Injured buck

michael1 · #1 04/26/08, 03:49 PM

Yesterday my wife heard a goat yelling in the woods behind the house. It was our 14 month old buck and he was badly stuck in a clump of trees. He must have been on his hind legs leaning against the trees and slipped. He was on his tip-toes (tip-hooves?) and his head and horns were impossibly jambed in. I picked him up and lifted him high enough, but some of the limbs kept him stuck until my wife got there. She had taken another route so it took a while. She was able to cut away the limbs and guide his head out. He had been there for a long time, maybe since morning judging from the piles of goat berries. He couldn't put any weight on his front leg, which had also been trapped between trees. After sleeping overnight in a stall he can put some weight on the leg. That's not what is concerning me.

Thursday he was in fine shape. energetic and eating well. Today (Saturday)he is listless and moping around. He's not eating except for a rare nibble. Not even if we bring down some of his favorite leaves. Won't look at grain today though he ate some yesterday. He has also developed diarrhea.

He was wormed on 3/15 and 4/13 but we wormed him again today anyway because of the runs.
We've forced gatorade into him but only about a cup. Need to do some more.
We've given him some magic formula. and left him with some water, leaves, hay and grain if he wants it.

My questions are:
Could the stress of being stuck in a tree for several hours be causing this malaise?

What other suggestions do you have that we can do?

Thank you for any replys.

mpete · #2 04/26/08, 03:59 PM

I would think that he is in pain. Sounds like quite an ordeal, I'm sure he is going to have a lot of muscle tenderness for quite awhile. I don't know what you could give him for pain but I'm sure someone else will chime in. The diarrhea could be caused by the stress. I would keep the free choice feed available to him, and just let him recoup in privacy, or if he gets lonely maybe put a buddy in with him.
I am glad you found him before a predator.

michael1 · #3 04/26/08, 04:06 PM

Thanks.

I do think he's in pain. He's grinding his teeth. I wonder if an aspirin might help.
About the buddy, it's funny you should mention that. Today I have keep him in the front yard so he can see the herd but not be bashed around by them. he's been coming over to the garage to lay down near us and our Great Pyrenees.

Minelson · #4 04/26/08, 04:11 PM

Do you have any Banamine? That is what you would use for pain...People with horses usually have it on hand... if you don't have it maybe a friend or neighbor would.

Backfourty,MI. · #5 04/26/08, 04:24 PM

Michael, if you don't have Banamine(RX from vet.) Then you can give him regular aspirin 325 grain(make sure not tylenol or Motrin, etc.) How much does he weigh?
Last time I gave aspirin to my nigerian dwarf buck(60pounds) I gave him 5 aspirin. There matablisim is very high & 1 aspirin won't even begin to touch him. I would do that 2-3 times a day for a couple days & see how he is pain wise.
Oh, you can melt the aspirin in a little bit of water & use a needleless syringe to get it in to him.
Sure hope he feels better soon, I'm sure that really stressed him out. Let us know how he does.

michael1 · #6 04/26/08, 05:31 PM

Thanks

He's about 80 lbs. (tape method 29 inches=80)
Looking him over better this afternoon his right ankle is swollen. I don't have the Banamine or access to a vet for the rest of the weekend so Bayer Aspirin it is. He had gotten up on his own and is at least picking at grass now. I'll post about any results.

mpete · #7 04/26/08, 11:00 PM

Does it appear broken? You should splint it if it does... sprains and strains are really painful, too. How is he this evening?

michael1 · #8 04/27/08, 08:24 AM

He seems a little better this morning. The ankle is still swollen but less so. He's standing on it and was nibbling hay. That's an improvement over yesterday when he didn't eat much of anything. He also wanted out of his stall. We have a rainy day today so all the goats are in the barn. I'm keeping him in the stall to keep him from being butted.

Backfourty,MI. · #9 04/28/08, 08:32 AM

Can you feel his ankle to tell if it's broken or just sprained? I would keep giving him the aspirin probly 3 times a day if you can & I would give 6-7 aspirins mashed up in some water at each time. I know it's a pain in the you know what to do it but it will help his pain. I'd also splint it if it was me.

michael1 · #10 04/28/08, 10:13 AM

I can't feel anything broken. It is still swollen. He's improving slowly. He was yelling to get out of his stall in the afternoon yesterday. I let him into the front yard, usually verboten to the goats to graze. He was just on the other side of the fence from the herd and he ate for a while. When the time came to put him back I left him in the barnyard with the girls. He went with them each time. I will do some more aspirin. He doesn't care much for it (I wouldn't either) I mash it up and put in a drench gun with gatorade. Can't imagine how it tastes but he gets an apple treat afterwards. Thanks for the help.

nubiansinny · #11 04/28/08, 10:30 AM

my vet told me to only use buffered asprin so it won't upset his stomach.I crush it and put it in yogert-also good for upset rumens and if he's not eating much. Good luck

Backfourty,MI. · #12 04/28/08, 02:44 PM

I always just use the regular aspirin because I also keep on hand for my dogs since thats the only non prescription pain med. I can give them also but buffered would probly work too. The aspirin never seemed to upset my goats tummies but they are all different & I bet they would take it much better mashed up in a flavored yogurt! Yummy!
Sure hope your little guy gets better soon, sounds like he's feeling a little better already. It will probly take awhile for his leg to heal up though.

Gailann Schrader · #13 04/28/08, 03:47 PM

...additionally, they go kind of "shocky" when something like this happens.

It's to his credit that he didn't give up.

I've seen goats give up and curl up in a semi-fetal position preparing to die - I was surprised when I first saw this. Dog attack... Not a pretty sight. I dragged the dog off and shot the dog on site. It was my recently rescued/adopted dog. Anyway.

Did you electrolyte him? Give him some Survive! or molasses laced with a bit of coffee... You need to give him back his "buckness."

Good luck!

michael1 · #14 04/30/08, 06:45 PM

Update: His ankle is still swollen, but he's improving. Today when I got home, as they always do when they see my truck, all the goats came running, including Recoil (injured buck) He was limping slightly but he is definately getting better. This morning as they were in the morning grain feeding frenzy he successfully fended off one of our most aggressive does. There are only 2 other does that will take her on and he knocked her away from his bowl. So I don't think there will be any permanent damage. Thanks for the suggestions!

Minelson · #15 04/30/08, 07:12 PM

Glad he is getting better...and stronger!

mpete · #16 05/01/08, 09:16 AM

Yeah!!