# Limping doeling -



## isra (Mar 5, 2020)

Hi friends- 

My 5 week old doeling, whom we named Norbert(a) - Bertie for short, cried out the other day (Tuesday) and when I looked outside all the goats (mama and Dobby- the wether) were all startled and just standing there- the doeling was holding up her front leg and looked like she may have slipped (and maybe stepped on?) because she was a bit wet.






So I called the vet and they said I could bring her in to do an X-ray but I have racked up over 1000$ in vet bills the last month so I opted to watch her for a day and see if it improved. 

I don’t think it’s broken- she doesn’t whine or cry if I “examine” her leg. I can’t keep her penned up all day because she’s nursing and mama wants to be out. They are penned up for about 12 hours though. 

Bertie is running eating playing jumping but sometimes just on her three legs but is tenderly putting weight on her hurt leg- limping like someone who has a sprained ankle.

Advice? Take her to the vet just in case? Wrap it? Don’t wrap it? She can extend and retract just fine. No hot spots or swelling that I could see or feel.


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## B&B Happy goats (Mar 5, 2020)

I  have experienced  a similar  issue before and wrapped the area for support, ( not too tight) and our goat kid was fine after three days....Bertie sure is a cute kid.


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## isra (Mar 5, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> I  have experienced  a similar  issue before and wrapped the area for support, ( not too tight) and our goat kid was fine after three days....Bertie sure is a cute kid.



Thank you for letting me know! Any chance you have a picture of your wrapping technique? Do I just wrap it around her leg or focus on knee ? 🤔 

And yes, she’s such a joy 💛


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## B&B Happy goats (Mar 5, 2020)

isra said:


> Thank you for letting me know! Any chance you have a picture of your wrapping technique? Do I just wrap it around her leg or focus on knee ? 🤔
> 
> And yes, she’s such a joy 💛


You can feel  her leg  and see if she reacts to a light touching... then move to a firmer pressure to locate the area that is causing her pain.
. I would suspect the problem isn't  in the knee if she still is that active...check her hoof for anything cut.....I don't  wrap a joint unless I believe it is part of the problem, but if you do have to wrap it , make sure it's  not too tight . Check it several times a day and make sure the hoof/foot area has good blood flow and there is no swelling. 
It's  your judgement call here if she needs the support of the wrap to help her heal for just a few days (2)...(3 ?)
If she isn't  better within a day after you remove the wrap, you may want to consider a vet visit .....this is just how I treat a leg injury, others may do it differently


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## isra (Mar 15, 2020)

Sigh. Doeling broke her leg today. 

Bertie got caught in my wethers horns today (likely jumping on him when he was napping) and he stood up and she was stuck. And he threw her off (she was screaming and he freaked out- he has always been very good/gentle with her) and she broke her leg - hoof turned the wrong way and everything :/ 

Just got home from vets- they set it and super splinted it and supposed to go back in a week to resplint. 

any advice? They mentioned maybe a screw (surgical) would help heal faster but not if near growth plate. 

They mentioned a cast. 

Pros cons?

Is she supposed to be immobilized completely? She’s in the pen with her mom now. But worried her mom will step on her leg or something  

Feel like I left with a lot of questions and worry but he had two other baby goats arrive at the same time with broken legs and I felt bad taking up his time. 

Any advice or your own experiences will help a lot. I just feel like she can’t even get around or move properly because her leg is fully splinted and extended so it drags a little. 

I’ll grab a photo when I go down there again to check on her. 

Sigh.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Mar 15, 2020)

Honest no ideal, but poor baby. I can only think of maybe fashioning some think to attach to her so she can get around while waitingv for it to heal. I would do a surgery on a goat they don't handle sedation well. I would say cast/ splint and keep her to were it can't be used and I know this is mean but she needs to be away from the other goats as  they head but and can hurt her even more bottle feeding time if she was mine. Milk momma feed baby kinda of deal.


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## frustratedearthmother (Mar 16, 2020)

Did she break her front leg or back?  I had a doe that broke a back leg some years ago.  Trip to the vet where they sedated her lightly so they could set the leg properly and cast it.  I was told to keep her in a small area.  I grabbed one of her buddies and they both went into a 6 x 6 pen.  This silly goat bounced off the walls in that pen- running and jumping just for fun.  Two weeks later back to the vet for more x-rays and very little healing.  She ended up staying in a cast for 10+ weeks.  She healed slowly but she healed.  When the cast finally came off her leg was a tiny bit crooked...but 3 or 4 months later you couldn't even tell which leg it was.    Some time later she was bred, delivered a doeling and became a very willing little milker.   She has since gone to a new home with her best friend and last I heard she had triplets for her new owners.


