# band issue



## McDanAx (May 24, 2010)

I banded one of my goats 2 weeks ago. He is a 25 lbs spanish goat (Rudy).
I was putting them up for the night and shinned the flash light to see how the band was doing. I was dumb founded when I saw the band was missing. I then noticed the area between his scrotum and penis was very swollen and feverish. 
Our vet does not open till 9:30am. Any suggestions as to what this might be.
The only thing I can think of is the band broke and let the old blood back into his system and now he has an infection.
All I have is LA200. Should I reband him? The testies are 1/2 the size they were when I banded him 2weeks ago.
This is so frusterating, I hate to spend a bunch of money on a $35 goat, but I don't want him to suffer either.
Denny


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

I'd re-band immediately and get him to the vet first thing to treat him for infection. The Vet may simply decided to go ahead with a physical castration. Its important to check the band for nicks or anything that might cause it to break. I've never had it happen but have heard of it. Usually from old bands that got cracked.


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## McDanAx (May 24, 2010)

I talked to my vet Friday morning he said there definatly was an infection. He told me to casturate him with a knife, give him 5 1/2 CC of the LA200 and B12, repeat Sunday. Once we got Rudy down in the sun light I could see the band was still there, the inflamation above the band was hidding it. Saturday evening he seemed a lot better, less inflamation, up grazing and then rubbing his head on us.
We thought Rudy was going to be fine. Sunday morning he was dead.
On Friday I called another vet to get a 2nd opinion. That vet said he had 6 cases last week with the exact same thing going on. They were all 4H sheep and goats. He wanted me to bring him the goat, then give him a shot of naxcell (or somthing like that) the shots were going to be $25 and then $75 for the visit. Then he went on to tell me the other goats he had treated all died. I decided to go with vet #1 advice. 
Vet #2 told me how he hated the bands and he grew up on a meat goat ranch and had casturated litterally thousands of kids with a knife with out issues. I personally have done a hundred or so calves and several goats/lambs with bands. I've only ever had a problem with a california bander. I put it on a 250lb calf and the next week the testies were twice the size. We caught him and knife cut them, gave the calf some shots and he was fine. I think I will be doing the age old technique from now on. I will use a clean knife and purple antiseptic spray. 
I hate to loose a pet and of course my 2 year old son noticed Rudy was missing imediatly.


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

I am so sorry to hear of your loss.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Wow, thats the first time I have ever heard of a goat with the band still on getting that infected. Once in a while there is some issue right at the band site on the exterior but never above the band. Did the vet say what the problem was that he was seeing or give you a clue why the infection was above the band?


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

Could that happen if part of the testicle was in the middle of the band?
I know we banded bull calves when I was a teenager.
And I remember something about making sure both
are completely in the sack entirely. 

I always thought it was because of the proud cut reason.


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## McDanAx (May 24, 2010)

Little Rudy was quite developed for his size. I put the band at least a 1/2inch above the testie and it was 3/4 from the teet (tit, what ever it is on boy goats)
The Vet #1 said the bands are great till you have a problem, and there are no small problems, more like catastrophies.
Vet #2 said, " you have a piece of rotten flesh attached to live skin, its a recipie for disaster."
I know he was frusterated at the time from losing the 4H goats. He also said to leave the band on for 3 or 4 days then cut them off with a knife so the dead rotten part is gone. Then spray the bug /antiseptic stuff.
Like I said before, I have used the bands a lot, I don't know if I will use them again.
Adios,
Denny


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