Goat with leg wounds

[bbredmom]

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.

 

[Calliopia]

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.

 

[bbredmom]

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?

 

[Calliopia]

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.

 

[bbredmom]

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.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

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.

 

[cmjust0]

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.

 

[bbredmom]

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.

 

[cmjust0]

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..

 

[bbredmom]

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.