# Disbudding Goat Questions



## countrygirl911 (Sep 6, 2011)

i have a 4 week old pygmy female that was disbudded 12 days ago and i have a few questions.

1: When will the buds fall off?
2: The scabs seem to be peeling around the edges and when we apply the cream the vet gave us twice a day the past two days she seems to cry when we touch them to put the cream on she seems to cry in pain even if we touch the spots where the scabs are not at on the head. Is this normal?
3: how much blood should there be when the scab comes off and what will her head look like?
4: How long will it take for the scabs take to fall off?
5: How long will it take to completely heal?
6: Does this look normal they were taken today the scabs are peeling way at the edges and it looks like an indent is forming.


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## dkluzier (Sep 7, 2011)

They appear from the picture to be done correctly.  The ointment is most likely an antibiotic to prevent infection.  They make antiseptic creams and/oro sprays for wounds to help ease any pain that she may be having or a burn cream, just not anything that has an anti-itch property (hydrocortisone) which may irritate it.  Some folks flip the horn bud off when they do the disbudding, this will cause bleeding.  We let the scabs and dead buds come off on their own after the area underneath heals, otherwise you have an open wound and some bleeding/seepage.  Even when they come off on their own you may have a small amount of blood. It may be a few weeks before the scabs come off and the area will still be hairless for a month or so.

BTW - the older they are when disbudded the harder it is on them and the less likely that the procedure will  leave scurs behind.  Disbudding should be done as soon as the horn buds can be felt, usually before they are 2 weeks old.  We have it done between the ages of 4 and 12 days.  Just less mess, time, healing and trauma.


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## countrygirl911 (Sep 7, 2011)

she was around 14 to 18 days old when we had them done we got her at 10 days old but the man we got her from does not disbud and it took me a few days to find someone that used the burning most of the people i called did the scooping even the vets i finally found a vet that did the burning about an hr away and i did not hesitate to go because the scooping sounded scarry and risky. the buds were still small enough for them to fit into the iron the vet used he had an 1/2 inch one. the buds are flaking off on one side the scab that looks to be comming off more than the other has a white to lite pink look under it also the bud looks like it has moved a little also since the scab looks to have slid a little to the front. thank you for answering my questions. i just want to make sure everything is doing good and healing properly and so that i can prepare my kids for when the scab and nub come off so they would not flip out not only them but me to i was affraid i was really hurting her when she cryed when i went to put the cream on.  it has been 14 days tomorrow since it has been done


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## currycomb (Sep 7, 2011)

we never used a cream or anything on them, just let them heal on their own and never had a problem. yours look good. nice copper ring (and good pictures showing it too!)


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## daisychick (Sep 7, 2011)

If I can remember right.....it has been a year since I had them.......my Nigerians didn't lose their scabs and little nubs for a month or so.   It took a lot longer than I expected.  Just give it time and don't pick at them and they will fall off when they are ready.  Mine didn't have any bleeding or oozing at all  just a nice clean spot where the scab used to be.  Then the hair grows back around it and you don't even notice it at all.  They look like good burn circles, so I would say just give it time.


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