Baby buckling...

[BlueMoonFarms]

So...
I got suckered into taking this buckling baby, and since we are going to be replacing our thick headed of a buck this year with a new one, we didn't really mind.
However...I have been promised he is from a CAE (sp?) free and very healthy herd who's owners just fell on hard times and didn't want to send the buckling to market with the rest of the herd.

From the looks of him it had to be very very very...VERY hard times because the baby is a mess.
Hes two months old, eating hay, grain and drinking water thankfully, but is missing hair, has lice, very very underweight, wormy, his hooves were horrible and overgrown though thankfully no hoof rot, and he appears to have had something take a bite into his ear leaving it bleeding and and little infected.

The good news? His poops are good, he is not anemic, there is no hoof rot or sore mouth ( I would have turned him away if he had sore mouth going on) and he does not have mange, infections or anything else going on.
He was bottle raised to, but still...wow is all I have to say, because I like to live in fairy land and believe that everyone raises there goats to be fat and pampered. I like fairy land, its a lovely place.
Anyway, the reason i am posting is because I need to know if I can give him Valbasen and how much to give him; I would prefer to give him ivermecton plus but I know its not good on babys.

Also, I have dusted him for the lice, and plan on spraying him down with frontline. I trimmed his hooves back and just to be safe have been treating them with hoof and heel.

What kind of antibiotic should I put on the wounds in his ear? There are three perfect holes like someone nomed him. I have cleaned them out, soaked his ear and treated it with antibiotic ointment and blue coat. I have a call into my vet also, but any advice would be great.

I have not done much more then that as I did not want to stress him, he is so underweight that he collapsed on me when i got him, so stress is NOT what I want him to have.
Ugh...My husband is going to shoot me one day. Or just give up lol
I'll post pictures as soon as I can, promise!

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

Shoot I put this in the wrong section...

 

[Womwotai]

Shoot I put this in the wrong section...

Nah, not really - it is to do with raising the new buckling, right? Besides, I always just hit "recent posts" so everything that was posted since my last visit comes up anyway, and I never even notice what category they're in

I'm curious though. You said the hooves were overgrown but he is only 2 months old. I'm in my first year with goats and have kept an eye on the hooves but they don't look too long to me, so I haven't trimmed yet. Mine are about 11 months old. I'm surprised a 2-month old would have had time to grow hooves too long. Now I'm wondering if mine need trimmed and I'm just too novice to know it

 

[Bucking Adoeable Fainters]

He is still a youngster, I think youre in the right section. You could do illness as well.
Here is my experience and advice, I hope this helps. You are wonderful helping this poor little boy. I'm wishing you both all the best.

I give all my guys Ivermectin orally. Beginning at 6-8weeks depending on when they are going to new homes or being retained ect. I also do CDT at this time, as I'm sure your man hasn't received it.

For his poor little ear there are a couple of options- you can get Vetrocyn and keep it open. I am a BIG fan of Blu-Kote as you are already using. Depending on size and severity, you can put a stitch or two. Or can gauze and tape closed as much as possible. You have to follow your gut, and vet advice of course.

I would get Nutri-Drench in him immediately. That stuff is seriously amazing. Will really help pep him up and give him a lot of nutrients lost. I would also be very generous with electrolytes in his water. Idk what he was on feed wise, obviously not much. Give him plenty of helpings and let him go to town. Poor baby. I do Noble Goat for my grain, and I'd start with. Quarter cup to prevent bloat and scours.

I am a hugefan of Frontline on my goats. I do this every few months in the heat. If he is truly infested you can dust with Sevin dust. It is safe for them and chickens ect.

I will be following and hoping he pulls through for you. What a trooper!!!

 

[Bucking Adoeable Fainters]

For the feet- my guys don't get their first trimming until 6-8weeks as well. Its kind of crazy to think he was that overgrown unless he's older then you were told? my big guys get every 3months or so and do not sound as bad as you described.
I always clean out with hydrogen peroxide. This kills bacteria and helps dry the area as well.

Poor little man. So glad he has you.

 

[Bucking Adoeable Fainters]

Womwotai- if you pick up your goat hooves and there is folded over growth, they need to be trimmed as yuck can impact in there and grow bacteria and rot.
Here is an excellent link to check out. Complimentary of the Fainting Goat Guild


http://faintinggoatguild.com/husbandrygrooming.htm

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

Nah, not really - it is to do with raising the new buckling, right? Besides, I always just hit "recent posts" so everything that was posted since my last visit comes up anyway, and I never even notice what category they're in

I'm curious though. You said the hooves were overgrown but he is only 2 months old. I'm in my first year with goats and have kept an eye on the hooves but they don't look too long to me, so I haven't trimmed yet. Mine are about 11 months old. I'm surprised a 2-month old would have had time to grow hooves too long. Now I'm wondering if mine need trimmed and I'm just too novice to know it

Ok phew, I was worried for a moment when I flipped back and realized I had put this in the birthing and weaning section by mistake. Hey if it works then it works! Alright!