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## isra (Mar 16, 2020)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Did she break her front leg or back?  I had a doe that broke a back leg some years ago.  Trip to the vet where they sedated her lightly so they could set the leg properly and cast it.  I was told to keep her in a small area.  I grabbed one of her buddies and they both went into a 6 x 6 pen.  This silly goat bounced off the walls in that pen- running and jumping just for fun.  Two weeks later back to the vet for more x-rays and very little healing.  She ended up staying in a cast for 10+ weeks.  She healed slowly but she healed.  When the cast finally came off her leg was a tiny bit crooked...but 3 or 4 months later you couldn't even tell which leg it was.    Some time later she was bred, delivered a doeling and became a very willing little milker.   She has since gone to a new home with her best friend and last I heard she had triplets for her new owners.




Thank you guys for your replies- it makes me feel so much better! 

She seems much better today than last night. Trying to get out of the pen 🙄 

I still have mama in there with her but will let mama out to graze in a little while and keep her penned up. 

It’s her back leg- they didn’t cast it (said the splint and wrap should be sufficient)


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## Jesusfreak101 (Mar 16, 2020)

Lol just don't forget goats are drama queens ×10 one of my does i accidently trimmed her hoof a bit to shoot for close to a month she refused to walk on that leg ..i would catch her using it from the window but if she saw me she would limp then cry like it was killing her lol i would go back in and she was jumping and running like nothing was wrong. The turkey. Lol


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## frustratedearthmother (Mar 16, 2020)

Better a back leg than a front.  They carry more of their weight on the front end.  She's young enough that she'll probably heal just fine.  Good luck!


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## isra (Mar 16, 2020)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> Lol just don't forget goats are drama queens ×10 one of my does i accidently trimmed her hoof a bit to shoot for close to a month she refused to walk on that leg ..i would catch her using it from the window but if she saw me she would limp then cry like it was killing her lol i would go back in and she was jumping and running like nothing was wrong. The turkey. Lol




Lol! Yes, I have seen the drama from all the goats haha.


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## isra (Mar 16, 2020)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Better a back leg than a front.  They carry more of their weight on the front end.  She's young enough that she'll probably heal just fine.  Good luck!


Thank you! 

She seems so much better today. Wanting out of the pen. Walking and dragging her injured leg, standing up on her hind legs (which makes me so nervous Bc her bone was clean snapped in half). 

Mama (Lumos) and Dobby (step-wether-dad) don’t want to leave her in there by herself (she cries when they’re out of sight) so they all just hang out by the barn with the doors open so they can see her in her pen. It’s gonna be a long 6 weeks but worth it if shes Ok at the end of it all. 

I’m just counting the days til her follow up Saturday- just want to make sure it’s set right and healing.  






Mama Lumos and Baby Bertie hiding her cast. (Don’t mind my makeshift water pot)


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## isra (Mar 23, 2020)

*update* 

So we went to the vet Saturday for a checkup and they did xrays (for free this time! I think they feel bad for me) just to make sure healing is going well. Everything looked good but Bertie was running a little fever so she got antibiotics and more Banamine. She got a new splint/wrap etc, and the nurse drew a heart (they love her). 

She’s been her bouncy self lately just sick of being penned up. Vet said I could wait two weeks before comin back for bandage change- so hopefully that’ll keep costs down. 

Mama Lumos and Dobby have been attentive and keeping her company whether she’s in the pen in the barn or the outdoor pen I threw together so she can be around them while they graze and such. 

Hope you’re all staying safe and healthy! 

Pics below.


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## isra (Mar 30, 2020)

So it just seems like one thing after another these days. My vet re-wrapped Bertie’s leg last weekend and took xrays- they covered the whole hoof this time whereas the first splint left the front of her hoof exposed to make sure it wasn’t too tight, and had air. 

So last week Wednesday/Thursday I called because she dunked it in the water bucket somehow and it was wet and it wasn’t sunny or warm so I didn’t think it’d dry on it’s own- and they told me they didn’t have any available time til SATURDAY (this past Saturday) even though I told her it’s definitely wet and asked if I should try to cut it open so it can dry- she said no. so I go on Saturday for them to rewrap- and her hoof has softened (like a fingernail that has been wet for a long time) 

Sigh. 

