# Kid with Injured Leg



## Skyz84 (Jul 25, 2011)

I'm wondering if anyone has any advise

I have a 4 month old Nigerian Dwarf kid. The breeder I got her from told me that her mom stepped on her leg right after she was born. She had a minor limp when I got her but nothing that bad. The breeder told me it had been improving & to me it seemed minor.

Well now I've had her 2 months and I'm worried about her long term health. The amount of limping varies from day to day. Some days she will put a little weight on it and others she wont put ANY weight on it. What is REALLY concerning me is that she is losing muscle tone in that leg all together. :? It's just in that leg. Her other leg looks nice and healthy but she is just bones on the bad leg. 

Her hoof is getting a little out of shape and I think it is because she is not walking on it at all.

I talked to another goat breeder and said that personally she would never have sold a kid with an injured leg because it will only get worse with age?

Is there anything that can be done?


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## Tolers Boers (Jul 4, 2011)

:whatgoat: what part of the leg was originally injured? have you taken her to a vet? her hoof should probably be trimmed it's gonna deform and over grow if she isn't using it. the breeder prob contributed to that fact and that may be partlly the reason for the long non recovery if the hoof is out of order she will limp alot and try not to walk on it.

I am a retired Physical Therapist and I would look at the foot first, then ask questions about the part of the leg that was injured to begin with. and she was how old when u bought her sounds like the breeder just wanted a sale and didn't have too much regard or concern for the kid. if she had she probably would have healed before u got to her. I'm medically and ethically guessing.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Can't believe the breeder sold you a kid with a issue like that and said it would get better!! :angry: 
If the kid was steped on that badly that young then there should have been vet work done to properly heal it. If this kid is 5 months + into this injury I would say full recovery is really slim!


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## Skyz84 (Jul 25, 2011)

Well in the breeders defense this was her 1st time breeding goats, the mom had quads & delivery of the kids was faster then expected. I don't believe she was trying to device me or neglect the goats. I just think she was lacking knowledge and funding for proper medical care. I know since I have passed on some of the information I have learned she had made improvements in her current goats.

I am partially at fault here for not doing more research before buying goats and going to a more "professional" breeder for my 1st goats. I took the advise I was given and realized I was not doing everything I should have been. Thankfully I did lots of research & quickly learned I needed to be doing more. The babies & mom were definitely in need of some minerals when I got them. Once I started them on a loose goat mineral & black oil sunflower seeds as treats they really started to look a lot better. I know now that the baby with the limp is turning red because of a copper deficiency and I am working on fixing that.

I have had then to a vet about 4-6 weeks ago to be re-burned because they were starting to grow scurs. The vet checked the leg briefly and said that due to the young age she was injured she may always have a slight limp. Problem is now she is losing the muscle in the leg and the limp is becoming more noticeable. I will be taking her back to a vet in a week or two but due to family in the hospital and my dog being hospitalized for unknown causes I'm really short on time & cash.

I should have specified that the hoof that is turning is the one on her good leg that she braces her self with. When I turn the hoof over the sidewalls are flush/even with the center so I don't know what to do about trimming it.

When I gently manipulate her leg I can move it up normally but what is really strange and worrisome is that I can easily move her leg from side to side (in & out) at the hip. I don't THINK that is normal. I will try and get a video once I have a helping hand.










I tried to get a video of her limp. This is on her "good" day when the limp is minimal.


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

Is the leg broken? I'm sorry to say, but I don't think the leg will ever get better. But maybe i'm wrong. I hope so... :sigh:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

can you get it x-rayed to see what is going on with it...if it was broke and was never fixed... then healed in a bad position.....it may just get worse.... :hug:


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## Skyz84 (Jul 25, 2011)

I don't feel a break anywhere in the long bone of the leg. The vet also felt along the leg and didn't feel a break. BUT that was a few weeks ago. The limp was minor and the vet shrugged it off. The only thing that has changed is the muscle tone is nearly gone from the hip. As the muscle tone has decreased the limp has slowly worsened. I'm kind of scared her hip is broken/fractured. Of she had a break that tried to mend maybe she re-injured it? She tries to run, jump, headbutt & play with her sister. 

Her other leg & the rest of her body seem in okay condition. Its just the hip of the bad leg that is literally turning to bone.

I'm going to try to get her to the vet next week when we get paid. We have spent over $2500 in the last week so I don't know WHERE the money is going to come from!!


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## Skyz84 (Jul 25, 2011)

Here is the video of it moving side to side. It doesn't seem to cause her any pain. She is happily eating while I do this without flinching or moving away. It looks pretty bad in this perspective:





When you look at the 1st video I posted you can see she puts her weight on it when she goes to scratch with the good leg





I was just looking for any advise or recommendations of something that might make her more comfortable. There are not really any "goat" vets in the area. I have found a few that see mainly horses or dogs/cats but then see goats on the side. I was not overly impressed with the "livestock" vet I saw last who re-burned there horns. One ended up growing the scurs right back again just the same as they were before. It was like they just burned the skin but had no effect on the horn bud. The scur that's growing in was literally unchanged after the scab came in. Just going to leave them now.

*IF* I can find someone who will X-Ray her (and not charge me some crazy high *exotic/livestock* fee) I will try and get it done on Monday.

Has anyone even heard of a break/fracture that is 4+ months old being fixed? I'm worried its been let go "too far".


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Hmmm...wow... I wish I could see what is going on in there...but I can't...  

If she hasn't used the leg much....since the initial injury.... the muscling won't be there..she will have to work it and walk on it more....but... with an issue as she is having... she can't.... If you can get it xrayed... at least you can see what is happening .... :hug:


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