# Advice please- goat horn injury



## westtxmom (Apr 9, 2011)

I really need some advice, please. My goat just pulled the outer layer of his horn off. The inside "pulp"(don't know the correct word) of the horn is still there. The horn isn't broken, it's "shed" and what is left sort of looks like antlers that have just shed their velvet. He is not bleeding but it does look pretty moist, like it's oozing a little blood and stuff. I called my Vet but he said "if he's still eating and he's not bleeding then quit worrying, it's a goat." I don't trust that advice but the next Vet is 2 hours travel. Are horns sensitve, might he be in pain? I don't want to neglect him. Do I need to treat to avoid infection or give him something for pain? This is my first goat and I am lost!


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## helmstead (Apr 10, 2011)

OUCH!

Yes, that inner layer has nerve endings - that has got to be like one big exposed nerve.  Poor thing!

Search around on here, you can give children's advil...I use banamine, but others here have used the advil.

I would be trying to devise a way to wrap the horn that's left.  How big is it?  I would think keeping the air off of it would be a good idea...


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Apr 10, 2011)

What exactly does your vet mean by "it's a goat?"  I don't have a veterinary degree so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure goats experience pain like any other animal.  If that was a dog with its skull exposed he'd tell you to bring it in right away for bloodwork, anesthesia, and surgery.  And bring your wallet, mmmkay? 

This time of year I'd be concerned about flies.  I don't have any experience with that type of injury, but I wonder if liquid bandage might seal it to protect it from flies and debris?  I'd want to give banamine as well and try to figure out how to keep it clean and dry until it heals.


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## Goatherd (Apr 10, 2011)

Would a tetanus anti toxoid injection be appropriate?


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Apr 10, 2011)

Goatherd said:
			
		

> Would a tetanus anti toxoid injection be appropriate?


Yes, if he's not previously vaccinated for C/D&T or needs a booster this would be a good time to do it.  Toxoid is what you'd give as a vaccine/booster though, not antitoxin.


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## elevan (Apr 10, 2011)

You've already been given good advice.

If you cannot get the banamine...the dosage for children's liquid ibuprofen is 2x the dosage listed for humans by weight.  I would only do for a couple of days at most though because it can mess up the liver.


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## westtxmom (Apr 11, 2011)

Thank you all for the suggestions, information and advice. I went to my feed store to see what I could get there and the boy that helped me has been raising goats with 4H for several years and his parents have goats. He introduced me to his mom and she showed me how to clean and bandage his horn and told me what antibiotic and pain medicine to request from the Vet. She even called the Vet for me and told him that she was sending me by to pick up what I needed. I have learned that people who care for goats are very generous of spirit and willing to help! 
Thank you all again! My goat is doing well, except he doesn't really care for the shots, but he let's me give them...


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## cmjust0 (Apr 12, 2011)

It will eventually dry up.  Back in the day when I was slightly more squeamish about disbudding than I am now, I did a half*ss job on one and she grew a tiny little horn..  Then one day, the leatheryish outside of the horn popped off and left just what you describe -- a bloody, pulpy lookin bone nubbin.  It oozed blood for days, and if you tried to touch it, she'd beat the snot out of ya..  Flies..  The whole nine. 

Looking back, what I probably should have done was taken great care to shield her eyes and hit that nubby with 7% iodine to scorch those blood vessels and dry it up...and probably kill those nerve endings, too.  Nerves can't live without blood, afterall..  

Granted, I can't imagine what that would *feel like* to the goat, but these days, I'm less interested in how they'll feel now and more interested in doing what's going to help them the most in the long run.

Bear in mind that I'm not necessarily advising anything here..  I'm just sorta saying...hey, I've seen this, it resolved to a dry, non-sensitive bone nubby with little intervention on my part, and my goat's still kickin.


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