# Do not let this happen to your goats



## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Whatever you do, learn to handle your goats and trim their feet on a regular basis. These were supposed to be pictures to show how to trim really overgrown feet. Instead they are pictures of a goats feet that are so bad, it may take a year to get them in shape, and may also take more than my limited knowledge is able to repair.

These are pictures of his foot before I had done any trimming


















This is one of his foot after I had trimmed away all I could. One side is still a lot taller than the other but I can't trim any further as i ended up quicking him and drawing blood. I put CopperTox on all his feet after I trimmed as much as I safely dared. 
The white part looks like part of a cauliflower.








All the rain we have had over the past few days has really softened things up so they were easy to trim but I never expected this. I gave him a copper marshmallow as soon as he got here last month as I believe the damage to these feet is from a lack of copper and other minerals.
Does anyone have any suggestions other than waiting for it to harden again and trimming a little at a time?


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Hydrogen peroxide and soaking with Epsom salts and iodine. Also pack any holes with iodine soaked gauze.


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## nhsmallfarmer (Apr 14, 2008)

sorry to hear about ht goats hoof trouble, I havent experienced it myself so I googled it this is what I found hope it helps

http://www.helium.com/items/1508670-the-causes-and-cures-for-hoof-rot-in-goats

http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/hoofrot,hoofscald06.html


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

RunAround said:


> Hydrogen peroxide and soaking with Epsom salts and iodine. Also pack any holes with iodine soaked gauze.


How do you recommend I do I do this? We are supposed to have another storm system coming in tomorrow and its supposed to dump a lot of rain. The coppertox should hold for that long shouldn't it? As soon as its a little dryer I will pack his feet. Until them I will just keep cleaning them as best I can. He is a real handful and very strong. It took 2 to hold him down while I trimmed. I was so angry at his previous owner that they never took time to do the feet. I felt so bad for him.


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

Crocee kudos to you for trying to do right by this goat and shame on whom ever let his hooves get this bad......good luck with him!


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

I forgot to mention it but he also got a CD&T shot today so maybe that will ward off any sign of tetanus forming.


Thanks Denise, hes a good goat who has seemingly never had proper handling and care. He will get the best I can give now. Luckily my other goats will stand to have their feet done. Do ya think he will learn by watching?


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

ooo. ive seen hooves like this, it took me two sessions to get them back, keep doing what your doing


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## Idahodreamer (Sep 19, 2009)

WOW. that brings back memories of our first goats . . .my dad got right to work trimming them, but one of them never got over her lameness.  
Good luck fixing his feet, and glad he's got you there for him.


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

When we need to harden a horses feet and pack them, we use "sugardine"

You mix up a paste of Iodine and Sugar, then we usually put a diaper over the horses foot once we have packed it and put duct tape to hold it on.
I wonder if you could do the same sort of thing for him? I know a diaper would be huge, but you could probably cut one to size and use lots of duct tape?
Maybe worth a try anyway


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## SterlingAcres (Oct 19, 2009)

ProctorHillFarm said:


> When we need to harden a horses feet and pack them, we use "sugardine"
> 
> You mix up a paste of Iodine and Sugar, then we usually put a diaper over the horses foot once we have packed it and put duct tape to hold it on.
> I wonder if you could do the same sort of thing for him? I know a diaper would be huge, but you could probably cut one to size and use lots of duct tape?
> Maybe worth a try anyway


A preemie diaper might work for this. They're tiny!

And OMG to the feet. :shocked: I thought my babies were bad overgrown, but that's just disgusting  That poor guy, shame on his previous owners! I hope you get it fixed relatively soon.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

I have some size 1 diapers from the bottle babies. I think I am going to give this a try. I have a bunch of vet wrap also to wrap it with.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

It will take some time... keep up the trimming on him.. and he will get better each time....If you can keep him in a dry area...that would help....but.. I know with all this wet weather... it is almost impossible..... Good luck.... :hug:


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## jberter (Jan 21, 2010)

That poor goat, :tears: I am so glad you have him now and hope with all the great info input coming in you can get him up and walking right again. I am soooooo glad I found this goat site with this wealth of good info on it with caring sharing people. Thanks.. :hug:


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## bheila (Jan 10, 2009)

That is disgusting that anyone could let a goats hooves get like that. We have a doe whose owners never trimmed her feet in the 4 years they owned her. It was terrible :GAAH: She had hoof rot too but since we've had her for a little over a year her hooves are now in great shape.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

bheila said:


> That is disgusting that anyone could let a goats hooves get like that. We have a doe whose owners never trimmed her feet in the 4 years they owned her. It was terrible :GAAH: She had hoof rot too but since we've had her for a little over a year her hooves are now in great shape.


Hopefully I can get his feet in somewhat good shape after I get all the rot cleared up. I really feel bad for him. I gave him a Biomycin shot to help heal the infection. His hooves are not hot or even abnormally warm but they sure do smell.
The only way I can catch him is with cookie lures and a quick grab to the beard. Who ever said grabing the beard would stop a goat in its tracks never met this one. This guy can buck with the best bronc when ya grab his beard. I thought I was going to pull it off.
I really wish there was an easier way to catch and restrain him, if there is I have not found it. I am afraid he's going to get the idea and make it impossible for me to catch him.


