd start her on another round of antibiotics. I'd cold hose her leg for 15 mins twice (or three times) a day, or find some way to put an ice wrap on it (if you can't hose it) to get that swelling down. I would not wrap it, but I would continue to clean it and make sure it has a topical wound spray or ointment on it. There could be some permanent damage to the ligaments or tendons, but at least you can get the swelling and infection out.

Shame on her former owners!


ETA: Oh, and I wouldn't use the 7% iodine on her wounds anymore because it's harsh (I know you diluted it though). Do you have any betadine?

And probably once the swelling comes down it wouldn't hurt to soak her foot/leg in warm epsom salt water. Actually you could probably do that now, then cold hose after you soak it.

 

[cmjust0]

I'd get some banamine in her...that inflammation looks pretty bad.

Poor gal.