# Need help with bad wound on goat!



## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

I found my pregnant doe this morning with a horrible wound on her forearm part of her leg. I found a part of the fence she caught it on. I can stick my finger down in it. Finding a goat vet in my area is like a needle in a hay stack. Small animal vets don't see goats and if I wanted to take her 3 hours away to the university of Florida I could but I can't. I did call a vet that will see goats but she does not open til 5 this afternoon because she has two offices and one she is at during the day and one at night. I'm wondering if I can treat this aggressively or maybe needs a drain. She is current on tetanus but I'm gonna give her another. How should I give penicillin? IM or subQ? And how much?


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## Naunnie (Jul 4, 2014)

Ouch!* "Penicillan Procaine G* - for injury and infection (dosage is 1cc/25 lbs SubQ and Always draw back on the plunger before injecting Penicillin)". I agree with giving the tetanus antitoxin injection. Do you have any other antibiotic? When is she due to kid?

What do you have on hand for cleaning it? You could flush it once with peroxide. Then use diluted iodine. Do you have a clean dry stall you can put her in? Not sure about the drain. She would probably just pull it out but looks like she needs sutures. Can you trim the hair around the wound?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Tissue looks good ... That's a big one, but if you keep it clean I'll bet it'll be okay. I agree with the tetanus shot. Hopefully some of the more experienced goat caretakers will pop on.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes it sure does look like it needs sutured. Your penicillin is perfect for this.
It will need to be flushed twice daily using very week betadine iodine or peroxide only once, then purified water.
I like to pack wounds topically with the penicillin as well as injections.
I would think that any vet could stitch her up. It needs to be done asap before the edges dry up.


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## just_plain_bob (May 4, 2013)

horizontal wounds are the worst
be very aggressive flushing it and cleaning it
if stitches are out of the question use peroxide 
if you can, trim/shave the hair around the cut 
i'd expect swelling but wouldn't worry about that unless there is a lot of heat
good luck


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## nannysrus (Jun 21, 2014)

Oh no!! :-( we had a horse do this on a fence (same location too) vet would not stitch it up either. What we did was use a small feeding tube and draw up a very weak iodine solution and flush it out twice a day. We had to stick the tube inside the wound to flush to it. It was pretty deep. We also gave shots of pen G for 5 days. We used local honey as a salve and it healed up quick and beautifully. She had a very small amount of scare tissue and that's it. 

We boiled the tube and syringe after each use. 


Samantha

"5 minutes of fresh air is equivalent to 5 mg Valium"


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I would tell that vet it is an emergency and get it stitched up.

I be worried about infection and fly strike as well being open like that.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

I flushed it with sterile water. Then packed it deep with neosporin. Took a sterile gauze pad and globbed it with tri care for horses and wrapped her up with vet wrap around her. Its a tricky spot. I gave her a 6cc dose of penicillin G IM in the neck. I doubt it can be stitched as I can't even stretch the skin up to meet together. Its like she took a chunk out and then its just peeled away from the muscle at the left side. If any of that makes sense.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

I had to rewrap the vetwrap. I don't think its not gonna work. It looks like the inside of the wound is turning gray. Is that normal?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

OK, but she can be stitched. It may have a raw area but the big part of it can be stitched, if I am seeing it right. It would of been best to have a vet determine severity and if it can be stitched. I can't physically see it, so you may be right. Good luck and tend to it daily until healed. It will be a lot of work and take time.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Grey is not good, does it stink bad?

It could be the stuff you put in there to?


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

No smell at all.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Here it is now. I did shave the hair around it since the picture.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I wouldnt wrap it...It wil create more moisture and make it hard to heal..you have another option here to stitches...shave the entire area well and clean it well...then use Stitching strips of tape to hold the area where it can reach...you can still flush and clean it...I would not use peroxide past the first cleaning..keep with the weak iodine soltuion...Pen G twice daily..Go Sub Q with pen..be sure to pull back the plunger and look for blood..no blood if good to go..see blood...re adjust and try again..I would top dress with blukote to keep flies off...

