Goat ill

[Mini Horses]

Wow! Not an abscess.....that's from the gut or bowels. This is a vet issue. Never seen this in all my years. I am shocked she is alive! Really! Best of luck. I have nothing to help, to suggest. But a vet would most likely be able to do surgery.

That's a lot of $$ and goats don't handle anesthesia well. If she were mine, afraid it would be good by time. I'm sorry to say that but, unless unreal genetics the repair would be far beyond value, monetarily.

 

[caprines.n.me]

I'm so sorry, I have to concur with Mini Horses. I don't believe this is survivable without major surgical intervention and I doubt that would even work. I believe the only reason she's alive at this point is that her rupture is very low on the belly and the contents are leaking out instead of sitting inside the peritoneum. Having said that, it just means her suffering will be prolonged. Even if infection doesn't take her quickly, starvation will.

I hate to say it, but I believe euthanasia is the kindest thing you can do for her now.

 

[RedHawk027]

I agree. I have been around cattle, horses, mules, goats, dogs, cats, and various fowl, off and on, for better than 60 years. I have never seen this before in any of them.
I have never cared for this part of the relationship between myself and my critters.
I am not sure that a vet can save her. I know exactly what the vet would have to do, and the procedures are quite extensive. Wish I knew what caused it though. However, I do not think I can handle doing a postmortem.
Thank you both so very much for your help, and your concern - for the both of us.

 

[caprines.n.me]

I've never seen it either. I know that what you have to do now won't be easy, but it is what is best. May it be quick and painless.

 

[Finnie]

 

[rachels.haven]

Darn horns Unless you had a predator attack, but based on what you describe it looks like someone got her. Poor girl. Ouch.

 

[Ridgetop]

Just saw this thread.

At first I was hoping that when you described green pus it would be an Actinobacillus abscess which is easy to deal with although nasty. That is not an abscess. The consistency of the discharge from the picture looks like partially digested hay or roughage.

The shape and location of the swelling looks like she caught a horn in the gut causing the intestines/stomach to rupture into the abdominal cavity. The gut may also have ruptured internally, caused peritonitis, and only now has the infection opened a hole in the skin allowing material to drain out. Sorry to be so graphic.

Like everyone else, I am surprised that she has survived this long. I agree with everyone else that putting her down would be the best thing for her at this point. Several reasons for that.

First, antibiotics and iodine wash will not cure this.

Second, even if the vet can surgically repair the abdomen, gut, etc. (massive operation) the goat might not survive the complicated surgery and anesthesia.

Third, you might not survive the vet bill (which you said is not a viable option).

Sorry, but realistically, this is not a recoverable injury. Time to cut your losses and do the best thing for her which is put her out of her pain.

This is another reason why I do not like horns on animals. This may not have been an intentional injury by another goat. Using a hooking action with horns is a normal action with horned goats, you don't normally see that head action with disbudded or polled goats.

So sorry.




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[RedHawk027]

Greetings.
Many thanks for the opinions and concerns. They are appreciated.
There is one thing I would like to clarify. There was no apparent injury to the goat prior to the beginning of the swelling of her abdomen. It appears that something opened up in her digestive tract releasing partially digested material into her abdominal cavity causing the massive swelling. At this point, what caused the breach is anyone's guess. It became quite large and her abdominal wall appears to have burst. I do not know if there was an external force that caused the abdominal wall to vent to the outside, though it would seem likely.
Once again, thank you all so very much for your help.