# trimming goat horns...



## happyvagabonds

So i talked to the vet about banding my doe's horns and she emphatically said "No!" she did not suggest it, was not a proponent of it, did not even suggest a vet induced dehorning procedure (so not just saying 'no' for a chance to turn a profit on vet procedure). She suggested that i trim the horns back by about an inch and file them smooth with a dremel, which i had done previously, but only half an inch before and i used a metal file instead of a dremel. (the dremel was MUCH better received, FWIW)

She showed me where to start my cut, but what i did was wait for a sunny day, then backlit her horns so i could see the bloodline and used a sharpie marker to draw a ring around the safe area to cut. (she has buff colored horns)

my question is... with dogs, i know that if you trim their nails to the quick, the bloodline (and nerves) recede a bit and with persistent clipping one can "fix" a dog's nails that have been allowed to grow too long over a period of weeks or months.

is this true with goats as well?

i am not thinking to trim her horns back to her skull or anything like that... but i would like to reduce them to blunt force weapons rather than stabby weapons. this would require probably another inch or so of removal, i think. 

i have a young doeling that my mature doe pretty much wants to stomp into the ground any time she gets within the 'bubble of proximity'.  she not only uses the base of her horns to ram when given the opportunity, but also uses the tips to hook and every time that happens it just makes me catch my breath and wince, then call the doeling to me to check her out and coo and soothe her poor little self. 

i realize that i could possibly just lop off another inch and deal with the blood,etc, but that seems like it would be painful for my doe and i don't want to cause her any discomfort. 

any comments or suggestions are appreciated... unless you're going to tell me to separate or cull the horned doe. believe me, i have already weighed those options and still do. separation is impossible with my set-up and culling is an emotional decision. 

TIA


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## swiss.susan

When goats have horns that big, your pretty much stuck with them.  Cutting down to far can result in the goat going into shock and/or bleeding out.  Thier horns are connected to the nasal passages and that's why most vets wont take them off.  I have banded horns before and never had any luck at all with it, although I know others have done it and had good luck.  My problem was no matter how deep I filed the groove, the bands came off.  I would just tip them like you did once already if you didn't want to band.  Good luck


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## happyvagabonds

i totally understand about not cutting too much off. 

what i am asking is that if i persistently maintain trimming her horns, over a period of months, trimming to the quick and filing the edges, will i be able to shorten and dull her horns by another inch or so?

does the blood vessel and nerve endings recede with each trimming as do dog nails?


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## redtailgal

I dont think it will work that way.  The inside of the goats horn is designed a little different, and I just dont think it will die back.


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## manybirds

happyvagabonds said:
			
		

> So i talked to the vet about banding my doe's horns and she emphatically said "No!" she did not suggest it, was not a proponent of it, did not even suggest a vet induced dehorning procedure (so not just saying 'no' for a chance to turn a profit on vet procedure). She suggested that i trim the horns back by about an inch and file them smooth with a dremel, which i had done previously, but only half an inch before and i used a metal file instead of a dremel. (the dremel was MUCH better received, FWIW)
> 
> She showed me where to start my cut, but what i did was wait for a sunny day, then backlit her horns so i could see the bloodline and used a sharpie marker to draw a ring around the safe area to cut. (she has buff colored horns)
> 
> my question is... with dogs, i know that if you trim their nails to the quick, the bloodline (and nerves) recede a bit and with persistent clipping one can "fix" a dog's nails that have been allowed to grow too long over a period of weeks or months.
> 
> is this true with goats as well?
> 
> i am not thinking to trim her horns back to her skull or anything like that... but i would like to reduce them to blunt force weapons rather than stabby weapons. this would require probably another inch or so of removal, i think.
> 
> i have a young doeling that my mature doe pretty much wants to stomp into the ground any time she gets within the 'bubble of proximity'.  she not only uses the base of her horns to ram when given the opportunity, but also uses the tips to hook and every time that happens it just makes me catch my breath and wince, then call the doeling to me to check her out and coo and soothe her poor little self.
> 
> i realize that i could possibly just lop off another inch and deal with the blood,etc, but that seems like it would be painful for my doe and i don't want to cause her any discomfort.
> 
> any comments or suggestions are appreciated... unless you're going to tell me to separate or cull the horned doe. believe me, i have already weighed those options and still do. separation is impossible with my set-up and culling is an emotional decision.
> 
> TIA


I have the exact same problem, i was going to get them surgically removed but i had so many people on here tell me not to do it i decided not to. i'm going to file and band them, i tried once before and it didn't work but then again the grooves wern't great. they really need to go on my boy, before he really hurts one of my doe's. i would try banding if i where. it can't hurt to try.


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## LaneyClark

I have a question on this as well. My Vet burned the buds on my boys. I told him to leave the buds alone if the burners wouldnt work, long story short he burned them anyway and now i have a UNIHORN whether. Its horrible. I fought with the vet over this and he wont honor his work. So now what do I do? My whether is 12 weeks old and looks dorky.  I plan on selling them but this is definately something people are going, uh oh we have to have it removed which means more $$$..  My whethers are Nubians and are more companion goats because I dont see a use for them anyway. I need to sell so I can lessen my herd. Any suggestions?


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## Catahoula

Both our wethers' horns were burned too and now they have deformed horns or scurs. We hope the scurs will stop growing at some point. We have to keep an eye on them making sure they don't grow back into the head. I will not let them grow too long and will trim it as needed. They are only 3.5 months old.


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## PattySh

When I bought my goats I chose dehorned ones and my friend took Sparkle one of their siblings. Sparke had her horns. Well Sparkle ended up here and was fine til age two when she realized she had horns and started to use them on the other goats. I took a castrating band and rolled it down each horn until it "got stuck" in the hair at the base of her horn. I checked it often but they stayed on.The hair seems to hold it in place glad I didn't clip it.  Her horns where over an inch in diameter at the base and it only took about a month for them to fall off. One day they just fell off. She did bleed a little for a few days but nothing serious. It has been a year and she has had less than 1/2 inch of growth so worked great.The only time she seemed uncomfortable was during the period where they fell off. I did slather on fly's off horse ointment when they fell off. She a great milker so I could not part with her.


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