# Bowlegged pygmy. . .somebody please help!



## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

Could somebody please help me? I have a 17 day old pygmy kid and he is bowlegged, walks like a monkey is all I can think of to describe it. we tried splints and wraps but it seemed to make it worse so we quickly stopped, I also gave him a .25 ml shot of Bo-Se (his mother also got a shot a couple of weeks before he was born) Anybody have any clues? if it helps I will post a picture later tomorrow to show his legs. 

Any advice would be welcomed

Also, he is healthy, no diarrhea and eats hearty


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

Sounds like you did everything I would have suggested. Sorry no help here, sometimes an odd thing just happens, I know bowlegged ness in children can be outgrown, but not sure about goats.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

can you post a picture -- I had a kid last year who was knock kneed but she grew out of it. She was a triplet and the runt


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

A pic would help.... :wink:


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

I hope these picturs post


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

no they didnt  make sure they are 430x430 pix or less

or use www.photobucket.com to host your pictures and post the URL or IMG link


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

I put them up on photobucket

http://s1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb439/psueoname77/

I will try to get more tomorrow, just in case these don't show his problem very good


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Hmm...does the leg bones feel straight or are they curved?


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

we try to straighten them as much as we can, we are not sure how tight is too tight for the little guy and how to get the wraps perfectly straight


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

looks like a tendon issue - how does he walk? does he have issues? 

I would try another small dose of BoSe to see if that makes a difference.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Was this kid born with the legs like that? And did you give the Bo-se shot just after Birth or has it been recent?

Try Vitamin D... if the mother was lacking...the kid may have Neonatal rickets caused by the pregnant dam not getting enough Vitamin D in her diet..

Don't wrap the legs so tight.. that it will cut off circulation that will be worse....
It looks to be the lower part of the legs right?

If you fear vet wrap...getting it too tight.. try masking tape...or thin strips of duct tape..... but make sure the support is there...
get Popsicle sticks or something like that.. to support the weakness.... make sure the limbs are straight when the kid is walking and supported correctly...
here is a link ...where the baby has the weakness and this person uses large syringe containers splits them apart to help support the weakness.......
http://goat-link.com/images//newbabysfeet2.jpg :hug:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I would do as suggested, I can't really tell because of how black his legs are...but, Does he toe inward? If he's toed inward, it could be a genetic/birth defect.


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

toh boer goat I believe that is what he has! can you elaborate on what the person exactly did? or is it just that to big syringe casings split in half to put on his legs? and he isn't too old is he to try this out? he is three weeks old.

I don't believe his toes are inward, I believe his ankles may be the problem

Also I posted more pictures and two videos of the little guy so you can see him walk, don't bother with audio unless you want to hear wind.

http://s1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb439/psueoname77/

The little guy got a .25ml of Bo-Se on the 4th of April. not sure if his mother had adequate Vitamin D when she was pregnant. she did get a Bo-Se and CD&T shot on the 24th of February


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> toth boer goat I believe that is what he has!


 Honestly..I have never had this issue with my goats... but I found the little info on it...that matched with what your baby has....it didn't give much detail...
You want to put back in.. the lacking nutrients to help the goat.... Vit D calcium should be given...as this was most likely the cause...

Of course splinting the legs so the baby doesn't keep bending them wrong should help as well.... I wouldn't give up on the baby...give it a chance ..not sure if 3 weeks is to old or not....but it is worth a try...

It almost seems that his knee...doesn't extend all the way...maybe slowly work with it and see if you can get it straighter like therapy....don't over extend it just a little at a time to try to get it stretched out.... do it a little daily... but if it hurts the kid... don't make it hurt....

I would however recommend a vet look at the baby...maybe they can find out how deficient he is in testing to give the proper dosage so he has the chance to get better..... wish I had more insight on this but I don't ...Prayers for the little one...he is adorable by the way.... :hug: ray:


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

I was looking at the photos and I may well be wrong... but it almost seems as if the problem was up higher...like at the shoulder connection.. I don't know.... just a thought and it may be that it is different in the flesh....... just thought I'd mention it in case 

anyway good luck


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

That is what I am thinking naturalgoats, we are going to try splints that are higher up, to his second joint, not sure how it will work don't want him to be miserable. not going to give up though! 
Wanted to go to the vet but there isn't any large livestock vet around here (besides horses) and they keep on comparing them when I ask questions


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug: ray:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

After seeing the video...I do pray that splinting works but I truly think this is a birth defect, not nrccesarily caused by a selenium deficiency, it could have been caused by his position in the womb during his development or even some type of genetic defect, as I said, I really hope he straightens out and can have a normal life that doesn't cause him any pain :hug: 

From personal experience, I had a tiny doeling born of triplets 3 years ago, just over 1 pound at birth, she looked totally normal though very little, she thrived and grew but as she grew, her front legs just didn't look right, she had problems bending her knees to lay down and was a very happy little goat, she didn't seem to be in pain and played just as any baby goat would, when she would lay down, her front legs would be straight out in front of her and she toed out badly, she has a wonderful loving home that pampers her every need, she occasionally will get an aspirin as well as chondroitin to help with inflamation that does flair up when the weather changes. 
I was told by her owner that the vet she had her seen by, suggested that she be put down due to the "handicap"....that of course was not an option as long as she wanted to be a normal goat, 3 years worth of growth and cold weather and this little lady is doing well...even with her short front legs.


