# Bottle baby feeding help needed.



## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I have a bottle baby boer goat that just turned 5 weeks on Saturday. He was a preemie to an induced preg tox mama. We figure he was about 7 days early. He now weighs 15 pounds. His brother who is dam raised weighs 28 pounds and is doing great.

I am bottle feeding him inside the house 10 oz at least 3 times daily, he won't drink more than that at one sitting. He still goes out to nurse mom if the weather is decent once a day, sometimes twice (has been sub zero and severe snow for a while now). He has front leg problems and is not steady enough to stay outside. 

I have been trying to get him to start nibbling on hay and grain, but have been unsuccessful. While waiting for bottle to warm up, I put a pellet or two or a piece of hay in his mouth. Usually he spits it straight out. I put it back in, and keep trying until he chews it up and swallows. Sometimes he will chew it right up. I have only been able to get him to take maybe 5-8 pellets three or four times daily. I really want him to start eating solids and gaining better. What do I do now. This is my first bottle baby.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Give him Probios daily. I would also leave some pellets out for him to play with.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

loggyacreslivestock said:


> I have been trying to get him to start nibbling on hay and grain, but have been unsuccessful.


Are you feeding your goats alfalfa? If so, gather up the leaves that fall out when you feed and give them to him. Leaves are easier to get a bottle baby to eat than actual hay. I poke my guys noses in the leaves and they usually start nibbling at about 4 or 5 days old. They are now a little over a month and are eating fine stemmed alfalfa pretty good. Pellets can be tricky, though. When we had cattle we feed AS70 which was a medicated feed that smelled and tasted like licorice to get the calves transitioned to feed. The same principle applies to goats, and I have found that a pellet with a distinct, appealing smell gets them eating faster. We board horses and one of the college kids feeds his horses small nuggets that smell absolutely wonderful - I'm tempted to try them myself they smell so good! They are alfalfa based and have a vanilla kind of smell. I swipe a handful or so (with Trae's permission) and add a few of them to the bottle babies regular pellets, and they usually get my kids going on pellets. Check with your feed store to see if they have any thing specifically formulated for weaning kids. I know High Noon has a feed called Monkey Munch, and it smells and tastes like bananas. ADM has a feed called S'more something that, while not pelleted, is oats with little bits of marshmallow mixed in. Since Trae isn't feeding his horses the pellets yet, I'm adding the S'more feed to my kids pellets and it's helping. Always keep the hay and grain fresh - change it out every day. I give anything the kids haven't ate to the nursing Mom's. I hope this helps, and sorry for the long post.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

If you have access to any corn stalks? Get some old dried corn husks (I know sounds weird). My 2 day old babies will be playing and nibbling at those things! Might be too that he is full of milk and not hungry for anything else. Try dropping an ounce from his bottle and see if that would help. At 5 weeks, you should be able to do that without compromising him too much.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I do have special formulated pellets for weaning goats. Can't say it smells like anything but molasses though. I will look for better smelling pellets or treats to get him started.
Corn is all under the snow at this point, we have about 3 feet. If it melts soon, I can get some.

He doesn't want to nibble hay or leaves or any veggies. Will chew on leather and metal...


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Ok, so I have tried treats, and anything I thought he might be interested in. Probiotics daily, and decreasing his milk. He still has no interest in grain or hay at all. He will slightly lick the sweetlix minerals, only if I put bowl up to his mouth while he is making nibbling face.

He now also has lice, yikes, which I am treating for. I took him out with Mama for a while this weekend while it was nice. Now it is below zero again and he is inside.

I checked into buying a bag of monkey munch. My feed store says it is only for sheep and when they asked, dealer said it is not recommended for goats. Any idea why?

What do I do now? He needs the protein from the feeds to grow and be able to support his body weight. He had a leg that turned out at birth from the knee down. I did physical therapy on him and wrapped it and casted with cardboard until I got it straight. He was doing well on it, just turned out when he got tired. However, now that he is getting heavier, he is reverting to walking like he has chicken wings. Both legs are now splayed out and he is walking on inside of front feet. I bought baby socks with rubber bottoms to give him more traction, and started yesterday putting a rubber tourniquet around both legs at shoulder level to keep his legs from splaying out when he walks. I only used it while he was with me. Took it off to sleep, and used it again this morning while I was home.

My husband says he is too much work and wants to put him down. Please help.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

http://www.highnoonfeeds.com/products/sheep/monkey_munch113.html


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What about trying milk pellets?


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## Artdrake (Feb 21, 2013)

Did he have selenium gel or a BoSe shot? That helps with leg problems You might try standing him between your feet several times a day to strengthen those muscles too.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

He had two Bose shots. Vit b, and I walk around with him daily making him use his legs correctly. What a sight! I bend over and make his legs go straight while he tries to run/ walk and nibble on me at the same time.

