# Horn gone & hoof cut



## crittertipper (Nov 22, 2010)

Came home tonight to find one of the boys in bad shape. It looks like a dog got over the 5' tall fence (with heat) and ran the boys. One of the boys has broken off his horn (sheath missing) with core exposed. Also he has suffered a bad split hoof but the split is from the hair line down with the grain towards the bottom of his hoof. He is bleeding everywhere and not using the leg with the split hoof. Please help !!!!!!!!!! Is there anything pain meds I can give him to help with the pain until morning. 

Aaron


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

You can give regular aspirin to a goat. Same dose as a person the same size. The foot and horn should be wrapped with something to stop the bleeding. Gauze with duct tape over the top works well and is hard for the goat to get off. The main concern is to stop the bleeding right now. Take him to the Vet in the morning and they can prescribe an antibiotic and a better pain med until he heals up.


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## crittertipper (Nov 22, 2010)

Thanks Rex I just came in to check for a reply.


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## imported_ashley (Jun 9, 2011)

I would suggest the vet...asap.... I had a goat that had his horn broken and horn de-sheathed. (I don't think that is a word..) Use corn starch to stop bleeding. People say to use cayenne pepper, this seems a bit inhumane; Corn starch does not burn and provides a structure for a clot to form. Cayenne pepper irritates the tissues and can cause vasospasm, hence stopping the bleeding, but corn starch is kinda like a dressing and allows a good fibrin clot to form under it; and if it gets into his eyes when you are putting it on his horn sheath you wont burn his corneas. I specialize in emergency medicine by profession, and I have found that there are some similarities with goat trauma care.

My vet that took care of our little guy is the U of I Caine center, one of the leading universities on goat health. He said that a horn sheath without the horn will heal, eventually a new horn will grow over it. I don't know the mechanism of action with that but he assures me that it occurs often in cattle. Your little guy needs banamine; if you have butte for horses give him about 200-300 mg ( a normal horse dose is a gram, so break it in quarters, that is close enough)

As for aspirin; (I am not a vet nor do I have the goat experience that Rex has but I have to respectfully disagree with ASA administration) but the mechanism of action for aspirin in humans is prevention of platelet aggregation and basically slowing down/preventing the clotting mechanisms (and some other things including temperature regulation), so I WOULD NOT give aspirin as it will not allow him for form strong clots. This is why when someone is having a heart attack, the first drug I administer is aspirin to prevent the blood clot that is causing the heart attack from getting bigger, and is why "bleeding disorders" are a contraindication in aspirin. Your goat needs an NSAID (anti-inflammation)

Good luck!!!!! Goats are tough, I learned the hard way!


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Good point on the aspirin and blood thinning attributes. I do know that several over the counter pain meds can be toxic to goats and Aspirin has always been a safe alternative for pain relief. But as you stated, maybe not the best choice when there is severe bleeding involved.


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## imported_ashley (Jun 9, 2011)

Its probably good to give, say today now that the bleeding is stopped and good hard clots are formed, but I know that when Moose broke his horn he was bleeding uncontrollably and even with corn starch and compression those vessels did not want to slow down enough to get a clot formed, but ASA definitely has some good pain relieving properties, its good to know that goats can have it. 

How is your guy doing after what I am sure was a terrible night? The hoof fracture seems worrisome..that is a lot of force to break a soft goat hoof, hopefully the internal structures are okay.. Keep us updated!!


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

Aspirin is safe if you don't have anything else. It does take a larger dose than for humans but if it's the only thing you have it's better than no pain control.
Any other ANSAID is not safe for goats. Tylenol, Ibuprofen or other types are not good for goats. 
Banamine is the pain control med of choice around here. I keep a tube available here and in my first aid kit when travelling.


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## Cazz (Jun 9, 2010)

Hi crittertipper,
Hope your boy is okay and you've got the bleeding mostly stopped. Nice firm bandages and keeping them quiet, might need your company as well if he can't go with the others. Has he been to the vet yet?
I have heard that panadol is okay for goats, at a human rate. I can check the exact reference, but several big breeders over here use it and haven't had a problem - though one of them is warning that it is deadly to kittens.
Keep us posted, and all the best with your poor little guy!
Cheers,
Cazz


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## crittertipper (Nov 22, 2010)

Thanks again for all the concern. I posted a update last night but have no idea where it went, sorry. I got Curley to the vet Tuesday morning and the report came back good. The vet said that the broken horn will develop a scab and with some time should regrow. As for his hoof it was cut extremely bad and will require future visits, my understanding is that the vet will need to trim the hoof several times over the next 3 months. The vet administered antibiotics, tetinus, and pain meds then wrapped the hoof. I was instructed to soak the hoof in Epsom salt 2 X per day until his visit next week. I will post some pics of his injuries for future reference, just in case someone in the future has a similar unfortunate experience. Goats are tough.

One more good bit of news, I found the 2 K-culpritses. May they rest in peace.

Aaron


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

I'm glad Curley is going to be ok. I hope his recovery is uneventful. Congratulations on finding the dogs responsible. That's a relief!


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## imported_ashley (Jun 9, 2011)

I have never had to soak a goats foot, but I have soaked many many horses hooves; if you are interested in some advise here ya go...I don't know if it would work for a goat but this is how I soak horses hooves.... IV bags (you can ask your vet for some empty ones) and for a goat you should only need the 1000 ml ones with the end cut off) They are made of durable plastic and it does not make that plastic-krinkle noise that tends to scare horses, and maybe goats. Anyways, put your soaking mixture in the bag and then put his leg in there, they just tape the top around his pastern and sit with him..there is no bucket to make him keep his foot in and tip over... He can move around a bit and the bag goes with him, I have found it tends to reduce the anxiety of horses, especially ones that don't like standing still. I think you could probably use a ziplock freezer bag to but the 1000 ml IV bags seem like they would be perfect size for a goat. 

I found it only takes a tiny bit of water because you are not filling a bucket, and the soaking seems more effective because the water is always around the hoof. Give it a try...its great for big dumb horses! I learned this little trick when I was in high school working at the race track with crazy race horses...


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## crittertipper (Nov 22, 2010)

Ashley,

Thanks for the tip. I used a zip-lock bag to soak Curley's hoof tonight ,worked like a charm. I am a little worried about the hoof he still refuses to put any weight on that leg. I know it has only been a couple days but I was hopeful he might not favor it as much. Time will tell.

Aaron


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

Did you have the hoof x-rayed? He may have broken one of the little bones. I'm surprised he's not putting weight on it at all. I would expect him to at least be dotting it down by now unless there is something going on with the internal structures. 

Great tips on hoof soaking, Ashley! I've soaked a lot of horse's hooves and I've always just made them stand still in a bucket, which of course involves a fair amount of spilled water until that horse learns you mean business when you say "stand".


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