# Trimming hooves when pregnant



## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

Well, the saga continues!! :hair: Carmella, my possibly pregnant goat, needs her hooves trimmed desperately. When I got her 6 weeks ago, the owner had trimmed her hooves, and said I didn't need to worry about trimming them until after the kids arrived.... the problem is, she thought Carmella was going to kid in the next few day... Now, it is 6 weeks later, she needs to have her hooves trimmed, but may be very pregnant, or not pregnant at all... I've never trimmed ANY hooves before, so I'm not sure what I should do, if anything at all. I've noticed she's started slipping on my wooden front porch, which she hadn't done before. The trimmers at my farmer's co-op look kinda like garden shears. Is this the right thing to use on her?


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

OK, I do not know about anyone else but pregnant or not I trim the hoofs when they need it. It is not going to hurt them at all, at least it never has mine. I tend to do it about a week or less before they kid because I do not want to try to do it with kids on them nursing.

here is a like to show you how to trim all the feet. I use Rose Pruning sheers, the ones I like are curved and go prefect to the hoof. I get them at like WalMart.

http://search.freefind.com/find.html?id ... T2=+Find!+


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I also trim mine no matter if preggers or not - when they need it is when it is done :wink: 

You will do great! I have faith in ya!! :thumb:


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## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

Thanks so much guys! That website with the pictures was a world of help. It looked pretty straightforward. The hubby is going to stop at Farmer's and pick up a pair of trimmers. I'm gonna do it tonight. I'm sure Carmella is going to be thankful for your help too!! I'm attaching a pic of her laying down. She is one fat goat--pregnant or not!!! I'm wondering if her ligaments might be loosening, or if she just looks like any other fat goat laying down.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Yah I trim even when pregnant - it makes it harder for them to walk if they are to long and thats not good when carrying extra weight.

As to if your doe is pregnant -- have you contacted the person you bought her from yet?


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## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

Yes, Carmella's previous owner and I have been in email contact. She said that Carmella is bigger than she's ever seen her...even bigger than she was when she had twins. She said that she "saw" her being bred, and that after that, she was kept in the pen with 3 billies. She has offered to take her back for full refund if she doesn't kid, or to breed her again for me. She's as puzzled by the whole thing as I am. Of course, if anything, I'll probably just have her bred again, since I've already fallen in love with her, and couldn't possibly give her back.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I dont see a reason to give her back -- she probably just didnt take on that breeding that she saw and it was later on that she actually settled.


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## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

Yea, I agree. But then, being a novice at the whole goat-raising thing, I'm not sure that she's not just fat because she's allowed to graze all the time. She has free range of our yard, and seems to enjoy our maple trees and pear trees along with everything else in our yard! Funny thing is, I was going to post a question tonight about her eating tree bark, and saw that one was just posted about the exact same thing! I was worried that she was eating bark because of some nutrient deficiency.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My girls get a hoof trim every 4-6 weeks regardless of wether they are preggy........I tend to do it at feeding time and even the girls that are 3 weeks away from their due dates will get up on the milkstand for their grain, though they do use my sitting stool to get a boost up and while they eat I trim hooves and give the CD/T vac to the preggy does.


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## Thanatos (Mar 16, 2009)

Trim away!!! :greengrin: I trimmed Luna's hooves the whole pregnancy nbd. just try to keep the falling to a minimum :wink: .... oh and watch your fingers, when I get in a hurry I ALWAYS ALWAYS manage to cut myself pretty good. Ouchie(watchin the blood drip)


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

How did the trimming go? Did you do it last night? If you did not just remember to take your time. Do not be in to big of a hurry like I am way to may times, and I end up cutting to far back and causing a lot of bleeding. Now it is not going to hurt them if you do get some blood just try not to go to deep.

Glad the pictures helped.


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## Tyler (Apr 26, 2009)

I used to use garden shears (they work the same). I don't recommend them though... Not strong enough.



Thanatos said:


> oh and watch your fingers, when I get in a hurry I ALWAYS ALWAYS manage to cut myself pretty good. Ouchie(watchin the blood drip)


Same happened to me.... Make sure and use gloves.


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## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

Thanks for the warnings guys! I'm very prone to accidents and getting hurt as it is, LOL, so I will certainly take my time and be especially careful!!


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

I trim all the way through the pregnancy as well. And yes i agree. she is starting to look a little hollow on either side of her tail head. When my girls are ready to go i can usually get my fingers almost all the way around their tailhead.
beth


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

I too trim thru the pregnancy.. because on untrimmed feet, its harder on the does body with all the extra weight


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## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

*Re: Trimming hooves when pregnant-pic added*

I'm wondering if I even know what the "tailhead" is. I don't have any other goats to compare her to, so it makes it especially hard to know what I'm feeling, or not feeling... I run my fingers down her back on either side of her spine, and then down on either side of her tail. When I do this, it seems to put her in a trance or something...it has ever since I got her. I can't really say that anything feels different from when I first got her. But I don't know that the tailhead is what I'm able to "almost wrap my fingers around." --Or how big around the tail head actually is... I've watched a video about this but it didn't really help, because it looked like I was doing it right, but I couldn't really interpret what I was feeling. But today, she did look a little more sunken in around her tail, but then at other times when I looked at her, she just seems to look like she always has. I swear, I'm going CRAZY trying to figure this goat out!!! LOL!! :hair:

Here's a new pic from today....not sure if it helps.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I know you said you watched videos but there are a couple pictures and videos on my website you can check

http://www.endofthelinefarm.com/fromheattobirth.htm


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## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

I looked at your website, and your video is actually the one that I watched. It's helpful, but I guess, I just don't know how far up I'm supposed to be able to feel "around" the tailhead.... I guess I'm not sure where the tailhead actually begins, as apposed to what is just backbone, and what is just tail. LOL!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

The tailhead is the part of the bone in the tail before it "leaves" her rump. If you can feel around the area, you'll feel a bony protrusion on each side of her pooch, come straight up with your fingers to the top of the tail, thats the "tailhead"


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## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

Well, I'm COMPLETELY CONFUSED now!! She looks like she may be "getting ready" to ....dare I say it..... kid. BUT, today she's acting like she's in heat!!! She's running full speed, jumping and bucking, being downright playful and a real cut-up! Good Lord Have MERCY!!! I give up!!!! :GAAH: :hair: :shrug: ray: :?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

good -- giving up is one of the stages you must go through for them to be able to kid :wink: :shades: 

on a more serious note -- Im sorry  it can be very frustrating!!


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