# Big Bump In My Goat's Lower Jaw Area



## Pronking Publius

I went to feed my 3 month old goats some grain and noticed one of them had a big bump in his cheek by his back molars. It looked like she had a marble sized rock in her cheek or something. I took a closer look and it wasn't a broken jaw. It's like an abscess or bite or something. Anyone ever had that happen to their goats? I'm not too worried. It didn't seem to hurt at all. It may very well disappear tomorrow. I was wondering if perhaps something bit her maybe. Hmm. Any suggestions?


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## NigerianGirl

it might be bottle jaw my friend has goats that get it all the time she just worms them good


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## KW Farms

Are your goats CL tested? I'm not sure if CL can appear that soon in young goats...but maybe. Might be a tooth issue, bite, or splinter or maybe the goat big his cheek...it could be a number of things.


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## packhillboers

could be a sticker issue. This is that time of year for these things to happen. I pulled two foxtails out of goats eyes today. . I hope that your goat's lump is just a sticker but if it is a big bump, then it is something else.


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## Dani-1995

Could be impacted cud stuck in her cheek too, we had a wether do that alot last year. Is it soft or hard? A spider bite maybe? I'd watch it and make sure it didn't get ny worse... As long as she acts normal then I wouldn't worry too much


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## toth boer goats

As mentioned ...it can be so many things....if it is a bee sting ect....you can try a Antihistamine....to bring down swelling and pain.... 

Might be a snake bite...

Can you see any holes anywhere in that area..or blood spot?

Look in the mouth and see if it is cud....or an abscess in the mouth.... 


Bottle jaw is usually along the very bottom of the jaw... it is soft....

3 months old... not sure about CL... kid seems too young for it to appear...but ...I really do not know... :hug:


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## kelebek

yes - 3 month olds can have CL - gestation is 45 days from contact to positive.

but can be so many things - did it come on super fast? did it rupture? hard? soft? if ruptured - did it smell? have you put finger along side cheek to see if cud?


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## toth boer goats

Thanks for the clarification Allison.....it is appreciated....as I didn't know that.... :wink:


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## groovyoldlady

My 10 year-old doe just developed what sounds like the same thing. I'll do a cud check on her tonight. Keep us posted on your kid!


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## toth boer goats

:hug:


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## Pronking Publius

Thanks for all the advice. I think some of those suggestions will start me looking in the right direction. 

I've never even heard of bottle jaw being new to goats, but I'm pretty sure it isn't that. I've looked at some pics and it looked like most of them were at and under the jaw line and a bit bigger and puffier looking than this. This is more right above the lower jaw, pretty much in the middle of the cheek, the size of a marble. Plus, I don't know too much about parasites, but they have an entire acre to roam around in, and it's only 4 tiny young goats. But I suppose it could be.

They did come from CAE, CL free herds, but I haven't had them tested yet. That's something to look at doing in the future.

I think it might be cud retention or an abscess or salivary gland or something. I'll keep my eye on it. I tell you, I stuck my fingers in her mouth to feel it...goats have some sharp little teeth! Ouch. Unfortunately, it is far enough back where I couldn't really see it, though I tried. It's not that big, it's sorta soft, and it doesn't seem to bother her, so I'll just keep my eye on it for now. It is weird, it did pop up over night, so I thought it might disappear right away, but no such luck yet.

I'm in Colorado, so with the extremely dry weather, I have experienced very little worm problems with other livestock I have owned, but then again, I've never owned goats. Any advice on what to use for deworming and how often? Again, right now they have a pretty open range with plenty of forage, but it's something I might need to start soon. They are 2 and 3 months old right now. Thanks.


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## meluvgoats

Something like this happened to me before with my Togg.
I know it sounds disgusting but you have to get a needle and prick it :shrug: 

Could you send me a pic?


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## toth boer goats

Can you get a pic of it?


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## KW Farms

Make sure if you're going to open it and clean it that you wear gloves and keep everything clean...don't let it get on the ground or on yourself and sanitize everything. In case it is CL, which I hate to say it, but the cheek area...size of a marble...sounds pretty similar to a CL abscess...so just be careful. And if you get the fluid or puss out...send it in for testing so you can find out. I really hope it's just a sticker, bite, or something more minor...but always better to be safe than sorry. :hug:


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## Dani-1995

It looks like a sting or bite to me... but it could be something stuck inside the mouth causing an abcess. She sure is a cutie!


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## meluvgoats

Its what my goat had. Go ahead and prick it with a needle. I find it works better when the lump is a little bigger


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## meluvgoats

how is she?


