# Overgrown Hooves...



## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

When I got my girls, their feet were terrible.
2 of them have never had their feet trimmed, and their mom has not had hers trimmed in nearly 3 years (she is 5).

I really should have taken more photos of their feet, but I was in too big of a hurry to get them trimmed. I watched a few YouTube videos, and managed to get them to look much better, although we still have a LONG way to go.

Here is a photo of their feet when I first got them. The hoof-walls were so long that they folded over each-other underneath, like an envelope.... And the inside (underneath) was filled with the nastiest smelling stuff I have ever seen... A couple hooves actually had MOLD in there..!!! I am going to take a photo of their feet now that I have trimmed them a couple of times. They were so messed up that it's going to take me forever to bring them back to the way they should be... If it's even possible....
Does anyone have any ideas on how to accelerate the process? They were walking not only on their heels, but also on the inside of their hooves, so their toes sort of face out...


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

I had a very similar gal who I know for a fact had never been trimmed.

I would work on them every couple of weeks, finally had them looking pretty close to normal. 

Just be careful and watch for the color to turn towards pink and stop, 

And be prepared in advance if you hit a bleeder! Something I had gotten too comfortable and didn't have it next to me when I had an accident.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I had a very similar gal who I know for a fact had never been trimmed.
> 
> I would work on them every couple of weeks, finally had them looking pretty close to normal.
> 
> ...


 Well said...just a little bit at a time... :thumb:


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I can't wait to see the 'after' pictures!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

They really aren't terribly bad in that photo...I have actually seen worse...so I think they won't be too hard to correct, but it will just be a slow process depending on the hoof growth. Just take it slow and don't get in a hurry. :thumb: Glad they're in a home that will properly care for them! :hi5:


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

I'm glad too. 
I wish I would have taken more photos. They really were terrible. Whenever the girls walked, they walked on their heels as well as on the inside of their legs, and the 2 halves were split up (still are) in the middle, each pointing in a different direction instead of forward. This caused a lot of GUNK to gather inside....
I had someone come over and take a look at their feet, and they told me that from the looks of the feet (underneath) it looked as if they had abscesses that blew out. (Poor dear). Luckily, there are no abscesses at this moment. And hopefully there won't be anymore.
I am going to take some photos when I am milking tonight. If I remember! LoL
I totally forgot to take photos of their feet this morning when they were on the stand. I can be such an air-head sometimes. LOL


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

Here is the Before / After comparison photo.
I have only done 3 clippings on their feet, so they should be better as the time goes on. I try to trim them only once every 2 weeks or so, and I don't want to go too fast, too far, or too deep all at once.

I have NEVER trimmed goat's feet before, so I am totally winging it here! 

And Yes, I re-painted the Milk-Stand. LOL
Hubby painted it green for me, and I HATED how bright it was, so I painted it a Golden-Brown. LoL I like to think of my girls standing on a Golden Pedestal! :slapfloor:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

They look really good now...I don't think they need much more... if anymore trimming... on the left hoof....can only see a little bit of the other...which may need a touch up later on the toe... :thumb:


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I agree with kw, I have seen soo much worse, the one I have had 2 years and no way to fix them. You did a great job!!! was this after 1 trimming or a few? if it was after one I need to hire you and come do my goats hoofs :greengrin:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Wow, that's beautiful! You know, on wet days sometimes I spray the hooves with vinegar. It'll help keep the hoof clean from infection. (=


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

This was after 2 trims. I tried doing it in one, but the quick was so far down that I accidentally made one bleed (not much, but enough to freak me out!), so I was going slowly from there on, and stopping at any sign of 'pinkness" (which is NOT easy with dark hooves! LOL)
 If the quick was not as far, I would have been able to get it done in one clipping, but I didn't want to hurt the girls. 
Thanks for the compliments, they are still a bit 'separated' in the middle and still leaning a bit. I am going to have to take a shot from the front next time so you can see what I mean, but they are coming along nicely. (Got to love You Tube for instructional videos!) LoL

And I had no idea about vinegar! I am going to have to try that.


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## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

Speaking of which... Do they have a "goat-hoof" file out there? You know, like for horse hooves? (Which works on horses, because they are hard, but not so sure it would on goats. Just wondering.... 
It would be nice to have something like that for something exactly like those toes that have that "elf-shoe" shape. Both of the feet still have it on the inside of both hooves, so that is something I am going to have to still work on.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

Those hooves look 1000 times better. Good job. For a rasp I use one of these. Its categorized as a wood rasp and fits a goats hooves perfectly so you don't have to deal with the long handle of a normal rasp. You could probably find it in allot of hardware stores.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

They look much better! I think that inside hoof will be the hardest to correct, but the outside looks wonderful...not really any correction needed there at all now. Looks like that goat toes out, which makes those hooves uneven and causes them to grow a little "off" on the inside...but keep it up and i'm sure you'll see improvement there. :hi5:


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## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

Abra,

I think you did a great job! Like you my first experience was on bad hooves. I say that it was probably the best thing as you learn really quick how to trim properly because your out there doing it frequently trying to get them right.

And yes thank goodness for youtube! I watched the "how to video's" over and over before I tackled my poor gals hooves.


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## WillowGem (Aug 3, 2011)

Wow...Nice job!
And it looks even better on the Golden Pedestal. :wink:  

Those poor girls, they're lucky you found them and are making sure they're well taken care of.


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## Goateegoat (Dec 23, 2012)

I have a question......I have a 4 year old doe. CAE free, regular vaccines, BoSe given, but from the start (I got her at 2 weeks old) she has had hooves that the toes would spread apart. As time went on the hooves started to twist and grow. I kept trimming them and even had a experienced goat friend try trimming them but them continue to grow twisted. The whole hoof looks healthy but the heel is rounded and the hoof twisted. She produced two bucks this year and I sent them to market because their hooves started to grow the same way. Is this a genetic defect or can I do something about it?


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Hopefully this isn't a double post, I'm having issues with my phone.

Curled toes ARE genetic. There are different severities, and I personally cull HARD for this gene. I have one doe that has a very very slight curl on her rear claws. I have to be super careful on the buck I purchase as to not emphasize them.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

wow, the hooves are looking great! nice job.
mjs500doo, I had not heard of curled toes being genetic that's good to know, thanks for sharing.


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## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

Wow a neat job. I hope I can do as well when I get my goats. I read these post every day to pick up tips and getting prepared. lol


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

Woodhavenfarm said:


> Wow, that's beautiful! You know, on wet days sometimes I spray the hooves with vinegar. It'll help keep the hoof clean from infection. (=


Like that!


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