We had a doe who was attacked by a coyote and lost a chunk of flesh...it never truly healed and by the time we purchased her...it was kindof a dried flesh thing..not even a scab...keeping it in air is what kept it "healed" whenwe tried to wrap it , it only made it worse...


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## Naunnie (Jul 4, 2014)

That is a tricky spot to bandage. You might try doing a figure eight type wrap over her back and then around. Will take more vet wrap. You would have to make sure it's not to tight....Wish I could find a picture of what I mean.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Tough call, it doesn't look healthy, glad it doesn't stink.


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## Naunnie (Jul 4, 2014)

Butterfly type bandages is the other thing I was trying to think of....Thanks happybleats for helping get my thoughts out! Yes strips of tape is the ticket!!!!


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## nannysrus (Jun 21, 2014)

Too me it looks like proud flesh is setting in. 


Samantha

"5 minutes of fresh air is equivalent to 5 mg Valium"


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

How long has it been since the wound occurred?


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

The wound happened during the night. I fed last night at 6 and it wasn't there. I fed this morning at about 8 and that's when I saw it. It was pretty fresh so I'm thinking it had happened within a few hours of me finding it. I think you guys are thinking of steri strips. I totally did not think of that!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

yes...if it doesnt begin to show signs of healing or you just know its getting worse, ie: smell, pus ect...then seek a vet ASAP, I would even say call him and discuss what happened, what you have done and see if he feels more needs to be done...but most likely he will do as you are..clean it..Pen G and possible stitches...the steri strips will help keep the skin from moving around so much and speed recovery and hopefuly slow any proud flesh that may be building..if there is too much proud flesh and some will cut it back flush with the skin...I would not do this myself...a vet would need to look and see if this is whats going on...hopefully getting the strips of it ASAP will stop the growth and heal!

best wishes


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

I went to Target and they didn't have steri strips so I will have to try Walgreen's after my sons baseball practice. If they don't have them I will have to try the medical supply store tomorrow.
I appreciate everyone's input!


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## luvmywaggintails (Nov 18, 2013)

If you can't get it stitched by a vet I would get Steri Strips you can make them stay on better if you superglue the ends to the skin so they don't just pull away. Veterycin spray is an excellent wound healer...spray several times a day. I wouldn't wrap it, keep it clear of flies and let air dry.


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## JAR702 (Apr 28, 2014)

Please don't use any more abt ointment on the inside of the wound. Don't stitch completely closed otherwise it won't drain and it could heal on the surface and still have a pocket on the inside. Is there a vet school anywhere close by? Do you have any friends that are nurses or medics that might help. The goat really should be seen if at all possible by a medical person. Grey tissue is not good could mean death of tissue or infection, but could be the ointment in the wound. Good luck and kkep us posted on the progress.

P.S. If you can't find steri strips you can make them out of tape, preferably paper and use super glue on the ends.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Steri strips won't stick to her skin with all that goop on the skin. But I can't even pull the skin together to close it. Its not gonna work. No vet schools. Where I live we have 1 equine vet office in the county. They have 3 vets but they won't do goats. Small animal vets don't do goats. We have 1 vet nearby that does do goats. She has her own office and does not do house calls. So we would have to take her and I have no means to do that. And that vet is only at her office 5P-12a. But I called and got no answer. Left message and no call back. My area is not a big goat community. Us goat people here are pretty much on our own.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

luvmywaggintails said:


> If you can't get it stitched by a vet I would get Steri Strips you can make them stay on better if you superglue the ends to the skin so they don't just pull away. Veterycin spray is an excellent wound healer...spray several times a day. I wouldn't wrap it, keep it clear of flies and let air dry.