What are milk pellets?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I think they are used for calves. I think it is basically replacer made into a pellet.

Since he was premie, it may just take him longer to catch on. As long as he is gaining with the milk, just continue it.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

He is gaining, but slowly. He is a boer. He was 5 pounds at birth 6.5 weeks ago. He now weighs 16 pounds...
He has had cd/t and wormer- Prohibit.
He chews on anything he shouldn't- like the metal bars on his enclosure, my clothes and hair, cardboard- though he doesn't get any pieces to come off.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

He is our first bottle baby. Not sure I would want another one, but he is cute and loveable. Just a lot of work for a slaughter animal. He probably won't get his legs correct enough for a 4Her to show him, so he will go to a livestock auction probably...
That will break my heart.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Why not see if you can find a pet home who would want a bottle baby?


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I will be trying that, but I don't want to give him to anyone until I am sure he will thrive. He can't even walk unassisted. He just basically stumbles around. It wouldn't be fair to someone who wants a forever pet to have him not get well and have to put him down... I will post a pic/ video of him if I can tonight.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Here are some pics of his legs.

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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Wow. His legs are pretty bad.


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## TrailsEnd (Nov 24, 2013)

He is soo precious! I don't know about the legs but I just went thru the whole eating thing and I finally cut back the milk even tho he wasn't eating and he did lose a pound or two but he finally decided he better start eating food if he was gonna get full. Now he eats wonderfully and gained 6 pounds this past week. We supplemented with pro bios and vit b complex till he started eating well. 


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I would try a 1/8 teaspoon Cod Liver Oil daily for a couple weeks to try and straighten the tendons in his legs. I've seen it do wonders sometimes. There's an enzyme in it that can't be gotten anywhere else.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Ok, will do that. It is definitely a tendon problem. Once I work with them- bending and unbending, or he gets outside where he can really walk pretty good, his legs get much straighter. I can feel the tendons being tight in the backs of his legs.

I will try giving him less milk this weekend while I am home to try to get him to eat more solids. I did get him to nibble on and swallow a bite of banana last night, YAY!


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I have also been trimming the inside toe of his left hoof (the worst one) a bit shorter once a week to bring that leg in.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Ok, so he is now 8 weeks old. Still will not try to eat any solid items on his own. I can put grain or hay in his mouth, he will chew the grain and swallow, after spitting it out a few times. He will not even chew the hay.

I decreased bottles to three daily this last week. He gets them at 6 am, 4 pm, and 10 pm. I thought maybe taking that mid-day one away would let him get hungry enough to try to chew on something. It hasn't.

He only gained .4 pounds this week. 
HIs legs are getting weaker. I started splinting them all the way from shoulder to hoof for several times a day for about 1-2 hours each episode. He can walk like that, but can't lie down. It has seemed to stretch his tendons behind the knees, as his legs are straighter that way. 

Should I continue all this? Will he get better? I am afraid the heavier he gets, the worse his legs will be. Especially since he won't eat grain to get the protein.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That doesn't sound good. I think at this point you may have a tough decision to make. I was really hoping the little guy would get with the program.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Me too. The vet has no suggestions either. 
Problem is, I love him dearly...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I know. They sure pull at your heart strings quickly.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Here we are tonight enjoying the nice weather.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Awww, he is a cutie pie!


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## TrailsEnd (Nov 24, 2013)

He is so precious. Are you or have you given vit b complex injections and pro bios daily? My buckling I had all but given up on finally started eating food once we have that for a full week or even more. His rumen just didn't get going... So we gave him pro bios to jump start that and supplies him with the vit b complex until his own rumen could make it. I think that's when he finally turned around along with cutting his bottles way back. It was scary he only gained .1 pounds that week but he finally ate. His legs were never like that tho.... The legs are mystery to me. Hugs... I know first hand how much you love the little guy and want him to make it. I was praying and begging God to help my little guy . It's never easy to let go. 


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## PantoneH (Nov 21, 2013)

Yes I had a kinder with the same problem...then finally started giving her honey, probios, and goats prefer drench....two weeks later she was a completely different goat!!!!


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I give him probios daily, cod liver oil pill daily. He had vit b for the first 3 weeks of his life. Two doses of Bose one week apart. 
The only thing he really wants to eat is metal...He chews on his enclosure till his lower jaw is soaked from the spit.
He will take a lick of minerals occasionally too.

Should I start him on the high level b again?

In the picture with the two bucklings, he is the oldest kid I have, and the other one is the youngest... Goliath weighs 40 pounds..


