# Banding issues



## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

So I was out of town and my sister was babysitting my bottle baby Baha. I had mentioned I was going to band him when I got back. Well she had to do her lambs tails and testes so she did his while she had the tools and bands out. He got a tetanus shot and banamine and has been good.

His testicles have always been smaller than I consider normal. My 6 week old pygmies testicles are the size his were when he was banded at 9 weeks and he is a Laboer! Now his testes have shriveled some but it's been a month and they don't even look close to falling off! It's almost like the band isn't quite tight enough! No infection and no pain. Here is a picture I took yesterday.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

as long as he is comfortable...it looks clean..no infection...I wouldn't worry...as you said the band may not be as tight to get a quick amputation but it will fall off...


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I agree it looks fine. Is she sure she got both of them in the band?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Ditto on that.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

Yep she is sure she got them both. He always had such little testicles and I always assumed it was because he had a rough start and they didn't grow at first. But I could always feel both so knew he was had them. At 9 weeks old they still looked like most newborn boers. Lol I've felt around and there definitely is nothing above the band.... could I snip it off just under the band?


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

If it were me, I'd just leave them to fall off naturally. There may still be a bit of blood flow to them and he would bleed.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

Well I knew something in my gut said something was wrong. This is what I found tonight. Called and sent pic to vet and she can't see him until Friday! What do I do now?

What antibiotic should I start him on?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would think LA200 or Penicillin.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

YIKES...I would use Pen..1 cc per 20 # sub Q twice daily..keep it clean and blukote or the like...


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

He started pen g and tomorrow we are cutting it off and spraying Blu kote. Vet can't get him in until Monday now and I'm not leaving it that long and it's already leaving blood down his back leg so I will just cut it off and keep it clean.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

If its bleeding, I wouldn't cut it....blood flow should be cut off and the area dead before cutting...he may bleed too much...this is a new thing for me to see, so its just my opinion...I would find another vet who could see him sooner..


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## Greybird (May 14, 2014)

If you have a way to do it, like a soldering iron or ?, I think it would be a good idea to cauterize the daylights out of it to make it stop bleeding and to kill as many germs as possible, then clip it off and apply plenty of Bluecote.
It would probably be painful, so some pre-emptive Banamine might be a good idea if you have it.

Poor, poor little guy. 


Edit: I shudder at the thought of cauterization too, but it's my "last resort" option when something looks really bad. I've never seen it suggested here on TGS, so if there's a reason that it can't work on goats I'm not aware of it yet, but if you can't get him to a vet asap then it might be a valid choice.
Maybe someone else knows for sure?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Oh yikes...I wouldn't do that either....I can see what you are saying but that could be too much can cause shock....if you cant get him to a vet...I might reband it....


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## Greybird (May 14, 2014)

My thought (might be wrong) is that the exposed tissue is going to retract back up into his body as soon as the weight of the remaining testicles is gone. If there's a band on it then it might end up inside him, and I worry that that potential infection would be a nightmare to cure.
The tissue which has been exposed to air is already swarming with bacteria and it would be better if it didn't retract, but how to prevent it ... I don't know.
Argh ... he really needs a vet.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

It doesnt happen often but this is one of the risks we take when banding. Id guess there has been an infection there for awhile and the skin rotted above the band. Id do a full course of antibiotics and keep the area as clean as possible.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I've seen animals heal up from far worse. I'd just leave it, and wash that area down in betadine, the spray the heck out of whats hanging and the hole, with blue kote/ wound kote. The blue/purple spray.

Or

I'd get some forceps, clamp that cord for a while then cut whats hanging, wait a few minutes then unclamp it. It will bleed a bit but he'll live. Heavy antibiotics for the infection.
Either way, spray that down with something.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

By the time we went to cut it this morning everything that was hanging was turning black and necrotic. I clamped it off at the tummy and just the clamp almost cut it off. We finished cutting it off and sprayed it with Blu kote. He went right back to eating and didn't bleed other than a few drops on the knife and clamp. He isn't acting to be in pain at all. He is getting 1.75 cc Pen g twice a day and will get a full 7 days. I expect it to heal up fine.


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## Summersun (Apr 24, 2014)

He is doing great. No loss of appetite. Doesn't care for his shots but all seems well. Just healing up now. Keeping it sprayed with Blu kote.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

good job!!!


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