Tail fell off

Sweet Goats · #1 08/17/06, 09:54 AM

OK, my daughter went out to feed last night and she noticed a lump of hair on the ground. As she picked it up she realized it came from one of our bucks (because of the color). Starbuck is his name. She looked him over and realized it was the end of his tail. When I got home I looked him over and sure enough his tail (just the skin and the hair) was off.
I don't know how it happened. We are guessing that maybe he was laying down and the horse stepped on the tail and StarBuck jumped up, and it came off.
Question. The tip about 1-1/2 to 2 inches of just the meat of the tail is exposed. What do I do to keep it clean? We used Tea tree oil and water to wash it last night. I really can't wrap it because it wont stay. Do I give him Penn shots? I have never heard of anything like this. It is like having a hot dog in a bun and the bun is now gone.
Thanks for your help.

tioga12 · #2 08/17/06, 09:58 AM

Oh, dear! Poor little guy...reminds me of a pig we were given w/ tailbite...except no "hotdog" left. Hope it heals up ok.

susanne · #3 08/17/06, 10:01 AM

if this is a valuable buck the tip of the tail has to be surgically removed and the skin sewn together on the end.
i had a male cat that was hit by a car. part of the skin of his tail was ripped of and the vet said we could wait and see if it heals. but it didn't and we ended up to have the tail amputated.

Sweet Goats · #4 08/17/06, 10:10 AM

Susanne, that is what we were thinking about doing. Thanks

Laura Workman · #5 08/17/06, 10:24 AM

We had a couple doelings that were ripped up pretty good by a dog. They were missing large patches of skin in the tail area, about half a tail's worth. We kept them clean and put triple antibiotic on them, and they healed without a trace of injury. Goats are amazing creatures when it comes to healing. I think maybe I'd use a surgical scrub to gently sponge it clean, then coat it well with antibiotic ointment, wrap it in non-stick bandaging (like Telfa pads), clean and change dressings daily. You might have to shave the remaining tail skin to get tape to stick and hold the bandages on. If it got infected, then I'd take it to a vet.

Bearfootfarm · #6 08/17/06, 11:38 AM

Id use Nitrofurazone spray on it and if hes near horses you may want to give Tetanus antitoxin also. Im assuming hes already had CD&T but the antitoxin will boost the immunity for a while

Sweet Goats · #7 08/17/06, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

Id use Nitrofurazone spray on it and if hes near horses you may want to give Tetanus antitoxin also. Im assuming hes already had CD&T but the antitoxin will boost the immunity for a while

Ok, can you tell me why I would need the tetanus antitoxin, just because he is near a horse. I was just wondering. Thanks

tamsam · #8 08/17/06, 01:46 PM

Nu skin spray works wonders on wounds, both animal and human. It is water proof and seals it so flies don't get to it. Hope this helps. tamsam

tamsam · #9 08/17/06, 01:47 PM

Oppps. Forgot to say you can get it at most any drug store and lots of grocery stores carry it in the healt and first aid dept. take care

Charleen · #10 08/17/06, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susanne

if this is a valuable buck the tip of the tail has to be surgically removed and the skin sewn together on the end.
i had a male cat that was hit by a car. part of the skin of his tail was ripped of and the vet said we could wait and see if it heals. but it didn't and we ended up to have the tail amputated.

Be assured that he's still be able to breed without that tail

Sweet Goats · #11 08/17/06, 02:07 PM

Tamsam, thanks, will it burn him when it goes on? It is like a raw piece of meat. I was going to try to keep it clean and keep some type of save on it. He would not even let me touch his backend.
Does anyone think I need to do the Penn? I do not use antibiotics unless I have to, (in 6 years I have used it three times) but this one I am not sure.

suzyhomemaker09 · #12 08/17/06, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet Goats

Ok, can you tell me why I would need the tetanus antitoxin, just because he is near a horse. I was just wondering. Thanks

Any injury where the skin is broken in such a manner is a possible entry for tetanus...it is suggested for humans to get a booster every 5 years..or has it been moved to 3 as of late? Has nothing to do with horses...just the old " ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" mentality

Sweet Goats · #13 08/17/06, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzyhomemaker09

Any injury where the skin is broken in such a manner is a possible entry for tetanus...it is suggested for humans to get a booster every 5 years..or has it been moved to 3 as of late? Has nothing to do with horses...just the old " ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" mentality

OK, Thank you. Now I understand. I thought the horse could give him something.

Bearfootfarm · #14 08/17/06, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweet Goats

Ok, can you tell me why I would need the tetanus antitoxin, just because he is near a horse. I was just wondering. Thanks

Tetanus is a bacteria that is found in the soil AND in the intestines of horses so its very likely to be in higher then normal concentrations where horses are pastured. It can also survive in the soil for a long time after horses are removed

jill.costello · #15 08/18/06, 12:05 AM

If I had this happen, and I couldn't afford the vet, I would band the stump. I would place the band high up enough so that it covers the skin where the base of his tail is, and let the meat and bone dry up and fall off. A Tetanus booster and a few doses of Pen-G is alot cheaper than a minor surgical procedure at the vet.

Dairy farms in the north have been banding Cow's tails for generations- they band-off about 12 inches plus the "switch" so they don't have poopy-udders as much for milking....

Laura Workman · #16 08/18/06, 01:03 AM

Please don't band him. One of the goals of banding is to avoid broken skin. When you do get broken skin, you generally get all kinds of nasty infection problems, largely because of the lack of circulation. Banding something that's already an open would is just begging for trouble.

And I just had surgery, folks. The doc said to keep lots of antibiotic ointment on the injury and keep it bandaged, cleaning and changing daily. I'm healing very well, thank you. Coincidentally, my friend who was treating a badly ripped up dairy goat did the same thing. The goat had a hole in her side the size of a dinner plate. I kid you not, it was amazing. Fortunately, the dogs didn't get through the musculature holding in the viscera, but it was a near thing. Took some nursing, but the doe healed up just fine. That doe got antibiotics. Come to think of it, I did too.