# Goat walking on her heels - help, please!



## Udder Folks (May 24, 2013)

I have owned my goats just three months now. We're learning as we go. My boer girls came to me from a reputable breeder, already bred, immunized, and with hooves trimmed. I have done a little trimming on their feet each month, taking away the extra hoof wall that seems to grow so fast. One of my boers has begun walking way back on her heels. (She is a month from her due-date, and has just had her Bose booster.) My husband and I have been reading lots of articles on hoof trimming, and he has done what he thinks he can to make things right with her feet. Trying to keep the base parallel to the growth lines, taking the sole down to pink .. There has been absolutely no improvement. 
Does anyone have any suggestions to help? Do the hooves look right? Could we have it wrong, and be causing this?

Thank you!


----------



## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

Weak pasterns. I would say it is a genetic thing. Our Boer buck has the same problem on his back pasterns, and even hoof trimming doesn't work on it. I definitely isn't something you are doing wrong 

You might either want to keep cutting the heel, or instead leave in on to grow longer, and that might work.


----------



## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Leave the "toe" alone, and work on the "sole", there is a very experience member that recently put up a video of how she trims...I'm sure she will be here with a recommendation. I'll see if I can find her post.


----------



## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

TrinityRanch said:


> Weak pasterns. I would say it is a genetic thing. Our Boer buck has the same problem on his back pasterns, and even hoof trimming doesn't work on it. I definitely isn't something you are doing wrong
> 
> You might either want to keep cutting the heel, or instead leave in on to grow longer, and that might work.


It could be genetic...or not...try giving some selenium, that could be the problem? Also, cutting the heel will make it worse, when you cut the heel too short they can start walking funny like that, it makes them roll back because there isn't anything to support them on that part of the hoof.

EDIT: However it looks like you've trimmed pretty well...I can't tell if the heel is too short.


----------



## Udder Folks (May 24, 2013)

Thank you! So, if this is weak pasterns, is it going to end up crippling my goat? She is only one year old. I'm wondering how much worse this can get ...

The selenium she received the other week hasn't made a bit of difference yet.

Di, I would love to see the post you're speaking about. Trimming the sole of the foot is scary to me. I've been going at it with the hoof plane, rather than with a sharp knife, as I've seen recommended on some websites' articles.

I understand what you're saying about leaving the heel alone. It does make sense that if the heel were higher, she would walk more towards the front of the foot. I have been trying to do that. The hoof wall actually appears overgrown at her heel, but I haven't wanted to touch it, for fear of making this worse.

Thanks for your help!


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

She needs Selnium vit E...you can get injectabe which works faster from your vet its called BoSe or you can do a monthly Selnium Vit E gel ...it does take time to restore proper setting


----------



## Udder Folks (May 24, 2013)

Hi everyone - I just wanted to share that I have learned that Greta's heels were actually too LONG. I have continued to watch hoof trimming videos, and this one: 



says that while most goats' hooves grow fastest in the toe, some do grow faster in the heel. There are still "before" and "after" photos of this at about 5 and a half minutes into the video that PERFECTLY matched my doe's feet. Hooray! Anyway, had my father-in-law came to help me today. He pared a bunch of heel off with his knife, and then worked with the trimmers and rasp, and voila! She's standing up on her feet as she should. Just thought I'd share, in case anyone has similar foot problems.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Kuddos Ingrid!!!


----------



## Abra (Aug 11, 2012)

Good job.! 
I wish I had the same success with my girl...
She went down on her back heels right before she kidded (I think from the pregnancy weight).
One one of her feet corrected itself a couple weeks after she kidded, but the other never did... (even a month afterwards)
Here is a link to a video of her feet right after she kidded... (It's actually kind of disturbing and scary)
http://s2.photobucket.com/user/paulandashia/media/DelilahsFeet_zps87957a10.mp4.html?sort=2&o=8

And here she is 2 weeks later... (after a Selenium/E treatment, and regular Calcium drenches)
http://s2.photobucket.com/user/paul...DelilahFeet2_zps9168c711.mp4.html?sort=2&o=17

Delilah is now in a new home...  I miss her SO much!!!
Almost thinking about calling the new owners and asking to buy her back. (Seriously)


----------



## Udder Folks (May 24, 2013)

Thank you for the video. Poor thing. I'm glad she regained strength in the one foot. We got lucky with my goat, and who knows if the selenium wasn't helpful in the whole matter, too.


----------



## Morse (May 21, 2015)

We have a boer nubian mix that is 4 +mo. pregnant. She seems to be rolling back on her hooves and the heels look overgrown to me. They are thick and seem impossible to trim and I do not want to cause her any discomfort or make the problem worse. She is getting high quality feed and suplements. What should I do?


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would work on slowly trimming her toenails. Sounds like she also needs a BoSe shot.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I would start your own thread, so it gets more eyes on it and post a picture...could help to see what you see...


----------

