hoof deformity? Or worry wart new Goat owner

[Greendecember]

Update: Goliath went to the vet today. Vet gave him a vitamin shot. It was his "special baby goat mix" lol had vit B, b complex, e, selenium, and a list of stuff in it. I wrote it all down but don't have it handy.
On the splinting. He said don't splint. Just watch and wait. He said splinting him would open up a WHOLE new set of problems.

I brought the other 3 kidds with me just in case someone else needed something. We weighed everyone and he said they all looked fine.

We didn't have a whole lot of time to talk because about that time 2 emergency cases came in. He did say that they need their shots at 3 months and suggested having the boys wethered in March. He likes to tease me about how I should just bite the nuts off because he knows it grosses me out but apparently that is how some goat ranchers with large herds do it. NOT ME!!!! They see a LOT of problems with banding around here so he is highly against banding.

All said and done the visit and shot cost me $10. Whew! I was guessing it would be more like $40-$100!
Thanks again for all your advice!



****
Some back story

We bought some goats back in September. Then we discovered 4 out of 5 of the does were prego. I had suspected for a while but conformation came when I saw a baby hoof poke Mama in the side. We were so excited!

Then the blizzard came. It hardly snows in Oklahoma and we had over a foot come down twice in one week. Yes I know most places get a lot more but when there is a 3 inch sheet of ice under the snow and the snow plows are overwhelmed we stayed home hehe

That was the week 3 does decided to kid. The first doe had her kids some time before 9am. We usually check on them at sun up but with the storm we were moving a lot slower.

I had been picking up kidding supplies here and there as we could afford them and I figured out what we needed but was really not ready for Kids yet. I had done a TON of reading up on goats. Mainly feeding, housing, and care. I had only skimmed the kid stuff because I didn't have a buck and didn't plan to get one just yet.

Mom seemed to be nursing him fine and I didn't see any other babies so we went to town to get some more stuff just in case someone else decided to have her babies and had a problem. When we got home around 2pm I heard a screaming from the far side of the barn. I found a crying, lethargic, and half frozen baby buck. Apparently she had 2. We rushed him into the vet but he died when we got there. I brought the other buck (now named Goliath) with us just in case and the vet checked him over and he was just fine. The vet suspected Mom figured she could only keep one warm and fed or there was a genetic abnormality we didn't notice and Mom did.
That was Feb 3rd.

Fast forward to today. Feb 14. We now have 3 live buck kids and 1 live doe kid.

I went out to feed the doeling because her Mom had her and a buckling. The buckling was HUGE and mom orphaned the little girl.

That was when I noticed Goliath. He was the buck that survived from he first doe. His hind feet look deformed to me. Where the other kids have that tip toe look to their walk he looks flat footed on the hind legs. I looked all over the net for pics to describe it. Bellow you can see how the back pads that are usually up a little on their leg is flat with the hoof bottoms? That is how his legs are. I didn't notice it before. I have been so involved with the doeling and feeding her I kinda left the bucklings to their Mom's except to bring them in on the nights it was bellow freezing and kept them in a kennel in the house.
Goliath's favorite place to nap is behind and under the old horse hay feeder and hard to get to him. Add that to him mom is a cranky pants so we would make sure he was breathing, notice him feed from time to time but overall not bother him.

I picked him up and compared his hind feet to the other kids. Then to the adults. They don't look right to me. But like I said I am new to this whole goat rodeo.
I will try to take some pics and upload them this evening.

Any idea what it is? Am I just worried for nothing? Should I take him to the vet? Should I wait and see? Is it something he could live with? Would he be in a lot of pain or should I have him put down?

Worried

Edited to include pics
Not very good shots/ Hard to get a good pic without a helper Hope this helps

 

[blufftonboers]

I can not get an image on the link you suplied. Is he stiff legged or are his pasturns week? We have had kids whos hocks go in on the back legs so the lentire leg looks like a strait line they usually correct themselfs over time if that is what it is. A picture would be great. depending on what it is you may be able to put splints on him till his legs get stronger or some sort of medicine may help to strengthen him and his legs. you can email me a picture to my email if you cant get it posted here.

One kidding supply item I can't live with out is a baby moniter you can hear when babies are in trouble and when moms are going into labor.

Good luck to you
Anna

 

[Greendecember]

I can not get an image on the link you suplied. Is he stiff legged or are his pasturns week? We have had kids whos hocks go in on the back legs so the lentire leg looks like a strait line they usually correct themselfs over time if that is what it is. A picture would be great. depending on what it is you may be able to put splints on him till his legs get stronger or some sort of medicine may help to strengthen him and his legs. you can email me a picture to my email if you cant get it posted here.

One kidding supply item I can't live with out is a baby moniter you can hear when babies are in trouble and when moms are going into labor.