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## bheila (Jan 10, 2009)

Oh yes, I know the cookie trick. Pepper will finally eat out of my hand but you cannot catch her unless there's 2 of us to corner her. I feel bad because she's terrified but it's for her own good.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

That is just grotesque! Poor goat...I don't even know how he was mobile with feet like that!


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## Plumbago (Jan 21, 2008)

What a disgrace - 
How can people have animals and ignore something like this. 
The plant Aloe Vera rubbed onto hooves will help in the healing process.
Another tip I wouls like to share is that I have reverted to using a small battery powered grinder with a fine sanding disk attached and I cannot believe how successful this is. 
I thought the goats would freak at the noise, but they are almost calmed by it and it trims the hooves and the pad down beautifully and so even .. maybe a thought once get on top of problem. It is quick and only takes three or four light strokes over the hoof.. 
Meantime ,maybe suggest tethering him with a collar and chain for a short time until you are able to win his trust and he calms a little and it would then be easier to work on his hooves.
Unfortunately we all know how smart our goats are and he will soon start relating to cookies and being retained!!
Good luck and well done for helping him..


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## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

Sorry to hear that. Is Zeus used to being handled? I'd keep working with him on that, offering treats for desired behavior with no social pressure, force or invasive procedures until he comes around more.

Over the weekend, my 3 Angora does got their hooves done for the first time. Two stood for the farrier no problem at all. Click/treat! :clap: I just sent the girls to their "place" spool top and fed them treats and loved on them as he worked on their hooves. The third, my timid girl, we had to catch and tip over on her side. The farrier was so gentle and good w/my goats that when all was said and done my girls swarmed him for more treats. <lol> He was flabbergasted as the goats he's done in the past have always avoided him like the plague afterwards. But here mine wanted him to stay and play.  He attributed the difference to their training, as his method of handling is always the same. I have to agree. It just goes to show the difference positive training can make in all aspects of animal care.

The truly amazing part, I think, is that two of my does were wild as they come. I got them straight from the Navajo Reservation where'd they'd most likely spent their entire lives up until last October running with range cattle/sheep with little if any human exposure. When I got them, they were terrified of everything and one is still handshy. Both are at least 5 y.o., and from the wear on the timid one's teeth, I'd say she's definately a senior. So I guess that means one can teach old goats new tricks. :wink:

Good luck!

Deb Mc


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## Plumbago (Jan 21, 2008)

Deb
Love your profile picture --- hansome cattle dog there - a beauty and I bet a great friend..
Chris


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## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

Plumbago said:


> Deb
> Love your profile picture --- hansome cattle dog there - a beauty and I bet a great friend..
> Chris


Thanks! Pecos is my snuggle buddy and therapy dog (I have a rare metabolic disorder). I also have a red Catahoula cattle dog, Chaco Louise, and she's my once in a lifetime...couldn't ask for a better choredog. I love cattle dawgs even more than goats (perhaps this is not the spot to profess that :wink: ).  Oops! :laugh:

Deb Mc


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## TinyHoovesRanch (Jan 16, 2010)

hahahaha wow...
Goats are great but some people have special friends that steal their hearts before goats do....


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## citylights (Jul 3, 2009)

Deb, not to take anything away from this post....but I just got a queensland/aussie cross puppy. He is a handful! He is SO stinking smart, too.... love him already. WIsh me luck!


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## DebMc (Dec 11, 2009)

citylights said:


> WIsh me luck!


A little luck and a whole lot of patience. <g> Sounds like you got yourself a loose-eyed goatdawg in the making. It's a good thing puppies are so darn cute!

Deb Mc


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## pennylullabelle (Nov 22, 2009)

Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post the pictures. That's just awful...when I got my buck here I thought his feet were bad. They hadn't been trimmed since the last family bought him from the breeder as far as I could tell so...maybe 8 months? A year? They were bad, but I was able to get down to soul and level off every toe. So, I consider myself lucky. Though...he kicked and cried at me the whole time. He's a bottle baby, he's use to being handled. He was just very offended at this whole process!!

Good luck...if you have time...post pictures of each trim...so we can watch him transition. Good for future reference too, I think.


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## Goober (Aug 21, 2009)

Something that will probably work better than the koppertox is thrush buster. I get it from Jeffers, or the Jeffers brand of the same thing (they have both). Haven't had to use it on a goat, just on horses. Works excellent, usually need just one dose, a little goes a long way. Waterproof, they recommend once a week if you need more than one dose. Stains just as bad as koppertox, but in purple. I haven't used koppertox in about 10 years...


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## silvergramma (Nov 9, 2009)

what about baby socks? for newborns those cute ones with the lil cuff.. ??? tsc had some during christmas and i about had a fit ,, oh those would look so cute on my new kids for pics!! but hey its an idea.. pack the hooves,, place on the socks then duct tape..
I 've used the original listerine for hoof rot on a horse before... we do some rescue work and when my farrier gets down to the nasty smell we break out the gold listerine in a spritzer bottle and fire away... works like a charm and is good for spraying your hands with after handling.. takes the smell right off..
I would also think about putting some wooden pallets down ,, as many as possible to keep the goats off the ground during rainy season,, maybe put in some spacer boards in the places where there are slots so the goats dont slip and hurt themselves...
and you can re use them after washing..I 'd wash them in dreft tho with no bleach...presoak and hot water..
what do you gals think?\


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