Infected belly button :(

Tamar · #1 07/29/06, 08:07 PM

Hi all,

Abby has not really been showing signs of improving, she still eats regularly though. On Friday AM I called the vet and told him that it sounded like she was moaning with every breathe, he told me if she had fluid in her lungs there was nothing he could do for her, that she would die. He did give me some antibiotics because I asked him if she didn't have this fluid...and it was something else, could she get meds? He gave me some medication I never heard of called "Linspeet", he said it would fight anything.

Well its about 8pm now...and I discovered her belly button to be totally inflamed, and when I went to move the hair to see, a HUGE plug of pus came out.
I cleaned it out with alcohol, I poured some iodine on it....is there anything else I can do? Her lil body feels hot too.
She still has not walked, she had taken a few steps backward earlier this past week, but now needs to be put on her legs, then she does her business...and plops down again. I want to help her...and don't want her to suffer any more. Does anyone have any suggestions at all?

Thanks and blessings,
Tamar

Tabitha · #2 07/29/06, 08:16 PM

alcohol really burns, how about hydrogen peroxide?

goatmarm · #3 07/29/06, 09:02 PM

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Tamar · #4 07/29/06, 09:45 PM

Hi again,

Abby just guzzled another 6 ounces.. She loves having her face stroked and being talked to. I wrote alcohol, but we really don't have alcohol, we switched some time ago to hydogen peroxide only, so we wouldn't grab alcohol to put on those lil cuts and scrapes...because it burn so much. The iodone is called providone. How often to apply either? I never heard of linspeet and tried to google it but found nothing. I just wanted to know it was a good antibiotic. Thanks for your love and support and even prayers.

I will update in the am.

Blessings,
Tamar

nduetime · #5 07/29/06, 09:53 PM

Hope your little one gets well soon. I am too new at goats myself to give any advice but I can say prayers. Blessings.

Jillis · #6 07/30/06, 06:16 AM

Tamar, I am curious, did you dip her cord in iodine as soon as possible after birth?

I bought a doeling that had an infection, but it wasn't at the cord site, but just behind it. She had not apparent illness from it. I thought it was a hernia, but the vet opened it up and it was full of pus. She cleaned it out, gave me 3 days worth of penicillin and some needles, and told me to clean the site out with iodine twice a day.

Is "Linspeet" the correct spelling of what the vet gave you? I have never, ever heard of it! Is it an injection or an oral med? If the doeling is on anitbiotics, give her probiotics about an hour after each dose.

pookshollow · #7 07/30/06, 09:05 AM

Jillis, one of mine had the same thing. I did dip her cord in iodine at birth (I was right there) but a week or so later, we noticed her belly was "wet" and when we checked, there was pus oozing out. I cleaned her out with peroxide and iodine and it was healed up the next day. Now, she does have a lump there, doesn't seem to bother her - I wonder if she has a hernia? She's a little Nigerian Dwarf.

How's your little one doing, Tamar?

Tamar · #8 07/30/06, 11:16 PM

Hi all,
Its been a very busy day, someone asked us to take care of a six week premature calf, who was totally dehydrated, horrible case of scours, alot of blood in her stool, unable to stand....long story short, she didn't pull through

Abby is "hanging" in there, the infection seems under control now, for which we rejoice! Thanks to all who offered help, it looks 100% better, the swelling is gone for the most part, and the hole where her umbilcal cord was...is almost totally closed. I will continue with the peroxide and iodine for a few more days.

She has not had a bowel movement again in over 24 hours...and still cannot stand more than to relieve her bladder. It seems as though on her right knee...that it is swollen, maybe fluid in her knee cap? She is on that linspeet..it might be linspect? I have to wait till the office is open tomorrow to find out what it is because I certainly cannot find any information on it online. I'll let ya'll know when I find out more.

Do any of you have any "recipes" for goat boost? On the cow forum there is one for calves, but we were suggested to ask here in this forum about it.

Any information, suggestions are welcome to get Abby walking!

I am not sure what her previous owners did to her cord when she was born, I only know we received a very ill flea coated goat with eyes that could not see. At this point one eye is almost totally cleared up, the other is coming along slowly. Someone suggested a vitamin A rub for in her eyes? Right now she is getting gentamicine (spelling?) drops four times a day.

Blessings to all, and...do yourself a favor, hug your pets, they give us so much its easy to take their love for granted! Having a lil one fighting to live is a lesson I for one am growing from!

Tamar

Bearfootfarm · #9 07/31/06, 01:09 AM

Mix 1 quart of water, 1 tablespoon sugar , 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 tsp baking soda = Homemade Pedialyte. Great for rehydrating and cheap too

Patty0315 · #10 07/31/06, 08:25 AM

Give her red cell. I would also get a bose shot from the Vet. Masssage those legs and bend them. Hold her up and let her put some weight on them. Do not let the wound close up to fast , it may still need to drain. I would put a triple antibiotic ointment and some type of bandage on it. Also wash it out at least 2 x a day with a mild iodine solution, warm water soaks are good to.