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I would keep him on Fortified B complex until he is eating normal...does he have access to Hay at all times?.... Once he is eating that well, introduce grain..


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Yes, he has a raised up feeder for him to try. He doesn't have any interest in it. I also leave a pan with grain, a pan with minerals. I don't have a way to leave water yet. He steps/ falls in it if it is on the ground and I don't have a shallow enough hanging bucket for him. He has very poor balance obviously.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

he is a puzzle!


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I am determined to figure him out!

I just stitched an imobilizer for his legs. One like a human has on after knee surgery. Once I get it finished tonight, I will post a pic. I am hoping if I use imobilizers on his legs for several hours daily, his legs will straighten. He can walk pretty well on those in the above pic, but they are made of vet wrap and poster board. Takes a long time to get them on just right. Then he can't lay down... So if I make a cloth set with velcro on outside, I can put them on and off easier.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds like a great idea. If goathiker hasn't been on here, you may want to PM her for ideas too.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

She is the one who told me to do cod liver oil. Thanks everyone.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would ask her for some other suggestions too. You have done everything I would have done.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I did pm her earlier. Just waiting on response.


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## TrailsEnd (Nov 24, 2013)

And yes on the vit B complex! I feel it saved my boy


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I would stop the cod liver oil now and give his stomach a couple days to settle. Going too long on it could cause vitamin A overdose. Let's see if it's upsetting his stomach and that's why he won't eat.


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## crzybowhntr (Oct 18, 2013)

I applaud your efforts and hope all goes well!


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Ok. So no more cod liver oil. He hasn't wanted his bottle last night or this morning. He seems off somehow. Not very happy maybe. Usually he is peppier. 
I got one imobilizer made last night. Here are pics. Making another one today.

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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

He did drink his bottles, just didn't seem to want to. He throws his head down with the nipple clenched in his mouth. 
I will start vit b again tonight.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I also rigged up a way for him to have water elevated so he can keep it all day. He sipped it a bit.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Nice job on the immobilizer.


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## wendylou (Oct 5, 2013)

Immobilized is a great idea! You did good with that! Looking at the pictures of his legs, it may take a few months to get them back to somewhat normal with the immobilizers. Does he show any signs of pain? Maybe loss of appetite due to pain? Natalie will be two months on the 30th. She's only nibbling at dried leaves, grass, lettuce, and loves dillweed! Maybe try different things and see what he will try. I'm just throwing out some thoughts, you sound like you are taking very good care of him and doing all you can! I wish I were close, I would let him be Natalie's therapy buddy! I'm wondering if an antibiotic would help rule out anything possibly going on? 
These are the splints I got from my vet for Natalie's legs:







They were cut to fit below her joint so she could bend and lie down it keeping the leg positioned correctly. I wish the vet had something similar to what you made!! I would of bought 6 pair! I hope he gets better! He is so adorable and is in good hands. I will keep searching for ideas of what may help. I can tell you this, I got my consultation with kat from firmeadows and have been using her herbs with Natalie, I have to say they are working. Maybe she can help?

Wendy Lou


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Those splints look pretty good. Logan needs them to be from shoulder down because his knees are the problem. One won't straighten because that one was his strong support for so long due to the other one being weak. The weak one, Left, is turned out from above the knee joint. 
I have to say this morning his legs are looking a bit better. He seems to keep them under himself better and they are a bit straighter. 
His appetite was fine last night and this morning. And he seems a bit peppier again.
As for my splints, they were a cinch to make. I glued two tongue depressers together to make the correct length, then taped them for extra support. I put 6 of them side by side and stitched in between them. Closed the edges and applied velcro that had a sticky backing. I prefer to use regular velcro and sew it on, but sticky back was all I had. I used soft fluffy material for the inside and cotton for the outside. I probably have $5.00 in each set. If you need a set, let me know. I can make one for you.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Oh, and don't pay attention to the terrible white stitching on the outside. Since that was my trial run, I hand stitched between them first to see if it would work and be the right size. I then machine stitched them. I didn't remove the hand stitches. The second one is prettier.


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## wendylou (Oct 5, 2013)

If we still needed the splints I sure would use them! They look great! I haven't been using splints for her and hopefully won't need them any longer. If you would like to try them, I can clean them up and send them your way. Since Natalie could not bear any weight on her legs, the splints helped keep her legs aligned, help her keep balanced, and made it easier for her to carry herself. They sit right below the joint and I would vet wrap the joint and wrap it all the way down the leg. She was able to lay down and bend at the joint but since it was her back legs, it was easier. I will test one on her front leg and see how it would do. If she's able to bend her legs with them, you are welcome to them. 


