# splayed toes and broken pattern



## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello everyone,

I need your advice on one of my bucklings. This kind of sneaked up on me:














































First thing I noted earlier this year was that he had splayed toes and the foot seemed to "wobble" a little when walking on uneaven ground.

I trimmed the hooves, cut the outer walls short and cut away the part of the pad that made the toes splayed.

About 2 weeks later I noticed him developing this broken pattern but every attempt to trim the hooves back since then only seems to make it worse, not better. I also think that he has longer hooves than the other goats but I can't trim away more - I actually trim him every week/10 days as short as possible (blood vessels shining through).

He's the biggest of the bucklings, born May last year, twin (his brother doesn't show the same problems, nor do any of the other bucklings). And maybe it's not a trimming problem but a mineral deficiency issue. They have a cattle mineral lick available free choice (3,5% calcium, 1,5% phosphorus).


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

This is really backward me giving you advice, you are so much more experienced than me, but I have a very similar hoof problem with my huge year and a half wether Noggin. There is a thread somewhere about his back left foot, and the advice I got. Basically what seems to help is very frequent trimming, and I have found that I need to create kind of a "corner" where he flops over onto the side of his foot. What works well is a sanding drum on a cordless drill. Or a dremel with a sanding drum tool in it. The power sanding lets me make the sole of his foot a little bit concave where that edge should be. I also used some horse hoof repair epoxy to build up an edge to correct his foot posture. I think that helped, even though I had to redo it about every five days because it would fall off. 
I also started feeding him some pellets that are horse hoof vitamins and minerals. This seems to have really helped my other goat with the cracked hoof. His new hoof is much stronger. I haven't really seen improvement with the floppy hoof guy.
I am going to bring Noggin to the Rendy this year, hopefully to get some more experienced folks to look at his hoof and tell me what they think. I'll share whatever I learn.


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

You can read the advice I got under my question "hoof deformity" under the hoof care topic in Health issues.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

Is he getting any grain? If not he's lacking phosphorus. If you start him on grain and alfalfa peelets that will help. Doesn't have to be a lot.

Also, get a woodworkers plane and file just the front part of the toe every few days till he's standing up on his toes more. You can go till it's pink, just don't draw blood any more than you have to.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello Carolyn,

no grain. I'll start him on some.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

just a short update here - still have to take new pictures.

Donald's leg is straightening again since a few weeks. He still has his splayed toes and the inner toe on the affected leg is still not quite back to "normal".

What I did:

- regular trimming, first every week now every other week as much as was possible
- grain 2-3 times a week
- I offer DE which he sometimes takes, sometimes not
- 1 dose of homoeopathic remedy Silicea M which helps strengthen ligaments and sinew
- additional doses of Silicea D6 daily for about 2 weeks in the beginning of the treatment


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

I'd keep trimming on the inside heel too. Long toes tend to roll over to the center making them walk on the side of the toe. Keeping the rolled over part trimmed inbetween the toes helps the toes fit together better and keeps the goat more upright.

Also keep in mind that some goats just have longer toes than others. Its something to watch for and breed out of pack stock if possible.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hi Rex,

I trimmed down the inside heel weeks ago. First I hesitated but as it didn't correct itself I took down as much as possible.

Seems that the leg has straightened much more since then.

And yes, he has much longer toes than the other goats. Well, he going to be wethered this fall. I had hoped to use him as a buck but not with that problem.


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Just wondering what ever happened with this goat? Did you ever find out what was causing this? I'm asking because this is happening to one of mine, only his feet are buckling inwards, not out. I'm curious to hear what became of your goat, or what more you did to treat him. I've been told possible copper deficiency, so I gave him a 4 gram bolus but don't want to poison him. Vet just gave me BoSe, he thinks it may be selenium deficiency. They were on loose mineral, but I ran out for a few months and they just had the block... but I didn't think that could be long enough to cause a deficiency, especially since they are getting a lot of browse daily. His calluses are thickened and bulging too. He is CAE negative. I am devastated as I think he needs to be retired. He's such a great goat


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## southern-blue (May 11, 2013)

*Neat and super easy trick*

I have owned horses for most of my life. Whenever we start seeing a hoof problem, we sneak a pack of jello mix into their feed. (They love the cranberry flavor.) The jello strengthens their hooves. The same could be done for goats, but you probably could split the pack up over the course of several feedings. Also, an ALL hay diet would help. No grains, oats or anything. Just pasture and hay.


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