Yes!!! I was just going to suggest that. I did that with my dog who got in a fight and the vet wanted a arm and a leg that I couldn't spare. 
If that doesn't work it sounds like you have a good stomach since you put your finger in it lol but you could sew it up with fishing string and a needle. I'm sure she is going to scream like heck and that's something I can't do but if you got the guts and the super glue won't work

Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Just went out to feed and check on Candy. The laceration is pretty clean actually. She must be licking it. And it wasn't as gray as yesterday. I personally think it looks pretty good. I gave her another shot of pen. And I'll give her another tonight.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Has anyone used Vetericyn on a wound like this?


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

You said you had her on the tetanus shot, but should she get the tetanus antitoxin shot too?


If you want to try to close the wound you could use a skin stapler. I have had to use one on my dog in an emergency. Mine came in a dog first aid kit, but I bet you could get one at a vet supply store. If you use the stapler, don't push it hard into the animal as you are using it. You just want to grab the skin. When I did it to my dog, he didn't even notice.


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## mayia97420 (Apr 22, 2014)

With a wound like that some tissue will die - that is your greyish to yellowish color inside the wound. I would just clean it and flush it 2x day and keep Blue Kote on it to keep the flies out - I used Vetericyn on a deep wound on the neck of a dog as a flush and it healed fine but it is going to take time- dressing is not going to work- keep it as clean as possible- keep her separate if at all possible - The dog had maggots in his wound when we got him.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Here it is this morning.


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## nannysrus (Jun 21, 2014)

The best thing you can do is just keep it clean. I'm pretty sure you can use vetericyn on it. In time it the swelling will go down. The swelling makes it looks much larger. Just keep an eye out for proud flesh. If you start to see it you need to treat it ASAP before you end up having to have a vet in to cut it off.


Samantha

"5 minutes of fresh air is equivalent to 5 mg Valium"


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Too many hours have gone by now to suture or staple, you will only trap in bacteria at this point, it must be treated as a open wound now.

I used vetericyn on a very deep open wound before , but it didn't work for my goat, it only infected, even flushing it daily and giving antibiotics.
This injury will have to heal from the inside out, it will build up it's own repair system to close the hole. 
Keep flushing it with iodine/water, make it a light tea color. Smell it daily to make sure no infection is starting. 


How deep do you think it is?


I recommend finding a vet in case, you need some sort of backup.
Do you know of anyone that has goats near you? Maybe they will know of a vet or help with advice.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

I was thinking about the salt water wash. For the iodine do I do the 7% tincture and water it down?


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

I will give you the cleaning directions my vet gave me when Ruby took a strip of flesh 1' x 6" off her leg early this year:

Dilute surgical scrub to a weak tea color. Use this first on the wound to flush it out. Pouring it from a water bottle will do (I used bottled water since it had already been well filtered instead of using my well water).

Let that sit a few minutes, between 2 and 5 minutes.

Rinse with a weak saline solution. 

Pat dry. (in your case, invest in some paper towel rolls so that you can chuck the rags after you are done).

If it starts to look infected, flush with PenG.




In our case, I did have to use petroleum jelly pads under her dressing to keep her other layers of dressing from sticking to it. Her injury involved her coronet band on her hoof, so we had to keep it wrapped no matter how much it might have healed faster in the air. We tried stitching a flap of skin, but that didn't work for her and we had to trim off that flap about two weeks post-injury. I trimmed a little at a time. We were also only changing dressings every 2-3 days (but did this for five weeks before she was healed enough to go without a dressing).

If you have sanitized hair clippers, you will make the healing process SO MUCH easier by trimming hair super-short around the injury. It won't get trapped in the wound, and trapped hairs can help re-open healing areas. 

Use nitrile or latex gloves when cleaning her wound. Better to do that than add more germs from your hands into her wound, and it protects you should she start to develop an infection.

