# Show goat with hematoma



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Hi everyone, 

I was getting my wether for a show this morning when I noticed a pretty sizeable hematoma on his ear. It goes right around his scrapie tag. I was working with him last night about 7pm and it wasn't there so it appeared over night. We have mosquitos pretty bad so I'm assuming one bit him and he scratch at it. I know its a hematoma because its soft and squishy. 

Is there anything I can do with out having to drain it? I have shows tonight, Tuesday, Thursday and then the folowing Thursday(oct 11th) is our state fair and he's being sold there. If I did drain it how would I do that? 

I have some pictures of it I will post in a few minutes


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)




----------



## Shellshocker66 (Mar 19, 2012)

Don't you love how that pops up right as your fair/showing starts?

So well without draining I'm not sure other then time. Maybe some benedryl spray if it's a bug bite?

Draining: hot pack it and see if a spot comes up that looks ready to burst, or maybe use a larger gauge needle from underneath to drain it. I would hot pack it either way so that whatever is in there loosens up and is easier to drain. That looks like something had to get in there so you might want to look for a small entry point. Was the tag recently inserted in his ear?


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

He's had the eartag since January I would think... He was born December 2011 and I got him in March and it was completly healed. I don't mind draining it, just wish he would've gotten it earlier this year so I'd have more time with it. I'll probably watch it for a couple days before I decide to drain it.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Do you think it is caused by the tag? Was the tag not long ago inserted? If it is infection from the hole made from the tag, I hate to say this but, the tag needs to be removed ,so it can be cleaned up, drain and heal. Does it stink at all? I know a scrapies tag shouldn't be removed, so, make sure, it it coming from there. Keep the tag in your goat files.


A mosquito bite would not cause it to become that big. But, it might be a bee sting or spider bite, benadryl will help, if that is the case.

Do you see any other holes or entry area's from any foreign object that may of penetrated an area?.

Another thing it may be is, injury from being slammed. 

Can be so many things. Wish I was there to look at it.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

OOps, his tag wasn't recently inserted and was healed prior.


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Its not infection.. I checked it all over for other causes and can't find anything. My guess is he was either scratching or playing too rough with the other wether. Its very soft and squishy. He also doesn't react when I touch it. I'll give him some benadryl just in case. He's going to a show tonight so I will ask a couple of goat experts what they think too... you can never have too many expert opinions when it comes to goats


----------



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Oh wow, I am sorry Dani, I hope you can get it cleared up quickly and easily. Wonder if he did have a reaction to a bug bite? Don't ya just love when they do stuff like that at the worst times?
My son has a fullblood doe that got a huge, swollen knee right before their first show, we have no idea what caused it, but it was there for a couple of months and now it's back to normal. Naturally it went away after he was done showing her lol But thankfully it didn't count against her. I think the judges know that things happen, and goats hurt themselves.


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Oh boy. Hmm... It's suspicious that it's right around that tag. Course you know that. 
If you attempt to drain it, I would try to go from the bottom (under side) of the ear. You probably knew that too.
Any chance there is a cool vet around the show grounds that can look at it? Maybe the vet that checks you in?
Maybe the benydryl will help if it is a bug bite. I wonder about the rules with terminal animals though. Dang..


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

When i posted this just around the tag was swollen but within an hour it had started to swell at the of ear and under it to his jaw. I went on and dosed him with 12ccs of childrens benadryl and that took down around his head/jaw. I gave him another dose after the show and this morning it was pretty much gone on his ear. If it isn't down by lunch time i may dose again. I'm thinking it was a spider bite


----------



## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Hmm. That is weird. Keep an eye on that. Hopefully not a brown recluse.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Glad it is improving.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad the Benedryl worked for you.


----------



## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

And it had to happen during show season! Too bad, hope he's getting better.

Last year I had a dog get stung by a yellow jacket, it made her upper "lips" muzzle area swell up. I gave her benedryl right away and that took care of it.


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

The swelling was completly gond by 1pm yesterday! Yayyy! We have a pear tree near their pen and the yellow jackets and wasps love the pears so one of them could have gotten him. We also have a bunch of spiders, not sure what kind but theyre everywhere. Thank you for all your concerns and suggestions. I appreciate it!


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

That is good news, yellow jacket stings are nasty, I bet that is what happened, time to get rid of the jackets.


----------

