# Goat with leg wounds



## bbredmom (Jul 15, 2010)

My pygmy girl Metis apparently tried to climb the fence yesterday and got caught in the barbed wire. I came home to her under the trailer, unresponsive and the wounds hot and oozy.

I pulled her out, got some eletrcolite water in her. She did start to drink on her own and is standing. when my husband got home, he held her while I cleaned the wounds in her legs (punctures) with peroxide, betadine, and then let them air.

Last night we cleaned them again really well, and stuffed them full of neosporin and wrapped them for the night. I made her an oatmeal-molasses mash, and she did eat that. 

This morning I removed the bandages and clenaed them agian, but her legs and belly (a few scratches) are very hot. I've decided I need antibiotics-what should I get? We have a tractor supply 30 minutes away and no goat vet for three hours. 

How well do goats respond to ibuprofen? What can I do to ease her pain?

She is eating sweet feed and water, and standing, but she doesn't move any more than she has to. I've got her on our porch under a fan with another blowing on her.


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## Calliopia (Jul 15, 2010)

If you have asprin you can give her that but no Motrin or Aleve. I was told to give it w/ food as well since it can upset the stomach.  


I was told 1 1/2 adult asprin once a day by my vet but he doesn't have goats so somebody on here may have a better dosage for you. 

My older doe was kicked in the head by a horse this winter and had a fractured cheekbone.  I dosed her w/ PenG and she made it through the winter.  Once we realized what happened and saw the infection she got an initial dose of 12cc and then about 5-6 cc depending on how much she squirmed every day in alternating shoulders.  Couldn't do twice a day as she was being boarded 30 min away and it wasn't possible to get out there twice a day during the week. 

You will also want to give a tetanus anti-toxin since it was barbed wire.


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## bbredmom (Jul 15, 2010)

Ok, she supposedly is UTD on her tetanus, but I dont know for sure, she was more of a rescue situation than a purchase. Its early and my brain isn't working-can I get the anti toxin at TSC, or do I need to call around and find a vet that will give it to me?


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## Calliopia (Jul 15, 2010)

My TSC carries it but they don't all stock the same thing.  And I want to clarify the asprin as that dose was for my 145lb Nubian so that would be roughly 1/2 an adult tablet per 50lbs.


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## bbredmom (Jul 15, 2010)

I called the goat vet three hours away, and they said our "local" one does carry the tetanus, and said I should give her 2cc of Penicillian once a day. And that if she is up eating, dirnking, pooping, peeing, and fightine me, thats a good sign. Her nose is a good temp too.

Ok, I'm off to tsc. Wish us luck.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jul 15, 2010)

Even if she's UTD on her CD/T, still give the tetanus ANTItoxin.  The antitoxin is what you want when there's an open wound.


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## cmjust0 (Jul 15, 2010)

bbredmom said:
			
		

> I called the goat vet three hours away, and they said our "local" one does carry the tetanus, and said I should give her 2cc of Penicillian once a day. And that if she is up eating, dirnking, pooping, peeing, and fightine me, thats a good sign. Her nose is a good temp too.


2ml of Pen 1x/day isn't enough, unless she weighs 15lbs.

The dosage I use, and the one I've seen referred most frequently, is 1ml/15lbs of bodyweight, 2x/day for 7-10 days.  Use an 18ga needle if you can stomach it...a 20ga will work if you can't, but not as well.  A 22ga won't work right.  Particles of Pen in the suspension are big...the smaller the needle the more carrier/less med you get in your syringe.


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## bbredmom (Jul 15, 2010)

I gave her the antitoxin and then 2.5cc of penicillian. Unfortunatly, I bought 22ga and then came home and dosed her. Should I dose her more, or just get a bigger guage needle and do it right after work?

She is lethargic, but eating and drinking. I think she is in a lot of pain, but she can walk and stand. I wish I could do more for her. Our little billy is beside himself not being close to her (she was just in heat a week or so ago) and is sleeping right next to the porch.


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## cmjust0 (Jul 15, 2010)

bbredmom said:
			
		

> I gave her the antitoxin and then 2.5cc of penicillian. Unfortunatly, I bought 22ga and then came home and dosed her. Should I dose her more, or just get a bigger guage needle and do it right after work?
> 
> She is lethargic, but eating and drinking. I think she is in a lot of pain, but she can walk and stand. I wish I could do more for her. Our little billy is beside himself not being close to her (she was just in heat a week or so ago) and is sleeping right next to the porch.


She still got a dose of PenG, but perhaps not the "300,000 units per ML" listed on the bottle.  I'm guessing you probably had to backflush/draw/backflush/draw a few times to get the dosage drawn up, because it would kinda 'stop up' every so often as you were pulling the plunger?...if so, those were the bigger med particles that _would_ have been in the goat but instead are still in the bottle.  

It's not a huge deal when you're talking about one dose, but not something you necessarily want to continue doing.  I'd just be sure to pick up some larger guage needles really soon.

I've found that a 20ga doesn't usually require _much_ backflushing, though occasionally you'll get a sizeable chunk that doesn't want to come through...which is why I typically recommend an 18ga.  You NEVER have to backflush with an 18ga.  They're like stovepipes...I hate'em, but sometimes they're just a necessary evil.  