I was curious about that as well, but then again i am always right on top of hooves so they have never gotten as bad as his were.

He is still a youngster, I think youre in the right section. You could do illness as well.
Here is my experience and advice, I hope this helps. You are wonderful helping this poor little boy. I'm wishing you both all the best.

I give all my guys Ivermectin orally. Beginning at 6-8weeks depending on when they are going to new homes or being retained ect. I also do CDT at this time, as I'm sure your man hasn't received it.

For his poor little ear there are a couple of options- you can get Vetrocyn and keep it open. I am a BIG fan of Blu-Kote as you are already using. Depending on size and severity, you can put a stitch or two. Or can gauze and tape closed as much as possible. You have to follow your gut, and vet advice of course.

I would get Nutri-Drench in him immediately. That stuff is seriously amazing. Will really help pep him up and give him a lot of nutrients lost. I would also be very generous with electrolytes in his water. Idk what he was on feed wise, obviously not much. Give him plenty of helpings and let him go to town. Poor baby. I do Noble Goat for my grain, and I'd start with. Quarter cup to prevent bloat and scours.

I am a hugefan of Frontline on my goats. I do this every few months in the heat. If he is truly infested you can dust with Sevin dust. It is safe for them and chickens ect.

I will be following and hoping he pulls through for you. What a trooper!!!

Thanks! i am crossing my fingers that he ends up making it and not giving up on me for some reason. He seems to be doing ok so i think he will pull through
Really? I was always told that Ivermec was dangerous for young goats? Has your experience with it been different and if so what is the dosage you use? is it the same for the adults, or a lower dosage?
CDT is going to be given as soon as he is healthy, the vet wants to see some progress before we stress him with shots.

Ok I have the blue cot but only Vetrocyn eye spray, i'll have to get the other one. The vet does not think he will need stitches thankfully, but depending on how nasty it gets I may need to bandage it.

Would Nutri drench for sheep work until I get the one for goats? We have goat mineral treats that he has been munching on to.
Our grain is a mix of things. Oats, sunflower seeds, beat pulp, corn and soy mix, along with a little bit of pulin grain. So, what we are doing is just giving him some lamb and kid grain in a bowl and filling it when ever it is empty. He ate the entire bowl the first day he was here which was Tuesday.
So far no bloat, but just in case...what are the symptom's of bloat and how do i fix it/prevent it? i remember reading something about baking soda?

Oh yeah...hes infested, its frightening...The dust I put on him is a horse fly and mite killer that I was told way way back was what I should get to kill the bugs on my sheep and first goat. I used it on him and after a few days i'll give him a bath then put a few drops of ivermec on his skin. Yay for frontline!

For the feet- my guys don't get their first trimming until 6-8weeks as well. Its kind of crazy to think he was that overgrown unless he's older then you were told? my big guys get every 3months or so and do not sound as bad as you described.
I always clean out with hydrogen peroxide. This kills bacteria and helps dry the area as well.

Poor little man. So glad he has you.

I'll try taking pictures of his hoves as they are now, I doubt they will tell you much but hey who knows! Then if I did something wrong trimming wise you can speak up and let me know lol
He is certainly a young goat, exactly how old I am not sure. Either way he is tiny, and if hes three months then he is a little tiny bugger

Fingers crossed he pulls through!

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

The white is the powder we used against his lice and mites, but all the white you do see is actually the powder sitting down on his skin. Thats all the missing hair I took a picture of his horn growth just in case he is older then two months, any age guesses will be well welcomed! You can see the big ear would easily, the other two are there around it like teeth marks, I took the pictures before the blue kot was applied so you all could actually see it.

His poor little tail has no hair! And you can see the hairless spots better on close up side shots. Ugh...My poor little man

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

Oh! And he is looking much better then he used to, i did not take a picture of him before I gave him food, i thought food was a bit more important.
You can still tell how thin he is under his hair by looking close at the hip bones. They are sunken in Its so depressing.

 

[Bucking Adoeable Fainters]

Horse/oral Ivermectin is 3x the goat weight. My big girls are about 80. 80x3=240.
If he is 20lbs=60. You get the idea. I use different dosages for everyone.

Nutri drench for sheep should be fine. The biggest difference between goat and sheep feed is the lack of copper. Goats need it.

Yes, offering free ranch of baking soda will help the lil guy. I keep about a cup sprinkled around my mineral block. This way they can take as needed. As long as he's going poo pellets and not runs or logs, he's doing good. Just listen for rumen noises and lots of belching. If he gets frothy mouth or bubbles in spit, hold him up behind front legs, rear still on ground, to help him belch. If you need, you can always disolve gas x with wated in a syringe (no needle) and give orally.

I think he is an absolute trooper. Just watch his poos, they'll tell you everything! The big concern is infection in that ear and tummy issues. But I think he'll make a full recovery!

So glad he has you!!!!