Amputate or not?

[elevan]

If he could survive with the legs still attached, I'd leave them.

and if he can lead a happy, mostly healthy life that way.

Just make sure that you're prepared for the challenges that will come your way with this special needs goat.

I wish you the best. Please keep us posted.

 

[KermitWC]

What I have learned (from raising a special needs chick this year) is that you have to think of everything you are doing with the chicken (in your case goat) as a baby and then think how you are going to accomidate the animals needs as an adult.

Ask yourself these questions:
-How will you be able to bring your goat outside when he is an adult and too heavy to carry?
-Where is he going to live as an adult? (Meaning, do you have enough room to accomidate a 100+ pounds goat inside your house)
-What if you go away, who will bring the hay and grain to him?

These are just questions that will help you decide on what is best for him. I'm not saying to put him down, I'm just saying that everything you are doing now, you have to think of doing for him as an adult.
Carrying a 30lbs kid outside is one thing, but lugging a 100+ lbs goat is another.

Raising special needs animals is anything but a walk in the park. As long as he is eating, drinking and not in any pain and will be able to live a healthy, happy lifestyle then don't put him down.

Maybe you can get him some sort of "knee pads" for his knees.

At the end of the day, nobody knows what is best for him more then you do.

I wish you the best of luck with him.

Coco is able to scoot all over and that includes outside. I do worry about his knees so I do tend to carry him. He is able to due much with his back legs. This evening he wanted on the couch and was begging me to go on. I had to do something in the kitchen first and when I returned h was laying on the couch as pleased as could be.

I am looking t a cart that I could use to bring him outside when needed.

I have plenty of room for him to live inside. I may have to donate my computer room to him. I already have several care takers to help when I am not around.

 

[KermitWC]

When you say that "people" have suggested that you have both his front legs amputated, what people do you mean?

You may have a hard time finding a vet that would do that sort of surgery for you. Many will just refuse.

My concern with having both the front legs removed is about his digestion. A three legged animal still stands upright enough that its not a problem, but without any front legs, the front end will be considerably lower than the back end, causing digestion to have to work against gravity, where his body is designed for gravity to aid digestion.

I would worry that as this goat gets older and begins eating "grown up" food, he will not be able to digest as well, and would end up with some serious bloat or at best, some serious constipation. Not to mention the constant strain on his lungs from having all that downward pressure on them. I know a two legged cat who lives on antibiotics from the problems that she has..........her legs were torn off my a dog. However, this cat is a happy cat, lol. Her owner did the right thing to let her live, but this is a cat that is VERY pleased to live out it's life indoors and away from other critters. Cats are just not as social as a goat.

I'm not saying that you need to put him down.......thats a choice that you'll have to make on your own.

I agree with all the questions that have been place before you, such as "are you able to lug a 100 pound goat around" etc in Sunny's post, but I'd like to add a few of my own.

What are you going to do to meet his social needs? He is a goat and will want to be with other goats. How will you handle it when he starts crying to be outside in the pasture and in a herd?

Are financially prepared to take care of the higher vet bills that come with having a severely disabled animal? Without the wheelchair, with or without the legs, he will probably have digestion issues, but if he stays in the wheelchair, he will develop some pressure sores from the constant pressure. AND, with him being so young and having to grow with this disability, the constant pressure on the front end (even with his legs still attached) will deform and cause growth issues. Bones are designed to hold pressure at a specific point. Also, the lack of movement from the front end will cause muscle atrophy in his chest wall, leaving him more susceptible to respiratory problems.

It just wont be a get him a wheelchair and live happily ever after type situation. It will be a large financial burden for you, an even bigger physical burden for both you AND him, and, BOTH of you need to be able to handle the mental burden as well. Maybe you are ready for the physical and mental burden.......make sure that he is and that you are sure that he still will be a year from now. Right now, he is a youngster, curious and easily distracted from hardship, but he may very well end up frustrated and miserable a year from now.

There is a lot to think about here, but it is this little goat that will carry the biggest burden. Please be confident that he can handle it. If you are not positive that he can, the kindest thing to do would be to give him lots of loving and then euth him.

But, if he can handle it, then go for it. If he could survive with the legs still attached, I'd leave them. He's got so much to contend with already, I wouldnt want to add a massive surgery to the mix, but, thats just my opinion worth about as much as the paper its written on.

Of course, there is one other burden that would come with this.....we'll need photo updates of his progression! He sounds like a little booger, jumping from chair to couch, lol.

I have a friend and her vet who suggested it. My concern about amputating them was that he would not have a center of balance.

In regards to the social needs, I have several other special goats who tend to live either in the house a good portion of the time or right outside in a small goat yard. I have been introducing him to them. Right now he seems content with that. As he gets older that could change.

He is a very strong and attached guy. I went to a friend's house to help her with her escaped goats and he was following me wherever I went. He is also mentally strong. The wheelchairs are $550.00. He most likely will need at least two in his life. You are correct about there being extra vet bills. I will have to give up some (all) unneeded items.

I figure there most likely going to be issues as he gets older. Some that I will be able to solve and some I will not.

 

[Sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Well you definitaly sound like you are taking good care of him. He is lucky to have you.

I agree with RTG about "If he can survive with his legs still attached, I'd leave them".
You are right about the whole balance thing, and RTG has a point with causing him more stress to undergo a major surgery. For now, I would keep his legs on him and try to make him as comfortable as can be (sounds like you already have that under control).

As he gets older, more needs will arise. And you and him will have to learn how to adapt to them accordingly.

Is he castrated? You probably won't want a stinky buck in your house when he is an adult.
Just an idea.

Good luck, and definitaly keep us updated.

 

[KermitWC]

Is he castrated? You probably won't want a stinky buck in your house when he is an adult.
Just an idea.

Good luck, and definitaly keep us updated.

That was done the first week I had him.