They put some stuff to harden it- wrapped it so it’s exposed this time and it can “dry out” 

yesterday, Sunday morning, I checked and her hoof didn’t smell good and looked like a dark, mushy mess. So back to the vet (who told me his office shouldn’t have made me wait til Saturday with a wet bandage) - sigh. He said her hoof May fall off and will regrow- 

She had a fever and her leg was also warm where the break is so antibiotics round 2 and some banamine - 

This morning her hoof looks pretty gross still, but she’s trying to run jump etc- which is making me nervous bc I feel like she could rip off part or all of her very very soft gooey hoof. 

Has anyone had experience with this before?? 

It’s not hoof rot- he said that looks different and that rinses/etc wouldn’t work or be good for her hoof. 

I was pretty upset with them (and myself- I should’ve insisted on going same day, I’m not one to be shy) it’s not cheap or close to go there and it’s not easy especially with work and kids at home and everything closed and covid 19 etc etc.  blah. 


 /rant.


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## frustratedearthmother (Mar 30, 2020)

Don't blame you for being upset! Hope things go better from here on out.


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## isra (Mar 30, 2020)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Don't blame you for being upset! Hope things go better from here on out.


Me too! I just need a little bit of good news.


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## isra (Mar 30, 2020)

Sigh. Back to the vet tonight for an overnight stay and reassessment of her hoof. 





I really feel like they overtightened her splint Saturday after they saw her mushy hoof and for 24 hours she was not getting adequate blood flow until last night when the other doctor replaced and assessed her hoofs deterioration. This pic was Saturday after our vet visit (3pm) . Hoof is still hoof-like. 




Next morning, Sunday, half of it seemed darkened but I thought it was the stuff he put on it to help harden it and later it was both sides (above photo) and that’s when I took her in again. 

So now we have broken leg, mushy hoof, and potential blood supply issue that they don’t know will return. Oh and fever and potential infection. Oh. and they mentioned amputation tonight. Double sigh. 

I am so upset. I feel like I could’ve splinted her broken leg myself and it would’ve been a better outcome than this. But I obviously couldn’t and didn’t. 

I want to call them out on how they created this nightmare within a nightmare  but waiting bc I don’t want to piss off the people who are supposedly saving my pets quality of life and because I don’t feel like it will change the outcome for Bertie 😔 

Getting goats is one of the first things in my life I’ve done solely for myself after caring for and prioritizing others and their dreams and needs. I moved and bought a house that had to be completed gutted bc this neighborhood has no HOA and lots of land for being in the city and I can have goats here.  So after Luna and her baby died a couple months ago and now the progression (regression)  of Bertie’s leg issues, I feel like giving up. The universe is screaming at me and I just can’t hear it. 

Sorry for the Debbie downer vibes. 

In peppier news- Bertie couldn’t care less about her leg or hoof. She was trying to run back and forth in her pen all day, jumping, literally bouncing off the walls and yelling at her mom to come back and keep her company when she’d wander off.


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## frustratedearthmother (Mar 30, 2020)

Oh holy crap!  Nightmare is right!  So sorry you're having to deal with this...


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## thistlebloom (Mar 31, 2020)

So sorry for the cascading bad news. Maybe you could have taken care of it yourself, but as you say, that ship has sailed.
I hope Bertie has a turn for the better. I'm glad she is active and behaving like a goat kid, that seems in her favor anyway.


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## YourRabbitGirl (Mar 31, 2020)

isra said:


> Hi friends-
> 
> My 5 week old doeling, whom we named Norbert(a) - Bertie for short, cried out the other day (Tuesday) and when I looked outside all the goats (mama and Dobby- the wether) were all startled and just standing there- the doeling was holding up her front leg and looked like she may have slipped (and maybe stepped on?) because she was a bit wet.
> 
> ...


Yeah, mine too, her poops were usual, her appetite was good, and she was drinking water while I was out there. Since I didn't note the limp until I was finishing up the treatment of the animal in the morning, I didn't take the thermometer down with me.


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## isra (Mar 31, 2020)

Heard from the vet this morning they discussed Bertie at their large animal meeting and were supposed to do joint examination with all the large animal vets. 

Haven’t heard anything further since then. They’re closed now so i assume Bertie is staying the night again tonight. 

I spoke to my friend who is an ortho doctor (for humans) and with my goat farmer (meat farmer) friend and with another large animal vet in detail, and they all said it seems like my vets are doing what they should and can and that it’s hard to say if it was overly tight wrap or combination of issues. 

But we’ll see. Trying to stay in a positive headspace and be ok with any outcome that allows Bertie a chance to grow and live and enjoy herself. 

I feel bad for Mama Lumos, she’s been yelling all day (and night) and leaking milk everywhere and getting my wether Dobby all riled up.


