Walking on knees out of nowhere at 6 wks old?

allenslabs · #1 11/22/06, 01:17 PM

I have a boer doe who started walking on her knees at 6 weeks old. She has been fine until now. She weighs about 30lbs I'd guess and it's like she doesn't wanna straighten her front legs. If she walks on her hooves her legs are out in front of her and her knees are still kinda bent. Any ideas? I gave her some selenium gel (she had bo-se at birth so sayeth the guy I got her from

) and some A, D, E and B12 gel I got from hoeggers. Any ideas out there All? I kknow some are born on their knees and straighten out but it's kinda weird to be fine and go to that. I trimmed her hooves and they look fine although might be a little warm to me.
Just thought I'd see what ya'll thought....... thanks!

DocM · #2 11/22/06, 01:23 PM

Have her tested for CAE.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #3 11/22/06, 01:50 PM

Or she foundered. Is she the pig of the group, eating too much grain at one time? Have you changed anything recently? Nothing to do other than keep her feet very very short. The heat in the hooves, walking on eggshells, then they are down, walking on their knees because their feet just plain hurt. Using an antihistimine like benedryl can help if this just happened, banamine (from the vet) for pain and inflammation. But in the long run the hooves themselves are ruined, you will see this later with a darker marbled resine effect on her hooves, and they get hard to cut. You may have to use a grinder to trim them. Time will tell. Sorry this happened. Vicki

mammawof3 · #4 11/22/06, 07:24 PM

Some of my little boers have done that also-sometimes you could find a bit of scald between the their heels if you looked-sometimes not--they all quit doing it on their own-the ones with "bent knees" nearly always had the start of scald. They never did it for very long--i wondered if it wasn't vitamen def. of sorts-from a rapid growth spurt.One of my almost yearlings-did that maybe 3 seperate times in her early weaned monthes--and has perfectly fine straight legs -and fine hooves--so.(not trying to argue, just giving my experience w/mine)

PygmyLover · #5 11/22/06, 08:05 PM

Founder is what I am thinking. Did she get into extra grain? Even if you didn't see it happen is there even a possibility it could have happend?

We went on vacation a few years back and the girl who was watching our place accidentally left the gate open to the feed room. The goats go in and ate more then half a 50# bag of feed! (only 2 of them) we came home, the girl didn't tell us and we didn't think to ask until a few days later (or maybe it was right away.....it has been a few years) Maggie was on her knees. The lady we were learning from told us to ask about her feed consumption and if she had gotten in to the feed, when asked the girl fessed up, we wouldn't have known otherwise.

Maggie had a good life for almost a year after that but when she got really bad we had to put her down, it just wasn't fair to her.

allenslabs · #6 11/24/06, 07:46 PM

Welll the verdict is in......... pretty sure it's hoof scald. Between her hooves on the fronts are the worst but there is a white gooy looking buildup that looks like some type of infection. I'm somewhat relieved as at first I thought that she had some major internal defects but I think that's the culprit which that is fixable. Whew!!

PygmyLover · #7 11/24/06, 09:08 PM

you mean like hoof rot? I have only heard of hoof rot and never delt with it.

HappyFarmer · #8 11/25/06, 07:00 AM

Hoof rot & Hoof scald link:

http://www.pipevet.com/articles/footrot.htm

After we trim we dip hooves in a 10% bleach solution if we suspect a problem.
HF

allenslabs · #9 11/25/06, 08:14 AM

From what I read Hoof rot deals with the sole of the hoof and the wall separates and infection gets in there. With hoof scald the hoof looks completely normal but if you look between the claws there will be some abnormal looking nasty buildup. And hoof scald isn't supposed to be contagious as it's basically from too much moisture (mud city here) and hoof rot is actually from a bacteria. Hope that helps a little and the link that Happy Farmer put up explains it nicely. See ya!

Sher · #10 11/25/06, 09:00 AM

Sorry your goats are going through this.Three of my boer crosses had it a couple of years ago. Heck.,IF it would ever rain here again.lol..they would probably get it again.

I used Hoegger's treatment. 1 pint Rubbing Alcohol 2 Tablespoons "343" Terramycin Powder.

Mix 2 Tbs. of Terramycin Powder with 1 pint of rubbing alcohol. Pour into a spray bottle and apply liberally to affectedarea between toes. This topical treatment may be enhanced by giving a 4cc injection of Biomycin. The alcohol and terramycin solution will change color after a few days..but its still okay to use.

That's staight our of Hoegger's catalog. I used it and saw fast responses to it. I keep a spray bottle mixed up at all times.

Hope your babies heal quickly..

mammawof3 · #11 11/25/06, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenslabs

Welll the verdict is in......... pretty sure it's hoof scald. Between her hooves on the fronts are the worst but there is a white gooy looking buildup that looks like some type of infection. I'm somewhat relieved as at first I thought that she had some major internal defects but I think that's the culprit which that is fixable. Whew!!

Glad that was it-the white stuff is what i call "hoof scald"--this wet will do that too the Boers--been there alot! I use LA200 squirt it on the hoof,a couple of times will clear it right up! (it stings)..sometimes i soak foot in diluted bleach water first, then squirt that on-depends on how bad the white area looks!

allenslabs · #12 11/25/06, 10:56 PM

I'll have to try both of these mixes! I'm game for anything! Thanks all!!

PygmyLover · #13 11/26/06, 03:10 PM

thanks for explaining the difference.