Wendy Lou


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Sounds to me like he needs a little goat friend to show him how to eat solids. In my experience with bottle babies, the ones that I keep with older kids that are eating, learn to eat a lot sooner than those that are just by themselves or with same age kids. Its like when one is doing something they decide they should try it out too.

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## Lucky_072508 (Jul 22, 2011)

Aww, poor little cutie pie


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

BCG said:


> Sounds to me like he needs a little goat friend to show him how to eat solids. In my experience with bottle babies, the ones that I keep with older kids that are eating, learn to eat a lot sooner than those that are just by themselves or with same age kids. Its like when one is doing something they decide they should try it out too.
> 
> Sent from my XT881 using Goat Forum mobile app


I think the same thing. However going about it is the problem. He is so small and weak, that he gets bowled over by the other kids and even the does when I take him out with them. He is the oldest kid I have, but the smallest. They ride him and buck him. I place him next to the other kids and even his mother. He stands there with his head down, just like in the pic I posted earlier. If I stand him by the hay feeder, he chews on the wire...I keep taking him out as long as it is above 35 degrees outside and letting him in with the others while I feed and do chores...

So, how do I let him learn from the other kids if he can't even walk or run to get away when they start to pick?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Awe....poor baby.  I take it there is not another young kid that he can live with 24/7, such as another bottle baby for him to bond with?

You mentioned that he only chews on metal. Sounds like a mineral deficiency possibly. Have you offered him any loose mineral? 

To help his appetite you might want to try a product called Rooster Booster vit b12 & K. Its a chicken product, but works great for lambs and kids. You can just add a few cc to his bottle.

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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

No, he is my only bottle baby. My first, hopefully last...
He has Sweetlix free choice- which he does lick occasionally.

I will look for Rooster Booster. He has a great appetite for his bottle, just nothing else..


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Do you keep hay/grain available for him at all times? If you do, he should get curious or bored and start chewing on it eventually.

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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Yes, he has a hanging feeder with hay, water, grain, and minerals. He still stands and chews on the metal enclosure.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Here he is with his supplies.

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## wendylou (Oct 5, 2013)

Awwww!! Sweet baby!!! ❤❤❤


Wendy Lou


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Well...sounds like you're back to one of your earlier posts....decrease his milk and see if that encourages him to eat something. Hmm....:/

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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Ok, I was told to put the powdered milk in his grain to see if that helps him want to eat it. He did lick it this morning, so maybe that is progress. He also gained weight. Went from 17.4 to 22.2 this past week. His legs seem a bit straighter after a week of wearing the splints. However, when they are off, he still can't walk well. Hoping he will improve this week...


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Well that's all good news. His legs may require some physical therapy once they straighten enough to support him well.

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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

He licked and nibbled a bit of grain last night and this morning that was coated in the milk replacer, YAY! I had to hold the bowl up to his face, but he did it. Hopefully he will start nibbling on his own while I am at work.


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## wendylou (Oct 5, 2013)

Great news!! Hope he continues to do well!! Yaaaay!!!


Wendy Lou


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Update- his legs are getting straighter. I made a second set of imobilizers for the lower legs- just from the knee down. Once I got his knees straighter and more bendable, I put on the new set. They stay on all day and night except for 20 minute rest periods when I am home- about three times daily. He can lie down with them on. He ran around the yard this weekend- without any splints. Still looks funny and his legs go outward once he gets tired, but HE RAN! He also decided the electric fence looked like lunch...He really ran then. Poor guy. I didn't get the plug pulled in time. I thought maybe after that he wouldn't chew on his crate in the house, wrong. Still won't eat any solids.
I am hoping to move him outside later this week or next if it stays near 45-50 degrees and bring him in at night to the basement. I hope that if he has hay and straw all around him, he might be tempted to nibble on it.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is great that his legs are doing better!


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Update-Ok, the legs are the same, maybe some slight improvement. It is going to be a wonderful 45-50 degrees here during the daytime for the next week. I am going to try taking him out in the morning and putting him in a pen for the day. Hoping he will nibble on hay and straw around him as well as walk more. Back inside during night- maybe in basement...

Now, about his bottles...
He has been getting 10 ounces three times daily, plus if he wakes up at 3 AM, his favorite time, he gets 3-4 ounces.
According to the formula he should be getting 15+ ounces per bottle. He weighs 24 pounds. However, at ten ounces his little tummy protrudes out. So do I stay at 10 ounces? He does not eat anything else at all. He seems happy and not too hungry, except through the night...He wakes up every night at around 3 am. Because he is in the kitchen, I have to go out and feed him because he screams and wakes the whole house up. A few weeks ago he slept through the night periodically about 8-10 times, but not at all in the last two weeks.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would up the amount. Especially that last bottle. Don't increase more than an ounce per bottle.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Ok. Thanks!


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