# Dorper tore half her hoof



## PotterWatch (Apr 18, 2013)

One of our ewes tore one of her cleats (the outer part) off this morning. She got her hoof stuck in between two pieces of wood and tore the hoof wall off while struggling to get free. The inner part of the hoof is completely exposed.  We cleaned it, sprayed it with wound care spray, and bandaged it. Is there anything else we should do at this point?  Any idea how long it might take her to recover?  We will be checking on it and changing the bandage regularly.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 18, 2013)

Be careful about bandaging. If it gets wet it can hold bacteria in.  I'd be more inclined to just spray it with a wound spray and keep her on clean straw bedding until it scabs over well.


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## PotterWatch (Apr 18, 2013)

Thanks for the tip. We have two lambs in our horse trailer waiting to be picked up by their new owner later today. When they move out, we can put this girl in there with clean bedding and hay. The trailer is the only place we have to isolate injured animals at this point. I can't wait until we move and I have barns with proper space for isolating animals!


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## bcnewe2 (Apr 18, 2013)

I have seen them wrapped and do OK.  That has got to be painful.  If you have a way I might wrap it and keep her out of the wet for a few days.  Easier said than done round here.  Mud is the word of the month!  I'd probably use a blue coat spray of some kind but also I'd be looking for a powder type med.  To help keep it dry.  

Ouchie!
Posted at the same time.  Looks like you have it covered!

Trailers are great places to house animals temporarily..  I have a big barn but no trailer.  Wish I had one!


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## alsea1 (Apr 18, 2013)

I think I would give a tetanus booster and maybe some pain medicine.  Thats gotta hurt.


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## PotterWatch (Apr 18, 2013)

I did give her some herbal pain tincture I have on hand. It did look painful, poor girl. 

Luckily it isn't wet out here. Our rainy season is pretty much done already. We'll be keeping a close eye on it, that's for sure.


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## PendergrassRanch (Apr 18, 2013)

I'd clean it up really well, put some ointment on it, wrap it up with gauze, and vet wrap.  Then layer the bottom thickly with duck tape to "water proof" it.  Change bandage as it wears out.


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## promiseacres (Apr 18, 2013)

PendergrassRanch said:
			
		

> I'd clean it up really well, put some ointment on it, wrap it up with gauze, and vet wrap.  Then layer the bottom thickly with duck tape to "water proof" it.  Change bandage as it wears out.


x2


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 18, 2013)

I had a sheep last year that injured her foot during a particularly wet and muddy season. I ended up cleaning the injury, wrapping it in gauze, wrapping that in vet wrap, and covering the whole thing with a plastic bread bag (taped tightly at the top with medical tape to keep it on the leg and keep water out). I kept her in a small dry pen and changed her bandage every day for 5-7 days. 

Make sure that, if you wrap the foot, you don't wrap things too tight and cut off the circulation.


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## PotterWatch (Apr 18, 2013)

Thanks everyone!


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## goatboy1973 (Apr 18, 2013)

She absolutely needs a tetanus booster as well as an appropriate dose of LA 200 or the generic is called oxytetracycline sold over the counter at most Farmer's CO-OP's or Tractor Supply stores. The correct dosage I believe is 4.5 ml per 100 lbs but double check with the insert. If you do give her the 4.5 ml injection, be sure to divide it up into 2 injections and not give it all in one site to prevent an abscess. I would bandage the foot with 4x4 cotton gauze lightly soaked with a betadine solution and placed between the 2 cleats and covering the injured cleat. Wrap the whole hoof up to the knee with Coban. I would allow some time throughout the day to let the hoof to air dry, but make sure there is clean pine or cedar shavings so that no manure can cause further complication.  All this info from everyone including myself is fine, but you may still want to take the sheep to a vet. Good luck and God bless!


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