kids leg bending wrong way

[desertshi]

We just had our second and last goat kid this morning. Another beautiful buckling, white with blue eyes! A little bummed that it wasn't a doeling, but we take what God gives us!!

This little guy is definantly not as lively as our first buckling was which was born 3 days ago. He gets up fine and we KNOW he has gotten his belly filled a couple of times...with our help. The thing is that he is very unstable on his feet, more so than what I see as normal for newborn kids and lambs. One of his back legs is like spegetti, it bends in both directions in the hock. I haven't seen this before and am wondering what causes this and what can I do to help him...will it correct itself or do I need to take some action. Thanks guys for your help once again!!

[Backfourty,MI.]

I have not had that happen before to any of my babies but I know some of the folks here give Bo-Se shots for that kind of thing. It will straighten itself out I think but the shot probly helps it along. Hopefully some of the folks here that actually deal with it will jump in here, but don't worry I bet he's going to be just fine.
I am kinda a worryier myself around here about most everything.

[Idahoe]

I'd also splint the leg with a popsicle stick and vet wrap to keep the joint in a natural position. I've read from others that this has corrected a newborn leg issue. I've seen twenty or so newborn goats from birth onward, and quite a few had jiggly legs that went this and that way. They resolved on their own within a day or two, tops.

I suppose you'd leave a splint on several days, and take it off to test the bendability of the leg now and then.

I splinted a fractured front leg on a doeling with that waterproof casting material (vet wrap on the inside), but that's my only direct experience.

[chamoisee]

It'll firm up on it's own without a splint. The joints are flexible at birth, probably assists with the birthing process.

[desertshi]

Thanks guys! I was just worried because this is my first two experiences with kidding. The first kid born 3 days ago was so lively...juming around and pretty sturdy on his feet minus the normal wobbliness in the first few steps. This one is just sooo wobbly!! It reminds me of someone trying to walk on stilts or something! LOL. But the one back leg really pops inward and outward at the hock. I will keep my eyes on him and see how it goes.

[Qvrfullmidwife]

We use bo-se for these shaky joint issues, at birth then every other day for the first 4-5 days. It usually works great. Could be that it would have been fine, anyway, but the bo-se seems to help.