Broken leg success?

[melody]

I posted a few weeks ago about my Nigerian Dwarf who broke her leg. It is such a clean break and just below the joint...the vet says there is no sign of bone growth after 2 weeks. Suggesting surgery with plates etc. Have you ever had this experience? Is it worth putting her through? What is convalescence like?
My girl is living on my back porch and is getting around well in her splint.

 

[babsbag]

I am very surprised that there is no bone growth. My buck broke his rear leg and it healed fine, but he did wear a cast with a walking bar for 8 weeks. But my vet tells me that if you put two goat bones in a room together they will knit into a goat. I would check into some herbs that encourage bone growth. Comfrey might be one of them.

 

[Alaskan]

no growth as in the bone won't grow together ?


Because she is full grown, right?


If the bone isn't growing together... is there some shifting in the cast that won't let it stay still long enough so it can grow together ?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I would check into some herbs that encourage bone growth. Comfrey might be one of them.

Agree with BB. I don't know what you're feeding her but I'd be giving her some alfalfa for the calcium and some good free choice minerals.

I had a little doe break her leg last year...it took a loooooooong time to get good healing - and she was a young goat. Vet was surprised that after 4 weeks she hadn't made much progress at all. After 8 weeks still not ready to come out of the cast. It was over ten weeks before we finally removed it...she's as good as new right now and has two little bucklings making all kinds of demands on her.

Personally I'd give it more time.... but of course I'm not the one looking at the x-ray!

Hope the outcome is good whatever you and your vet decide.

 

[melody]

Thank you BB., Earthmother, and Alaskan. Yes...she is 7 years old. The splint is staying in place very well, and she has good minerals plus I added a high quality osteo herb mix that I got from my herbalist. I had avoided alfalfa as she is on the 'plus' side and with less activity, I thought it might not be a god choice. But she did have good timothy and now a mix of orchard and alfalfa. Free mineral, plus mineral block. Lots of dark green veg and I trim branches for her. I will get a bale of all alfalfa on your recommendation. I have an appt again tomorrow which will be almost 4 weeks. I'll have them look again.

 

[Alaskan]

hope it works out