# goat limping



## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

My buck is limping badly on both of his front legs...I trimmed his hooves and put alcohol on them...he is still limping. Knees are fine, not swollen or hot...ankles are the same. It is very wet around here and I thought that it might be moisture that is causing it. I was wondering what I could do to ease the pain....they were out of the wet for a few hours today becuase I wanted to see if that would make it better. His appitite hasnt changed a bit and he still runs around, just a little slower. His hooves were long and smelled bad so that is why I used alcohol..that is all I had other than bleach and I thought that bleach might be too strong. 

What do you think???


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## Muddy Creek Farm (Oct 5, 2007)

I would use deluted (sp?) clorox bleach.


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## Goatherder (Oct 8, 2007)

If the hoof smells really bad it is probably hoof rot. I think it is easy to treat.


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## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

I used 1/8 clorox to 7/8's water for years -too dry for use above the hoof but good for the sole. The hoof wall needs to be trimmed up to where it is still firmly attached- to where all the black stuff is gone.
I was shocked to trim Dottie a couple of days ago and found rot up about 1/3 of one foot. She was not really overgrown- but she will go through mud more than Tim. She was not off or anything- dang stuff really snuck up on me. Just a result of unremitting wet lately I think. Both of the girls do not have to go in mud at all- I have mats for them to walk on but Dottie just gets so anxious at dinner time she runs back and forth getting into the mud.

I have also used a very dilute solution of water and iodine too for the horses.


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## getchagoat (Julie) (Oct 5, 2007)

Follow what enjoytheride said to do. If it doesn't get better, use an antibiotic - one that is one dose.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks...I have trimmed away all the bad hoof....all that is left is the well attached hoof....I will catch him tomorrow and treat him.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Alyssa, let us know how he is doing.. Hope it clears up quick. I know my farrier sprays a bleach solution on my horses hoofs after every trim job, just in case.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

Hubby has the day off so I can get my buck on the stand and put something on his feet. I used to spray bleach on my horses hooves. My farrier had me used straight bleach but I wasnt sure if I could do the same for goats.


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## getchagoat (Julie) (Oct 5, 2007)

I'd still mix it with water.


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## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

The nice thing about horse's feet is that they have a cupped area for a sole so what is poured on the bottom can be kept on the bottom. Since goaties do not have a cupped place, whatever is poured on the sole ends up on the skin about the hoof. I'd worry about getting straight bleach on the skin- it burns me when I spill some on my hands.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

Okay...I will use the water with it


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

We got the buck's feet done. His feet look fine though. They were clean...not sure if they are just sore.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

The buck is still limping...how often should I do the bleach water solution?


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## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't use the bleach everyday as it's pretty strong. Is this both front feet? Have you checked for things like heat or swelling (I'm sure you have ) but once I trimmed and treated my girls have alwys done better by the next day. It would have to be really deep rot to keep him sore and that didn't sound like your situation.
Is there any chance of laminitis?


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

I was thinking laminitis but what causes that and what will help ease that??? He walks like horses do when they have it so I was beginning to think the same thing


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

I just read about Laminitis...it is possible. He was getting less than a cup of 16% goat pellets with AC in it. He was getting that 2 times a day. I just decided last night to take him off of his feed for a while and just feed hay...I need to find a pain med that will help ease the pain. I read that coreective hoof trimming is needed too. I will try this..I am almost positive that is what he has..


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## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

I've had a horse with chronic laminitis- never a goat but a simple anti-inflamitory like bute or asprin works to relieve pain in horses.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

you can give him some asprin to help with the pain.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks. I need an anti-inflamatory for him....I may need to call my vet to see about getting some for him.


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## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

Asprin is one of the safest anti-inflammitories- the only problem with it is that it needs to be given often- every 4-6 hours to keep up a level of effectiveness. As far as I know, all anti-inflammitories are hard on the stomach so shouldn't be given any long than needed. If he has laminitis, then he needs something right away as the pain is a sign that the laminae are dying. 
But again, I have never had a goat with that- just the one horse- but over 13 years, I got really good at it.
With my horse, I had to stop feeding alfalfa in any form to keep him going. Even the tiniest amounts triggered his problem- and he was not overweight at all.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

Okay...Thanks so much ETR!!! I will start him on it.....maybe cutting him down to 2 times a day on aspirin for a few days then a few days off...then start it again..do you think that would work????


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## getchagoat (Julie) (Oct 5, 2007)

I'm looking through my notes from a vet at UT. Laminitis can be from inadequate fiber, lush pasture, slug feeding(don't know what that last one is). The pictures he shows on here are overgrown hooves.

For pain, he says aspirin on its own doesn't help alot. but its dose is 100mg/kg bid ( I believe that means 2x a day). Phenylbutazone (equine paste, bute) 10 mg/kg sid (once a day) or 1.0 mg/kg Flunixin (Banamine).

You can use chondroprotective agents:
polysulfated glycosamineglycen (Adequan) - 125 mg/week for 5 weeks IV or IM
Hyaluronic acid - normal joint lubricant,in hibit bacterial growth
methyl sulfonyl Methane (MSM) - this is in joint supplements.

For interdigital dermititis,
foot baths weekly - 10% zinc sulfate or 5% formaldehyde (be careful with copper sulfate...toxicity)
iodine in some cases
systemic penicillin in severely affected animals

For foot rot:
Procaine Pen 20 - 30,000u/kg bid
Erythromycin 3-5 mg/kg bid
Oxytet LA 20mg/kg every 48 hours (LA 200, Biomycin, Duramycin, etc)


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks Julie. The aspirin didnt help much at all. I stopped giving it to him. He seems to be feeling a little better but not walking any better. He hasnt had access to any pasture, only hay and pellets. I am not sure why this happened but I took him off pellets completely and I am only giving him hay. That may have helped him. I am going to see about getting him some bute...my friend has to give it to her horses so I might be able to get some from her.


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