Is this an Emergency?

[Pony]

Here's the scoop:

Troubles broke her L front leg last night. Nick and I splinted it, put her in the goat shed, and built a wall to keep Bow Tie the Rutty Buck out. She has food, water, and plenty of hay (both to eat and spread all over the floor to help her get comfortable).

I went out this morning and finally scaled the fortress to get to her. (Nick's at work, I'm doing this solo today.)

When I got into the shed, she was lying on her side. Something tells me that's not a good thing.. But I got her up and moving a bit. Her toes are still warm under the dressing.

She was not drinking her water, so (after reading a great thread here last night), I brought her a bucket of how water with molasses to sweeten it a bit.

She sucked down a couple cups of that, and ate a bit of the grain I'd put in there this morning.

I then milked her out, because she looked so uncomfortable, and was trying to maneuver around an obviously full udder as well as trying to get around on that bum wheel. Most milk she's given at one crack in 3 days -- over 2 cups.

I tucked her in, came inside, and sat down for a half hour or so. THEN I heard this HIDEOUS bleating, so I went charging out to the shed.

The screaming was the buckling, but he was okay - just looking for company. (Stupid buck...) But Troubles was lying on her side, with her head stretched out, and she wasn't moving. I called to her -- no, I SCREAMED to her -- to get her to move; no response.

I honestly thought she might be dead, so I wrenched the 4x8 piece of plywood and got over the pallet fence. . (Man, adrenaline will make you do things you are just not capable of doing.)

She was alive, and when I pulled up on her chin to check her, she was like, "O, hai! I wuz napping..." But I could not get her up without prodding her A LOT.

She drank some more molasses water, ate a little more grain and a few leaves I held over her head.

NOW -- after all that--

Is it okay for a goat to be lying down like that? She was totally on her side, and I've NEVER had her NOT respond to me that way.

She's lying down again, but I made sure she was propped up against the wall of the shed.

Please, if you can advise me, I'd appreciate it. I'm just confused and don't know what to do.

Thanks.

[T.Miller]

Do you have some Banamine that you could give her for the pain?

[Pony]

Forgot about that. Yeah, Banamine on board.

[Pony]

I"m sorry the intial post was so lengthy, and maybe that caused my question to be lost in all that information.

Q: Is it alright for a goat to lie on her side for an extended period of time? I've never seen her lie down any way but with her sternum in contact with the ground, so I'm confused.

[T.Miller]

My goats often rest laying flat out on their sides. I remember the first time I had one do this it was very cold outside. She was laying flat out on her side with frost covering her. I called her name, no response. It actually took me going up to her and shaking her and calling her name to get her to respond. Of course when she finally woke she looked at me as if I had lost my mind. Scared me half to death.

[pookshollow]

She's probably tired and in pain right now, and maybe a bit shocky. Or, if she's had Banamine, she's a bit groggy. Check her temperature to be sure it's not subnormal. Quickest way is to feel her ears.

I have some that sleep flat out on their sides, and don't react in the morning until I start throwing hay into the pen!

If she was sedated, you'd definitely want her propped up or she could bloat. That's what the vet told me, anyway.

[Pony]

Okay, then, I'm pretty sure she's fine. Her color is good. She's not shocky today, but I definitely know what you mean by checking the ears for temp! Last night, when she was really hurting and scared, her ears were nearly like ice!

Poor thing has been through a lot. When Nick gets home, he's separating the goat yard with fencing. That way, Trub will be able to move about at her own pace, and Bow Tie won't be lonely because he'll still be able to see her.

Of course, he'll still be a stinky, rutty little buckling, but he won't be chasing my girl all around the mulberry bush!