How much does the goat weigh?  I ask because giving 2.5ml of Pen in one dose is only enough to treat just over 35lbs..  I realize she's pygmy, but...well, I don't have pygmies, so I dunno what they weigh.    Also, make sure she's getting Pen twice a day..


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## bbredmom (Jul 15, 2010)

Ok, I'll have the hubby pick up some 18 gu needles on the way home. I'm not at all squemish about big needles and shots as long as they aren't going into me. 

About two hours after her meds, I honestly thought I was going to see her die. She was laying down on a blanket with a cool pack underher, she has hot, no appetite, nothing. I call the vet to see if I can bring her in, 3 hour drive be dammed, and I turn back around, and she is up wolfing down her grain, drinking like crazy, peeing for about 2 minutes straight, and pooping. Her poop was little pellets, but very, very dry, prolly from yesterday.

I cute her some grass, which she enjoyed, and then she head butted me and acted annoyed. Still very stiff legged, but walking more steady. 

So she's not out of the woods, and I may go home to a dead goat (I had to come into work or I would be in big trouble) but I'm feeling a little better about her.


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## cmjust0 (Jul 15, 2010)

Good that she's got an appetite..  She's probably just hurting pretty bad.  If you could get ahold of some Banamine, that would be awesome.

Not everyone can, though, as it's Rx..  

So...how much does she weigh again?


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## bbredmom (Jul 15, 2010)

Ooops, sorry! She weighs about 35-40 lbs. She's a wee thing, half pygmy half dwarf. Should I do 3 cc 2 times a day just to be safe? Can you over dose on Pen?

I got one ibuprofen down her throat earlier-fiasco farms said to double the human dose, but she coughed up the second pill and bit me when I tried again.


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## glenolam (Jul 15, 2010)

Could you "dissolve" (if possible) the ibuprofen in water or molasses and drench?


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## bbredmom (Jul 15, 2010)

well, the rumen plays hell on the pills as it is, I was just concerned it would get even less if it is dissolved. Anyone else tried this?

Of course, I'm assuming she will be alive when I get home...


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## cmjust0 (Jul 15, 2010)

bbredmom said:
			
		

> Ooops, sorry! She weighs about 35-40 lbs. She's a wee thing, half pygmy half dwarf. Should I do 3 cc 2 times a day just to be safe? Can you over dose on Pen?


I've never heard of O/Ding on Penicillin, but that's not to say it can't happen.

Having said that...3ml 2x/day in a goat that's around 40lbs isn't likely -- at all -- to put you in an O/D situation.  If she were mine, I'd be giving 3mls 2x/day.

Seems I'm inclined to do things like that, though..  



> I got one ibuprofen down her throat earlier-fiasco farms said to double the human dose, but she coughed up the second pill and bit me when I tried again.





> well, the rumen plays hell on the pills as it is, I was just concerned it would get even less if it is dissolved. Anyone else tried this?


When I was without banamine, I punctured quite a few advil 'liqui-gel' capsules and squirted the contents into water, then drenched a goat with it.  Like, routinely, several times a day for a few days.  I have no idea as to whether or not it was all that effective, to be perfectly frank, it was kinda one of those "to hell with it" situations.

I did that because I couldn't make him take the pill, and I didn't want to get my fingers bitten off either.  So, I feel yer pain -- literally.

All I can tell you that he didn't die from it.  That's not to say his liver wasn't screaming "STOP DOING THAT!" everytime I drenched him with it, but....well, he lived.  

On a side note, if you happen to do that -- which I'm _not necessarily recommending_, mind you -- but if you do, watch the advil liquid closely when it hits the water.  It dances around for a few seconds.  I have no idea why, but I'm sure it's some kind of chemical reaction taking place.  It's both mildly amusing, but slightly unnerving all at once.


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## bbredmom (Jul 21, 2010)

So we had a few rough spots over the weekend. She'll be great in the morning, but if we let her out in the yard for too long, she gets exhausted and lays down wherever she is, which is usually in the dirt. I'm keeping her leg punctures wrapped during the day to prevent flies, but the downside to that is I think the wounds are getting irritated from the bandages.

But her fever is gone, there is no more puss, and the old dead skin is flaking off and new skin is growing. She's getting around really well, she just gets tired. And she can't jump very well. I'm wondering if scar tissue on her knee joints will prevent anymore climbing or jumping attempts?

I did have to give her a huge dose of anti toxin ontop of the normal dose Friday night. It too was one of those "What the hell do I have to lose at this point" and in the morning she was fine. And I was giving her 3ml/2x a day every day until Sunday, and now I've backed off to 3ml once a day.

We have to go to St. Louis this weekend, so I think we are goign to set her up in our old 8x12 dog kennel in the shade with plenty of water, grain, and green stuff for saturday and sunday.


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## bbredmom (Aug 11, 2010)

Just thought I'd update and let everyone know that Metis is doing GREAT!

No stiffness in her joints, she's healed up very well and slowly, although she will always have some crazy scars. 

She's "adopted" the new kid that we rescued last night, which gives me good hopes for her future as a mom. Although she has four nipples. Weird.

Thanks for all the help!


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