Tamar · #11 07/31/06, 11:32 PM

Hi Patty,

Thanks for posting

Abby is on Bose, and I am doing what you suggested with her belly button. I do massage her legs, it seems that her right front "knee" is swollen. She only stands long enough to do her "business" and then falls forward onto her face, so I always stand with her to catch her. I encourage her over and over through the day to stand, but the duration of her standing is not getting better. I called my vet about red cell, the secretary had no clue what I was talking about and the vet was out on a call so I will try him again in the morning. Since we adopted Abby at one week old, she grinds her teeth badly, so she drools alot, she also makes alot of noise while breathing, lil moans as it were. The medication is Linspect, not linspeet as the writing on the bottle looks like...she said it was an antibiotic better than penicillin. I want so bad to see this lil girl get up and walk and jump and run! Today she nibbled on clover, she seemed to enjoy grinding that. Prayerfully this little girl gets better fast, I am concerned the more amount of time that goes by without her walking. She grabbed the nipple tonight herself, normally I had to put it in her mouth and had a healthy strong suction the entire bottle. She drinks six ounces every six hours. Seems she doesn't want more than that now.
If anyone has any hints to get her walking I would love to hear them!

Blessings,
Tamar

Milk n' Honey · #12 08/01/06, 12:54 AM

Tamar, I hate to be a downer but we just lost a baby goat to this very thing. We didn't know what was wrong with him. We had tried everything. He wouldn't grow and wasn't thriving. He died at aroung 3 months of age. We got him when he was 2 days old and bottle fed him fresh goat's milk that entire time. We did take him to the vet and he got Bose and some stronger antibiotics that only the vet can give you (maybe the same as what you've got) and a week later, he died. The vet was so curious why this little guy was in such bad shape that she offered to autopsy him for free. So, I took him in and the report I got from her was that his chest was full of puss-filled absesses. She said it wasn't CL but was the type of absesses that form when a bacteria settles in an area. He was really sick and couldn't walk that last week. He just layed around. He would take his bottle and nibble hay. The vet told us that she believed he had naval-ill and that was how the bacteria got into his body and settled in his chest. Then I got to thinking...it took his cord forever to fall off. After a few weeks, I took a closer look and realized that is was soft and gooey. I moved it over to see how well attached it was and it wasn't coming off but there was pus behind it. So, I cleaned it up and iodined it really good. Then it dried up and fell off in about a week. As I was remembering all this, I realized that it was during that time he must have contracted a bacterial infection. I have no idea if the lady put iodine on his naval when he was born but I somehow doubt it. His Momma died at birth and her husband had delivered the babies. He had never done it before plus they have so many goats. I just really don't think it probably got done. I should have brought him right home and iodined it, even though he was already 2 days old. Maybe I could have prevented him from dying. He was a red Fullblood Boer buckling. It is really disappointing. He was sweet and quite expensive too. I've learned some expensive and heartbreaking lessons lately. Now, we had some babies born a week ago and I've iodined their navals twice and I check them frequently. I think I'll check them again tomorrow as a matter of fact!! I hope and pray that your little Abby comes out better than our little guy did. It is so sad to lose one. Keep us posted!!

Tamar · #13 08/01/06, 01:00 AM

Oh my!

Could you do me a favor? Could you ask that vet, if ya'll had known about this infection, could it have been treated somehow? I really don't want to have her live that long, just to die.

Thanks for sharing though,
blessings to you and yours,
Tamar

Patty0315 · #14 08/01/06, 06:30 AM

What are you feeding her ? If not goat milk I would feed whole cow milk. Red Cell is a horse supplement lots of iron. Everything new , sick , just born or just given birth gets it here. Did she ever stand ? She is getting plenty to eat. I would take her outside in the fresh air as much as possible too.

pookshollow · #15 08/01/06, 08:49 PM

Just curious - what would be the dosage of Red Cell for various ages/weights? I can get it any time, as I work for a wholesaler that supplies tack shops.

Patty0315 · #16 08/02/06, 07:14 AM

Pookshollow , That comment is not nice ! OK I would be broke if I worked were you did seeing we have 13 horses. I usually dont measure but for a baby I guess I give about a tsp. Maybe some has recommended amounts.

Patty

Tamar , hows the baby?

malickfarms · #17 08/02/06, 01:58 PM

Hi
Tamara
I have a boar kid with naval ill and it has been a LONG process

But she is going to survive...please call me and I can tell you everthing that has helped us.

We had a specialist at MSU Veterinary Hosp. look at her and I have LOTS of pointers

MY home number is 810-327-0692
Im at work 3-7pm 810-385-4440