Can you keep her off the bare ground for a few days? Given the location, can you put her in a pen or stall that has minimal direct contact with a dirt floor? Keeping granules of dirt out would also help big time. Straw bedding or even grass that isn't super wet nor super sparse would be gentler on her should she stupidly lay with that side down. Is she is with others or separate? I would worry if she can be bullied that someone will push her around and cause her to keep re-opening her wound. I had to separate Ruby for 2-3 weeks at least and keep her in a stall to keep her wound from getting re-opened or full of crud. This was okay by her, as it was winter and she is such a delicate flower when it comes to traipsing through snow.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

One other question: is the skin around her wound rolling under? If it is, wouldn't that form pockets there possibly? Watch out for that if that is the case.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Cactus_Acres said:


> One other question: is the skin around her wound rolling under? If it is, wouldn't that form pockets there possibly? Watch out for that if that is the case.


No its not. She is pastured with my mini gelding. She is in a stall with concrete floor and hay.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

So I take it the gelding and she get along just fine? Good for her to have the company without the hassle of a goat pecking order right now. Poor girl. Our incident was from a sharp edge on metal siding.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes, dilute the iodine and make it a light tea color.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

They get along fine. She doesn't care for him though. When he comes near her she takes off. And stands somewhere else. She never was pastured with horses at all and she still doesn't care for them.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

So long as he isn't pushing her around, that is all that matters right now. Even the nicest of goat buddies push each other around, or encourage the other to push them. During a time of injury, others may sense a weakness in even the nastiest of herd queens and try to go after her. 

How is her attitude/personality right now? That is often your best indicator as to how the healing process is going. Is she up and eating, chewing her cud, drinking her water, staying out of the path of the gelding? She may be gimpy for a while. I wasn't sure how much Ruby's injury was going to effect her gait. You cannot tell any more that she even was injured if you watch her walk (she injured herself six months ago yesterday, now that I think about it). Her hoof wall still shows some irregularity to it that only someone who knows she did this would note quickly, and the scar is pretty well hidden by hair (in spite of an injury that left no hair on a 1" wide swath down her leg initially). 

Hopefully your girl will heal that well. I would guess (and hope) that her healing process will go faster initially than ours did, as we HAD to keep hers wrapped to keep out feces and other contaminants. Ours looked redder and madder than that 10 days out from the injury, thanks to the wound having bandage separation anxiety and not always letting go when we had to change the dressing. Your girl looks to have "just" torn the skin, not damaged layers and layers of muscling in that area (I put that "just" in quotes because I really do realize it is a big wound).


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Yes she is utd on CDT and I gave her the antitoxin. I've been keeping it pretty clean even though its been clean even when I go out to take care of her.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Her attitude has not changed. She is still eating and drinking and everything. She is sore and limping but other then that she's the same.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Wish you the best of luck with her. Hope she heals with no issues.


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## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

toth boer goats said:


> Wish you the best of luck with her. Hope she heals with no issues.


Thank you...it looked good this morning. So far I think everything I'm doing is working.


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## CritterCarnival (Sep 18, 2013)

If it were my animal, I would stop using any "moist" ointments or sprays on that wound and get a bottle of Wonder Dust. http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/farnamreg;-wonder-dusttrade;-wound-powder-4-oz

It's a powder that helps wounds heal from the inside out and keeps proud flesh from starting to grow. Absolutely WONDERful stuff!! I have used it on some horrific wounds over the years and they have healed up with barely a scar.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

I don't have any experience with Wonder Dust on goats, but it did work wonders when I used it YEARS ago on a mare I had. A day or two after I got a gelding, he must have kicked her and it sliced her back right across her spine, right where he hindquarters and back meet up (about where a saddle blanket would end). That was a NASTY place to get an injury, especially for a witchy mare who barely let me handle her at that point, and did leave her with a permanent scar. I had to walk her 1/2 mile + each time I needed to clean her wound, as the only place I could keep her restrained enough was my neighbor's cattle chute. However, it was minimal for its location.


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## Cactus_Acres (Sep 24, 2013)

And it looks to me like the swelling has gone down some on your girl. Nice part is that it doesn't look angry red right now.


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