# Torn ear from tag



## Bird Whisperer (Mar 6, 2020)

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been using this site for a couple years and finally made an account to post lol! Anyway, I recently moved from Colorado to Southern California and the vet required ear tags for our goats (4 Nigerian Dwarf and 2 Tenessee fainters). The vet didnt have the plastic scrapie tags and used some metal bands for cattle (not sure if there’s a specific name for it).

Today my mom and I heard our little Nigerian doe screaming from the pen. When we got out to see her, she was bleeding from her ear where tag was (looks like it got caught on something and tore her ear). We used some bolt cutters to clip it off then cleaned/bandaged her ear. We ended up clipping the other goat’s ear tags off to avoid this problem (since we wont be selling these guys).

Now she had a big hole in her ear that looks like an ear gage 😖. is there anything I should do to help it heal/close up a bit? Any advice is appreciated! I’ll try to get pics tomorrow when I change her dressing 😁


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## purplequeenvt (Mar 7, 2020)

It’s not a vet required tag, it’s a federally required tag. Since you have no intention of selling your animals you can get away without having the scrapie tags, just know that if you ever do sell/exhibit/transport them or plan to breed and sell kids, you need to tag them with official scrapie tags.

As for the injured ear, take the dressing off. It’s not going to do much good. You can flush the wound with saline or iodine if it makes you feel better, but quite honestly, it will be fine. She will likely always have a tear in her ear. Cartilage doesn’t have the blood flow of softer tissue and doesn’t heal well.


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## Bird Whisperer (Mar 9, 2020)

@purplequeenvt 
Thank you for the advice! I don't plan on selling any-one, but if I do I'll be sure to get them re-tagged


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## YourRabbitGirl (Mar 10, 2020)

Bird Whisperer said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I’ve been using this site for a couple years and finally made an account to post lol! Anyway, I recently moved from Colorado to Southern California and the vet required ear tags for our goats (4 Nigerian Dwarf and 2 Tenessee fainters). The vet didnt have the plastic scrapie tags and used some metal bands for cattle (not sure if there’s a specific name for it).
> 
> ...


It seems like you accidentally broke your pet's ear, Well, I can't blame you, But I hope you let that be handled by the professionals next time.


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## YourRabbitGirl (Mar 12, 2020)

Bird Whisperer said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I’ve been using this site for a couple years and finally made an account to post lol! Anyway, I recently moved from Colorado to Southern California and the vet required ear tags for our goats (4 Nigerian Dwarf and 2 Tenessee fainters). The vet didnt have the plastic scrapie tags and used some metal bands for cattle (not sure if there’s a specific name for it).
> 
> ...


Ugh..That sounds painful. I hope he didn't had fevers, My goat actually had a fever after that happened. I hope he's fine now.


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## ancient (Apr 8, 2020)

My ram lamb did that last year. Though it was the right plastic tag. Went to go check on the sheep and his ear was ripped clean in half like the split of a snake tongue.  I just sprayed it with an antibacterial  spray and sprayed  him down with a horse fly repellent  spray as it was summer and didnt want the flies coming to the smell of blood. He looks a little funny but didnt cause any problems


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