Good luck to you
Anna

Humm it links ok for me. I think I need more posts before I can post pics on here

Anyhow... from the dew claw to the tip of the hoof are all flat on the ground. The pastern area is all on the ground. Assuming there is a pastern on the hind legs as with the front. I'm still learning my goat anatomy and that is the best I can think to describe it.

Where did you get your baby moniter? What brand? How much was it? I plan to have these bucklins wethered at about 2-3 months and not get a buck until I am better prepaired hehe. But I will put the baby moniter on my list of things to get as soon as I get a buck!

 

[20kidsonhill]

We have splinted legs with great success, Also, weak legged kids will greatly benifit from a Bo-Se shot. 1/4 cc for a 5 to 6 lb kid and 1/2 cc for a 10 lb kid.

'PIctures will help

Also, goats, especially first timers will only take care of one baby and leave the other one, when in a barn/ herd situation, many people put the does into kidding pens just before they expect the babies to prevent this. Keeps mom from walking away from one baby. inexperienced does are bad for this.

Next time you see a cold kid get it in the house and give it some corn syrup mixed with a little warm regular coffee. put the kid near a warm stove or under a heat lamp. warmth and fast calories from corn syrup can save a kid. Never feed a kid that is down milk.

 

[Greendecember]

Testing to see if I can post pics. If it works this is Queenie and Goliath on his birthday

 

[Greendecember]

I can not get an image on the link you suplied. Is he stiff legged or are his pasturns week? We have had kids whos hocks go in on the back legs so the lentire leg looks like a strait line they usually correct themselfs over time if that is what it is. A picture would be great. depending on what it is you may be able to put splints on him till his legs get stronger or some sort of medicine may help to strengthen him and his legs. you can email me a picture to my email if you cant get it posted here.

One kidding supply item I can't live with out is a baby moniter you can hear when babies are in trouble and when moms are going into labor.

Good luck to you
Anna

Ok looks like I can post pics! Headed out to the barn now to see if I can get a decent pic to show what it is

 

[Greendecember]

We have splinted legs with great success, Also, weak legged kids will greatly benifit from a Bo-Se shot. 1/4 cc for a 5 to 6 lb kid and 1/2 cc for a 10 lb kid.

'PIctures will help

Also, goats, especially first timers will only take care of one baby and leave the other one, when in a barn/ herd situation, many people put the does into kidding pens just before they expect the babies to prevent this. Keeps mom from walking away from one baby. inexperienced does are bad for this.

Next time you see a cold kid get it in the house and give it some corn syrup mixed with a little warm regular coffee. put the kid near a warm stove or under a heat lamp. warmth and fast calories from corn syrup can save a kid. Never feed a kid that is down milk.

The second we found him we brought him in the house and I tried to warm him up. I called the vet closest to us and he said get him warmed up and see if he was take some milk. I knew he was too weak to nurse at all and his eyes were rolling so I loaded him up and took him to the vet in town that does large animals and he died before they could get the IV bags warmed up. Vet tried a pasted in it's mouth and we put him on heating pads but it was too late.

Now that the snow is cleared we are working on the barn and making plans for a kidding stall. It isn't a very big barn to start with. Just a 3 horse stall barn with a small yard fenced to it.

We really got more than we figured when we bought out "test" herd to see if goats and us would work. We didn't know anyone was prego hehe
I LOVE them to death now and want MORE! SO we are developing the property before I buy a buck for breeding stock and better does.

Headed out to take pics now

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

You need 10 post to post a pic. So I would do your best to get a pic of his leg...that would help alot. That goat hoof ashtray did not help me at all. And was kinda unpleasant to see. IMO.

But a pic of his actual leg would be helpful! Sounds like you had a busy busy winter. Warmer days are ahead!

 

[Greendecember]

You need 10 post to post a pic. So I would do your best to get a pic of his leg...that would help alot. That goat hoof ashtray did not help me at all. And was kinda unpleasant to see. IMO.

But a pic of his actual leg would be helpful! Sounds like you had a busy busy winter. Warmer days are ahead!

Yes, I agree the pic of the ashtray was not pleasant but it was all I could find to demonstrate the flatness
I have pics now. Working to get them loaded

 

[20kidsonhill]

I am trying to decide if it looks truely deformed or just weak.

When holding his foot are you able to straighten it out?

If so I would splint it.

Popcycle sticks from the hoof down to the ground and up to the knee would work well, paper toweling wrapped around that and then duck tape on that, Just tight enough but not toooo tight.

Just so he can still bend his knee. I would leave on for 2 or 3 days, take off, test and then put back on if still weak.

Check his hoof every now and then to make sure it feels the same temp. as the rest.

If it is stiff and doesn't straighten he is deformed and that will have to be your choice what you end up doing.

Good luck