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## isra (Apr 1, 2020)

they called yesterday evening and told me Bertie doesn’t have sensation below the break (blood supply issues). They don’t think it’ll return and her leg and foot below the break are cool to the touch :/ 

So they’re recommending amputation. 

I am cycling between extreme pessimism and forced optimism. 

I know they can do well on three legs, I just assume any complication that can arise, will. 

Anyone had amputations done on any of their four legged friends?


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 1, 2020)

Sorry about Bertie, that news stinks....I haven't  had amputation on any goat but wished I had after  one had a broken leg we wrapped and broke it more during the night...we had to put her down the next day...Bertie is special and with your care and love should do great on three legs. I realise this may not be the life you wanted for Bertie, but Bertie is so darn cute, even with three legs Bertie is a star    ...and I am a Bertie fan !


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## isra (Apr 1, 2020)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Sorry about Bertie, that news stinks....I haven't  had amputation on any goat but wished I had after  one had a broken leg we wrapped and broke it more during the night...we had to put her down the next day...Bertie is special and with your care and love should do great on three legs. I realise this may not be the life you wanted for Bertie, but Bertie is so darn cute, even with three legs Bertie is a star    ...and I am a Bertie fan !




Thank you so much! 

Will keep you guys posted- whether you want updates or not 

Definitely a lot to be learned from these resilient animals. 

Just want her back home and healthy.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 1, 2020)

My opinion is that she will adapt marvelously to 3 legs.
I remember an article a long, long, time ago in a stock magazine (I think) about an Australian Cattle Dog that accidentally got in the way of the hay mower and ended up losing two legs on the same side of his body. He recovered very well and still worked cattle and jumped up in the pickup! 
A dog not a goat of course, but goats are so athletic to begin with, and just contrary enough to beat the odds.
I think you are allowed a heaping cupful of optimism for Bertie.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Apr 1, 2020)

my biggest thought is how much is this all gonna cost.... that's alot of care she receiving which is great but you can only do what you can also afford to do. At this rate i would be freaking out personally. I would be discussing the cost and all the details to get as much information i could. And what discount they will to give for adding to the issues with demanding you wait and wrapping to tight. Granted it could have been the break that might have cause the blood flow issues but i would thought they would have noticed that to began with. I think your doing a great thing for her. I would just say make sure you aren't going to spend past what you can.


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## isra (Apr 1, 2020)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> my biggest thought is how much is this all gonna cost.... that's alot of care she receiving which is great but you can only do what you can also afford to do. At this rate i would be freaking out personally. I would be discussing the cost and all the details to get as much information i could. And what discount they will to give for adding to the issues with demanding you wait and wrapping to tight. Granted it could have been the break that might have cause the blood flow issues but i would thought they would have noticed that to began with. I think your doing a great thing for her. I would just say make sure you aren't going to spend past what you can.




Sigh, yea. I’m definitely not made of money. I’m a single mom with two kids (though their dad has them half of the time). And I was unemployed for 3 solid months up until last week. 

However, I’m financially sound and responsible and have funds available. And I truly believe that it’s my responsibility once I’ve taken an animal in my care to do what is in my power to care for them. And even if I was broke, I’d ask them for a payment plan. I couldn’t justify putting her down because it would create a financial burden on me. I’ve taken on so many financial burdens over the years for people (family and friends) who have never given me the comfort or joy that these goats have given me. 

I do plan on speaking with the practice manager and discussing all the complications and issues that  resulted in many more office visits and treatment. 

I appreciate the advice. I do want to find out how a blood supply issue could begin suddenly 2 weeks after a break that has been set. And right after a resplint that then took just 24 hours to deteriorate so badly. Sigh. Like, how do you examine and resplint and treat a leg 24 hours before it starts blackening and is cold but you didn’t notice a single symptom of Blood supply issues at the appointment the day before. No way. It had to be a combo of wet leg that had small cut (opening for bacteria which prob caused her recent infection which caused swelling at the break and couple that with a tight wrap which cut supply off to her lower leg and hoof. 

Amputations are excessively expensive. 1000-1500 probably. (They said they did one recently that was a larger goat but it was about 1300). 

I just want to feel like it’s fair. Even if it’s expensive, I feel like if they’re fair about my prior visits and credits for wasting my time and mental health, I’ll be ok. 

The nurse did tell me today there wasn’t an invoice (for Sunday-today’s exams and treatments) 🙄😒

And the owner of the place is the one doing the surgery so I don’t want to bring this up just yet- because i am doing the surgery regardless.  

