Have you lost a baby disbudding??

[OneFineAcre]

Unfortunately, I've seen it happen in a neighbor's goat. A quick call to the vet when the baby started experiencing problems (swelling around the eyes and lethargy) prompted him to prescribe a dose of dexamethasone and maybe banamine and/or aspirin (this was decades ago and my memory isn't what it used to be). It worked and the baby was saved, but it was touch and go for a few days.

I do my own disbudding, have for years. I have made it a practice to put an ice pack on their heads before, during and after the procedure. I get their heads nice and cold before...do an initial burn...cool down the head again...finish the burn and apply the ice pack again. I know.... maybe that's going overboard but it seems to be easier on the kid all around.

When turned loose they run right to mom and have a little comfort ninny and go on with their day.

We never iced ours before, but we do an initial burn, ice pack and then a second burn and ice pack.
Might start icing before now never thought of that.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Thanks i have a picture of her horns I can post later. They didn't look good though. They kind of smelled. The vet said she has done this for 20 years and this is her first one to die. The vet suggested to put ice one after we called the first time and just gave us banamine when we came in with her later. The other kid seems just fine. We have been milking the mom. Is there anything I should do for her. Should I give her probiotics or...? Thanks so much for all the help!

How old are the kids?

 

[Marge23]

The boy is a week old. And the girl was about 2. We couldn't feel the buds for a while. The girls came in really late but the vet seemed to have no problem with it.

 

[Marge23]

Do you think she just could have been too old?

 

[Southern by choice]

We have had Nigie does that had to wait nearly 3 weeks. We have polled goats so sometimes we are waiting to make sure. The boys usually start growth much sooner.
We have done quite a few goats at 2 weeks. One of our vets just won't do Nigies that are under 10 days... PERIOD.

 

[OneFineAcre]

We wait until at least 10 days, but we did a buck at 14 days recently and a doe at 21 days.
So no they were not too old.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Agree with SBC and OFA. I don't think she was too old at all.

 

[Sunny75]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I also do not think age played a part. One of my Lamancha doelings was done the day before we picked her up which was at 3 weeks. she was fine..

 

[Marge23]

Thanks so much! I'm just trying to think of possibilities. I guess it just happens

 

[Marge23]

The first two are of the girl yesterday and the last one is from today of the boy. His are mostly copper