abscess

[cmjust0]

Loss of hair on the spot is not a good sign. Does not look in the pictures like he is pulling the hair to the side, it looks like the absess has lost hair.

Why do you believe lost hair to be not a good sign? What do you think it's a sign of? Are you thinking it's CL or something?

In my experience, when the hair slips off an abscess, that just means it's about ready to pop.

 

[samplekasi]

I have never delt with anything like this.

I am going from my own experience, information from my vet, while not all that trained in Dairy goats, is the only vet around for 30 miles that works with goats of any sort that I have been able to find, I spoke with one livestock vet and he aswked what CAE and CL were,my vet is BIG with the meat goat and sheep farmers.

Why do you believe lost hair to be not a good sign? What do you think it's a sign of? Are you thinking it's CL or something?

In my experience, when the hair slips off an abscess, that just means it's about ready to pop.

The OP seems to be someone that is observant to his herd, to find a lump like this on the leg of a buck in winter fur, when it was the size of a penny.

CL abssess get much larger much quicker and while he did not say how long it had been I would assume he would have been fairly quickly as he seemed worried at this point.

I added a few links for him in my previous posts to research this. I do not want to be the bad guy but I do want him to use proper precautions in the case it is CL. If based on the interpretation of the original responders location just told him to go ahead and cut it open according to his # of posts and his explanation that he had never dealt with anything like this before I think that he should be educated about the possibilities.

If it is not CL great if it is and he comes in contact with it and spreads it through out his herd not so great.

TO OP: I hope that you would do you own research about CL and the possible but not the only areas that it can be seen in and make your own decision.

 

[cmjust0]

The OP seems to be someone that is observant to his herd, to find a lump like this on the leg of a buck in winter fur, when it was the size of a penny.

Yep, and good on him.

CL abssess get much larger much quicker and while he did not say how long it had been I would assume he would have been fairly quickly as he seemed worried at this point.

Much larger much quicker than what? Than simple superficial abscesses?

If that's what you're saying, I'd have to disagree.. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to learn of a superficial abscess that went from the size of a penny to a quarter in a day or two.

We had a doe recently who had an abscess on her lip. She went from being perfectly fine late one night to her lip being swollen out about 1" from normal the very next afternoon. Surprisingly, it began to drain on its own by the next evening so I had to squeeze it out.. It was back to near-normal the next day, and the day after...you'd never have known there was a problem unless you looked reeeeally hard for a scab.

I added a few links for him in my previous posts to research this. I do not want to be the bad guy but I do want him to use proper precautions in the case it is CL. If based on the interpretation of the original responders location just told him to go ahead and cut it open according to his # of posts and his explanation that he had never dealt with anything like this before I think that he should be educated about the possibilities.

If it is not CL great if it is and he comes in contact with it and spreads it through out his herd not so great.

I don't think anybody advised that he drain it, then deep fry the proceeds to medium rare and serve with a nice sour cream/horseradish sauce or anything..

Lancing, draining, flushing, and giving tetanus antitoxin are all protocol for CL knots, too. Like Roll said, it never hurts to be careful about disposing of the exudate when lancing any abscess, and I agree.. I guess I'm just not sure where you're getting the notion that anybody's suggesting otherwise.. I know I didn't. Roll didn't...

I don't get it..

 

[txgoatfarmer]

It started before august of 09...

Its about where the blue spot is..
I am trying to find a vet but have talked to 2 goat owners and they have told me to just let it bust on its own but I'm going to lance it I just wanted to make sure it is alright. I cut some of the hair off in the other photo but before he had hair on it.

 

[cmjust0]

Oh hell..

That's not a knee, bud...that's the stifle joint, and we're in a whole different ballgame now.

Where you highlighted actually is a possible CL location. You're gonna wanna lance that (or have a vet do it) for sure before it bursts, and definitely have it cultured to see what you're dealing with. I'd say it's a toss up right now, at best.

Something else I'd personally go ahead and do right quick -- like, right this minute -- is order some Case-Bac from Jeffers Livestock or Valley Vet or somebody and have it on the way.. There's some controversy over vaccinating against CL with a sheep vaccine, but lots and lots of producers out there are doing it with success. I've read studies showing it to be about 80% effective against external abscesses, and upward of 90% effective on internals..

At least that way you've got some kinda chance at protecting the rest of your herd.

Keep us posted.

 

[txgoatfarmer]

ok well I thought that was the knee cause it moves like a joint. but ok I don't know..

what do I do with the puss cause right now I'm not going to be able to get it to a vet. can I freeze it?

 

[Roll farms]

Seperate that goat NOW, he's fixing to pop.... and I'll be you dollars to donuts that is CL.

Sorry, trust me, I know how bad it sucks to find it in your herd.

Lots of goat farmers 'just let it bust' and that's EXACTLY why CL is spreading...some don't care, and other's won't admit they have it,
they just sell the goats w/out warning anyone.

Grrrr....sorry for ranting, but it's that behavior that causes well-intentioned people to get "stuck" w/ CL goats in the first place.

If that is the ONLY lump on the place, I'd cull that boy ASAP, vaccinate everyone, and remove the worry before you have it.

That's a shame, he's a gorgeous buck....

Good luck.

 

[samplekasi]

PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS BURST ON ITS OWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At this point there are a few more ?s

How did you aquire this goat ? If bought from a breeder did you purchase any of your other goats from the same place?

Is he housed with any other goats? Have you looked over all your other goats?

Has this absess been continual since August or has it come and gone possibly bursting on your property?

I really hate it that this happened to you. I know the heartache of losing an animal from CL as well as from CAE. I guess I had the word I am a newbie written all over when I first got my patched together herd. I now have a CL free ( tested though not 100% reliable, and the animal I put down had only ever been housed with one other animal on my property ) and as soon as kidding season is over there will be 2 does that are CAE + culled (fatally) . I have been able to seperate, segregate, and cull and finally get a herd that will be healthy, and have learned alot from my experiences.

 

[txgoatfarmer]

Ok I lanced it and got everything I could get out until blood came out on its own. Today he isn't putting a lot of weight on his left back leg. It looks s little swollen today. Is this all normal?

 

[txgoatfarmer]

Oh and kasi to answer your questions...

I got him from a small breeder that was breeding for 4h purpose and wanted to get rid of him because the bloodline.

I didn't get any other goat from the breeder..I've had him for 1 year.

I did have him housed with the nannies and I haven't looked them over yet but haven't noticed anything unusual.

his abscess has been continual since august and hasn't bust.

how long does cl last in the soil cause I've read that it only last a couple of months.