💛


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## isra (Apr 1, 2020)

I went and saw Bertie earlier. They’ve nicknamed her trouble and had to bring her inside to the kennel area with the dogs “because she was being so loud.”

my thousand dollar goat 🙂


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## isra (Apr 5, 2020)

Went and saw Bertie with the kiddos yesterday since they’ll be with their dad tomorrow when she has surgery. 

She’s in great spirits and seems like she’s gotten spoiled during her time at the vets office  







We took some raisins and stayed til they closed (kids request). Then watched all the videos of three legged animals that we could find when we got home. 

Nervous about tomorrow. But ready for her to be unburdened. 

Spoken to a human ortho doctor, my goat farmer friend and two other large animal vets (one of which runs the large animal office at NC state veterinary school) and all seem onboard with what my vet is sayin in terms of next steps (Even though they also didn’t understand how it could deteriorate so quickly from Saturday to Sunday to the point of needing amputation). 

Say a little prayer (or burn a little sage or whatever) tomorrow morning for our little Bertie! 

<3 

Will keep you guys posted!


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## isra (Apr 6, 2020)

Surgery went well- vet (owner) called earlier this afternoon and said that he was glad we went forward with amputation after he saw what was going on from the inside. She had dark blood in the area of her break where it wasn’t oxygenated enough. 

I asked for a photo since I won’t be able to see her today. 

Poor little baby. Can’t wait til she’s back with her mama.





My daughter and I deep cleaned their barn yesterday afternoon so it’s nice and fresh for her return. 

May leave her at the vet for another night or two just to make sure her wound is healing and everything is as it should be.


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 6, 2020)

get better sweet Bertie girl .....


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## isra (Apr 8, 2020)

Look who’s feeling better  

bottom pic is 24 hours after surgery (and shows the incision and such in case you’re queasy) and the top photo is from earlier today (48 hours post surgery). 

She’s back to her sweet Bertie self (minus a leg). She definitely does not appreciate the cone. But walking and running and pretty agile for a goat in recovery from major surgery. 

We take her home Friday and we’re gonna try to keep her inside with us for a week or so - ordered suspenders and a friend donated leftover size 7 diapers and have some old T-shirt’s that we will fashion to just keep her incision covered so she doesn’t have to wear her e-collar. 

But if mama hears her it’ll be a pen in the barn to keep all the stress levels down  

Everyone very pleased with her peppy attitude today. 

Had a talk with the kids about how different doesn’t mean less than. Or just because something changes doesn’t mean it can’t be a new kind of beautiful or a new “normal.” They seemed much happier after being able to see her and see that she’s still very much herself.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 8, 2020)

Yay Bertie! She looks very perky and well for what she's been through.


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 9, 2020)

Awe Bertie,  ...you are one sweetheart


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## isra (Apr 12, 2020)

Bertie is back home 





She spent the first night inside with the cats (who were not happy about being cooped up with her all night). 

And reunited with mama Lumos and Dobby the next morning 




We tried all the cones to keep this very bendy goat from reaching her incision (since the medium elizasoft collar wasn’t big enough even though the vet said it would be 😒 ) - 













But the elizasoft M/L 8.5” that the vet *finally* provided was JUST RIGHT (after exhausting all options at pet stores around).









Incision looks good  checking twice a day minimum (more like ten times a day). She’s eating well, stealing milk from an unamused Lumos when she can  and trying to play with Dobby through her pen. 

Follow up this week and stitches out next week (although they are the dissolving kind so I dunno that it’s necessary- rather they stay in as long as possible anyway). 

 and a bonus pic of Billy the cat who isn’t supposed to be out over the rails and Dobby who isn’t supposed to be on the AC unit.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 12, 2020)

She's adorable. I'm glad to hear you have her home now. That's a very healthy looking surgery site.
That's a cute picture of your cat and Dobby, doing what goats do best. 😄


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 13, 2020)

Bertie, you are a awesome girl ! So happy to have you back at home with your family........


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## isra (May 4, 2020)

Bertie has her stitches out a couple weeks ago (see bottom pic) and it has since healed up completely. 

I’ve been keeping her in a bigger outdoor area that’s still separate from the others (out of caution since she’s still prob 50 pounds smaller than my wether) but the last few days she’s protested ALL day very loudly. So she’s been out about 6-7 hours a day with her mom and Dobby. 

She’s faster than them both on three legs. 

I asked the other kids if they were still sad about her losing her leg and they both smiled and said no. How could we be sad if she was just so happy all the time. 

<3


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## B&B Happy goats (May 4, 2020)

Way to go Bertie ....  keep everybody  on their toes trying to keep up with you


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## thistlebloom (May 5, 2020)

Yay Bertie!


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