# Goat udder cut on barbed wire, two day old kids



## Treehuggin Cowgirl (Jun 13, 2012)

Hello,

My first goat just had her kids (twin girls!) two days ago. I was hoping to let them milk naturally, but a neighbors dog just spooked her through a fence. She cut the front of her udder about two inches above the left teat. There's no blood, but it started streaming milk. She's still letting the kids nurse on the other side.

I have a vet appointment at the end of the day, but I figured I should clean it up. I'm used to doctoring horses, but I'm not sure what's safe to using with a milking doe.

If I can clean it up, and it stops leaking, do I need to take her to the vet, or can I just administer antibiotics and tetanus toxoid myself? Can she still feed her kids if I give her these?

Erin


----------



## SheepGirl (Jun 13, 2012)

Treehuggin Cowgirl said:
			
		

> or can I just administer antibiotics and *tetanus toxoid* myself?


You want to get her ANTITOXIN. Tetanus toxoid is the vaccine (long-term protection) whereas the antitoxin is for immediate short-term protection.


----------



## Treehuggin Cowgirl (Jun 13, 2012)

Let's start with this. Is there any reason I shouldn't be cleaning her up with betadine and granulex right now? Can that be dangerous for the kids?


----------



## SheepGirl (Jun 13, 2012)

I am not a goat person, however here is my advice and thoughts:

If the cut is leaking milk, it is probably deep and will likely need stitches. I would pull at least one kid to bottle feed it and then I would use teat tape on her affected half. I would then wash the area with gentle soap and water, then I would spray her wound with iodine to continue to keep it disinfected. Flies are still a problem, at least where I live, so I would put fly spray on it as well (I used ProZap screwworm spray when my ewe lamb got flystrike). I would give her a shot of tetanus antitoxin after cleaning it up.

I would then pen her up with fresh, clean bedding (and plenty of feed & water) until she can see the vet (I assume this vet appointment is for her?).


----------



## SDGsoap&dairy (Jun 13, 2012)

If you don't have an EXPERIENCED goat mentor in your area then this should warrant a vet visit.  The last thing you want is Staph aureus (or any other staph) colonizing the wound.  Mastitis is a serious risk and gangrenous mastitis could permanently ruin your doe's udder.


----------



## Roll farms (Jun 13, 2012)

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> If you don't have an EXPERIENCED goat mentor in your area then this should warrant a vet visit.  The last thing you want is Staph aureus (or any other staph) colonizing the wound.  Mastitis is a serious risk and gangrenous mastitis could permanently ruin your doe's udder.


x2.  Not to mention kill her.


----------



## SDGsoap&dairy (Jun 13, 2012)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> x2.  Not to mention kill her.


Yes indeed.


----------



## Treehuggin Cowgirl (Jun 13, 2012)

Got it. Definitely going to the vet . . . if I can ever catch her again. Any tips on catching a very unwilling to be caught goat who already had her grain ration? Right now I've removed her water bucket, and I'll try to lure her in with in an hour. Luckily the wound isn't looking too bad, so I'm hopeful it'll all be okay.

The babies should be alright at home in an enclosure for a couple of hours, right?

Thanks for all your tips!


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Jun 13, 2012)

yes, babies will be okay by themselves. 

to catch a wild goat or lamb, you need to set up a catch pen or a catch corner were you can walk her around into a smaller space and close her in, or swing a gate around to corner her in.


----------



## ksalvagno (Jun 13, 2012)

Give her some grain. A little extra grain this once to catch her will not hurt anything.


----------



## Bridgemoof (Jun 13, 2012)

If she will follow her kids, pick them up and put them in the enclosed area where she can stay until the vet gets there. Hopefully she will follow.

Good luck!


----------



## secuono (Jun 13, 2012)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> yes, babies will be okay by themselves.
> 
> to catch a wild goat or lamb, you need to set up a catch pen or a catch corner were you can walk her around into a smaller space and close her in, or swing a gate around to corner her in.


Yep, goat sheep, dog, pony, ducks...lol, easy to corral them up than chaise them around like a wolf...which gets you nowhere but ten steps back...


----------



## Treehuggin Cowgirl (Jun 13, 2012)

She'd already eaten enough to not be tempted by grain  I finally used the babies to lure into the spare bathroom of my house. Don't judge  It worked and was much quicker than setting up a new catch pen. I have to take her to the vet (too far out for a last minute house call), but we're on our way. Thanks everyone for your help!


----------



## bonbean01 (Jun 13, 2012)

Hey, whatever works!!!  Good thinking...really hope she'll be okay!!!

Just read way too many injuries to goats and sheep that are related to other people's dogs on the loose...but that's another topic


----------



## Remuda1 (Jun 13, 2012)

Good luck with her! Please let us know what the vet does and says, I've often wondered what the treatment would be for an udder injury.


----------



## Treehuggin Cowgirl (Jun 21, 2012)

I got lucky, and the cut isn't very deep. It was already closed over by the time I got to the vet, and she didn't want to reopen it. She cleaned the outside and gave her some cephapirin in her teat. I was supposed to repeat it the next day and try to keep udder emptied, but let's just say the goat won. Learning to milk on a goat who's never been milked and has an injured udder = trouble.

It started to look swollen yesterday, and I'm having trouble getting a hold of the vet. If I can't reach her, I suppose I'll just go buy some penicillin shots and go from there. If I have to go that route, do I need to pull the babies off? Or is there anything I can sedate her with that's baby safe?


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Jun 21, 2012)

the area around the cut looks swollen or the entire side of her udder?


----------



## Treehuggin Cowgirl (Jun 21, 2012)

Entire side of her udder, but it's not smooth. It looks a bit lumpy near the cut site and there's some redness near the cut site and by her teat.

I'm getting the last few things to complete a milk stand. Hopefully that plus hobbles will make it possible for me to milk it out. Tethering in a corner just isn't doing it.


----------

