# Goat with swollen knee, limping



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

I have a goat named Camas that is pregnant and due in about 2 weeks. A few days ago she started limping on her right foreleg. I couldn't find the source of pain and wondered if she'd just tweaked it getting on the stand or fought with one of the other goats. Over the past few days it has not gotten better, in fact it may be worse. Her knee is now a bit swollen, but it doesn't feel hot. I've been keeping her off the stand and trying to let her rest it, but I'm worried that there is more I should be doing for her. She is starting to look a bit down. She is still eating. 

Is there anything I can do to help her? Is there any sort of wrap or poultice I could apply? There is no open wound, just the swelling. The limping seems worst when she has just gotten up. It looks a little better after she has been up for awhile. Is it better to leave her in a stall so she can rest it, or leave her out and walking about as much as possible?

Any thoughts? I will have an equine vet out here on Monday, so I could maybe have her take a look at it then.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Has she been tested for CAE?''if not I would test asap before she kids....in the mean time...one adult aspirin daily will help reduce inflammation and pain....


----------



## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Also give her b complex and nutri drench or molasses. You don't want ketosis to set in during the stress...


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

She has not been, everyone was supposed to be tested last week, but there was a vet emergency and it had to be delayed to Monday. It is only the one knee though, and the onset was so fast. Literally overnight. She is from a proven disease free herd, so I am hopeful CAE is not the issue. She is 2 years old and this will be her first kidding.

I will definitely give her an aspirin and some b-complex. I have molasses and nutridrench, but I also have an electrolyte mix called Bounce Back(link) that I like. Would this work? She is eating well at least. Poor thing. She is bred to a smaller breed than she is (Alpine to Guernsey), so the kids will be smaller and she doesn't look very large.

Any advice on whether I should keep her in a stall with hay and water or let her walk about?


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

Ugh. I really hope this is not CAE. Her mother has tested and still tests negative, though I am not the one testing, as her mother is in another herd. I saw the official results letter posted on Facebook.

I got her at 1 month old and raised her on goat's milk pasteurized in my Safgard pasteurizer. We regularly double checked the temps after pasteurizing, to be sure that the settings were still correct. Does anyone know how effective pasteurization is for neutralizing the spread of CAE in milk? 

If I don't get the results back before she kids, I will definitely pull the kids and bottle raise. :-(


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

what was your source of milk feeding her? Im not sure about pasteurizing...

Swollen knee from CAE can be one or more joints..There is a chance she just twisted the knee...if she is not stressed being penned, I would leave her penned...if not, then maybe limit her travel from hay to water by moving them closer


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

The milk was from a nearby herd. I do not know their disease status, but we pasteurized the milk very hot and long. 

I gave her the aspirin, b-complex, and the bounce back electrolytes. She seems in better spirits. Her owie knee is clicking with every step she takes. I guess we will have to wait and see what the test says after the vet comes out. I saved colostrum from my does that kidded last year, so I can preemptively heat-treat it and use it for the kids in the worst case scenario.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Yes..I would prepare just in case....Get blood pulled ASAP ...I would treat her leg as if twisted for now..just in case it is : ) rest..daily aspirin and see if she feels better soon.....Ill send positive thoughts for negative results!!


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

The stress of pregnancy could of kick started it and made her go clinical. Now I cant recall how fast the swelling would sit in. Id hope for just a twist but prepare for the worst.


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

Well, vet finally made it out on Monday to take blood from everyone. Now it is just a waiting game. I've been keeping her up in a stall and giving her an aspirin and b-complex. She is still eating well. Knee is still swollen and clicking.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Sending good thoughts!


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

I just got the test results back Everyone is negative! I am so relieved! 

Camas however, does still have a swollen, clicking knee. I was keeping her up in a stall, she was getting depressed about it, so I've started letting her out again. She is due the 17th, so maybe not having the weight of being pregnant will help. Any other ideas on how to help her knee heal?


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good news, congrats. 

Give her some tums and molasses water or a little molasses grain. Not a lot of grain. It may help in case. 

If she is carrying multiples, she may of sprained it or got hit by another goat. I would give her banamine if it is really bad, if it isn't, you can only wait for the kids to be born, so that extra weight comes off of her making it easier on her. You can use vet wrap and wrap the most part of her leg covering an area above and below the swelling, not to get it too tight. May help support it. She needs to move around but try not to have other goats pushing her around or have to run. Walking is OK. Very important for her now.


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

I'm pretty sure I know how she hurt it. I was training her to get up on our raised milking stand and she had a tendency to jump straight up onto it instead of using the ramp. It is a bit high for that. I have a feeling she hurt it that way. No one is beating up on her and she is eating okay. She can still get around well enough. I've been giving her an aspirin. It's been injured too long to be giving banamine 

I'll try wrapping it. Thanks for the advice!


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Banamine can be given at anytime for pain and swelling.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

wonderful news!!!!! Sounds like you figured out her swollen knee cause as well..a little banamine wont hurt to help reduce the swelling..

congrats on your test results!!


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

I know I can give Banamine, but I don't want to give it more than 3 or 4 days at a time. The clicking when she walks makes me cringe. I think she mostly hates getting up and laying down. I'm goving her b-complex, a little molasses coated grain, aspirin, and electrolytes. I also give her a few hours in a stall to have a hay feeder all to herself. I feel so badly for her. I'm trying to keep her spirits up. I'm trying to decide whether it would be easier on her to pull her kids or not. She is due on the 17th.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

the extra weight of the kids may give her knee fits but once she kids it should be easier...the rest time is good...as for the clicking...I have several who click all the time...you may not have noticed it so much before the swollen knee..I don't even hear it any more unless Im thinking about it..


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.


And yes, I didn't know you had already given it that many days in a row, so you are right about the banamine.


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

She delivered. It went very quickly with no issues. Hopefully now her knee can recover. Pics here: http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f219/first-kids-year-first-guernsey-kids-176520/index2.html#post1867774


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

awesome!!!! Congrats!!!


----------



## FarmerInaDress (Mar 15, 2013)

Just wanted to give a quick little update to say that 6 days after kidding Camas' knee is much, much better. She isn't limping any more and is able to get up on the stand (not that she wants to. I hate training first fresheners to milk SO much). Her knee is still a little inflamed, but it is going down and there is no more clicking!


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

great news.. : )


----------