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

Thank you for telling me about your goat liz, it helps knowing others had goats with leg issues thrived in life. Everyone seems to think I should put him down, but he seems so happy and normal. Sometimes he gets left behind by the others but he catches up with them or he does his own thing and the others go back to him. we are getting hopeful, we placed splints on his legs for a day and they were almost straight, we decided to give him two days with the splint to see if that works. I check him time to time making sure it is not uncomfortable. He tolerates it 

on the vitamin D suggestion how much should I give him and is it ok for me to give him any to begin with? without an approval from a vet?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> on the vitamin D suggestion how much should I give him and is it ok for me to give him any to begin with? without an approval from a vet?


 It is a vit D shot (SQ) ...you should be able to get it at a feed store...buy Vit A&D...I believe it has the dosage on the bottle.... this is just a vitamin and the kid will burn off anything.. that the body doesn't need....

Glad the braces are working I'd leave them on for a week at a time...but checking in the mean time ..of course to make sure it is OK....then take them off and see how the kid is....if the legs are still kinda cricked then re brace them until better.... If one leg straightens then you can leave that brace off if you feel it is good...and brace the other if needed.... :wink:


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

toth boer goats,

a week? you don't think atrophy will be a problem? I am splinting his legs one at a time, he was really miserable with both legs bound, and couldn't walk very good. with one bound he doesn't seem to mind


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> toth boer goats,
> 
> a week? you don't think atrophy will be a problem? I am splinting his legs one at a time, he was really miserable with both legs bound, and couldn't walk very good. with one bound he doesn't seem to mind


 atrophy No... because the kid is still using them... if the kid can't walk with both splinted.. then go ahead and do 1 leg at a time... yes.... I'd do it for a week at a time... it doesn't straighten with splinting it.. for a couple of days ...the baby was really crippled up and it may take some time....the kid will have to rewire the way of walking and retraining the limbs to go back into the proper position....the tendons are very stretched out right now and need time to get back on track.... maybe if the baby does good with one at a time to splint back and forth giving the other leg a splint rest.... until corrected.. :wink:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I've actually seen this before, we call it "spider legs". It was a vitamin deficiency in my kids and was fixable. Vit D, Vit E, I use human gelcaps squeezed into the mouth daily. If you have dank winters you can throw a gelcap of D into your does grain daily. Living on the coast I use alot of vitamin D caps.
I used foam pipe insullation inside of vet wrap to lightly support the legs. 
The year I had this happen they were all running around fine by 8 weeks old. 
I sure hope this is the same thing. The vitamins wouldn't hurt him anyway.
Good luck with the little guy.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How is the baby? :hug:


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

He is doing a little better, we have both legs splinted right now though may take one off due to him limping.
I was told to leave the splints on for a month, but check on his legs time to time to make sure they are not sweating. 

slow process but he is thriving in everything else!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Glad he is doing OK.... are the splints directly on his skin? If so.. maybe that is what is making the baby limp? Maybe put a layer of cushion on first and then the splint.... keep us updated.... It does take time to straighten them....that is why I mentioned for a week and check......and if the legs aren't quite there.. then they go back on....Good luck praying that the little guy will be better...and soon... :hug: ray:


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

we put gauze on his skin, very frustrating but we're going to keep at it! I wish he was able to wear both, his bare leg looks terrible from walking on it funny and I believe he has a limp now with that leg


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Doing one at a time... may be making it to where.. it is creating that limping issue..... it is like if we where to wear one high heal shoe and a flat shoe...after a period of time of wearing them oddly like that....it may knock our backs off or may twist an ankle.....ect  

so there is no way to do them both? :hug:


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

we're going to try, he just seems to really hate it, waving his leg around and sitting down constantly. we waited a day but it wasn't getting better, we are going to try something a little different with one leg, I think he will be more comfortable if he had one ankle able to bend. we shall see


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good luck... I am praying for the little dude...he is adorable... :hug: ray:


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## pyg_74 (Feb 28, 2011)

Thank you! I am praying too, it makes me sad to watch him walk. . .but he is so full of life! cannot give up on him.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome... :hug: I wouldn't give up either... ray: :hug:


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