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## Pronking Publius

Well I had the vet over today and she didn't seem to think the bump on her cheek was CL, so that's good news. Her guess was a salivary cyst I believe she said. I asked the lady who sold her to me if she had any problems with CL on her farm and she said she has never had it and from what I explained that it didn't sound like CL since CL has more to do with the lymph-nodes and would be lower by or under the jaw rather than in the middle of the cheek, and she's owned goats for over 30 years. When the vet took a look she said the same exact thing as the seller, that it's probably not CL and usually that spot is not where it manifests itself, but she did recommend that all goats be tested for CAE and CL eventually anyway. 

With all the ruckas I didn't even ask her how to remedy it, whether to leave it or try and extract the fluid. The vet didn't seem too worried about it, but I'll email her and ask to be sure. I DID read somewhere that if it is something having to do with her salivary glands to be very very careful treating it and that it's not as routine say as treating a cyst from a thistle or something. Looks good so far, and the goat seems happy and healthy. Hope that is helpful info for everyone.


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## packhillboers

I had a goat with the exact same thing. It could be a sticker that your goat got from the inside while chewing or a 'cheek' bite... or a salivary cyst. If it is a clogged salivary gland then I have a long shot theory to what may help as it may have helped my goat. Chop up some lemons-peels and all and give to her in small quantities at first.. They have an alkali effect supposedly in humans to treat acidosis so if the ph in the goats system is not balanced, I wonder if perhaps they could develop a calcium deposit cyst in the salivary gland. The citrus is acidic but somehow may be able to help with the ph balance to help dissolve the blockage. Only a few of my goats like the lemon, but the one with the little lump sure loved them very much and ate them very willingly.. so perhaps she needed them.


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## Guest

I would leave it alone, it is not ready to be lanced until it looses the hair at the very top. If you lance it before it is ready you will cut muscle and it will still continue to get bigger. Most of those small ones will pop on there own and pose no health issues. Seen this a hundred times if I have seen it once and looks to me that it was caused by a thorn or sticker do to the location, it may scar but will not effect her appearance . That's a pretty Lamanche!


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## Pronking Publius

Thanks. She is a cutey. The bump on her cheek has shrunk quite a bit in the last week and gotten a bit harder. Also, I noticed today that it has come to a head so to speak and there was just a bit of white pus coming out of it. I know, ick. The hair was gone on an area the size of a pencil eraser. It didn't look bad, and again, it's shrunk quite a bit. I think it's getting better, but I'm gonna keep an eye on it.


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## toth boer goats

Is the puss really thick and cheesy or watery?


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## Pronking Publius

Kind of imbetween. It wasn't "cheesy" but it wasn't watery either. And it was white. I've read that the pus from CL is usually really thick and yellowish green. This wasn't that, but I'm keeping my eye on it. I'm hoping for the best. I think for the moment I'm going to have to be cautiously optimistic and go with the seller's and the vets comments. They seemed to think it not CL, but I'd be interested in hearing if there are any other cysts that have white pus. If there aren't any small white pus-filled cysts besides CL, then I guess there's real reason for concern.


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## Pronking Publius

I checked her cheek again today and no pus at all. There was a scab that I pulled to see if there was any pus since it was already pussing the day prior, and when I pulled the scab there was just a tiny bit of blood. I put some Betadine on it so it again so hopefully it doesn't get infected. I'm moving to Missouri in a week, so I'll have them checked a month or two after they are settled. I wanted to have them checked before I moved since if it is CL I don't want to move that to a new farm, but when I brought that up the vet didn't seem too concerned about getting her checked. It's a bit unnerving but what do you do? The vet thinks she's fine, and I don't yet have the facilities to separate them at the moment. All I can do is hope it's something besides CL. I mean, both the people I bought them from SAID they've never had CL...and I've never had goats before. Chances are, if they aren't fibbing, it's probably not, but who knows. Anyway, enough of my hyperventilating.


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## kelebek

If it had a smell to it - it would NOT be CL - CL has NO scent to it at all! that is a huge way to tell a difference. Sounds like a bacterial infection or a staph infection.

Of course - I ALWAYS recommend testing - but I bet if you stick a needle in it - pull out some of the exudos and send to waddl for eval it will come back as staph.


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## Pronking Publius

Thanks Allison. I'm really betting that's what it is. I did some investigation into staph infections and I read about people saying it looks like a pimple or chicken pox with white pus that comes out of it, and that is exactly what it looks like. I can't recall if it smelled or not however, but that is also good to know. One thing I have to ask the vet tomorrow (I'm going to see her anyway) is if it IS staph, if it will eventually go away if I keep it clean and dry, or it she will need antibiotics, which is how I believe staph is generally treated. Thanks again.


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## toth boer goats

:hug:


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## meluvgoats

Heres a pic of my Togg when she had it

its a link cause the image was too big

http://postimage.org/image/6ia0h1lr1/

On the left side of her.


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