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02/27/10, 01:40 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Central MT
Posts: 346
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Goat Hoof Trimming Problem (pics)
Hello everyone--
I am a fairly new goat owner. Before bringing my 5 member weed-eating crew home, I'd done a good bit of reading about goat care, but had somehow missed information about hoof trimming. My education on this subject began when I noticed Patti's overgrown hooves. I have been trying to read--books, online resources, etc--but I am learning as I go and do not have anyone to show me this stuff. So, I think I made a mistake yesterday, w/ her front hooves. The outside wall had grown over the bottom of the....do you call it a frog, like w/ horses? Anyway, the fleshy center part of the hoof had gotten partially covered by hard hoof material. I was going slowly, trying to trim only small bits off at a time, watching carefully for the "pink", so I wouldn't go too far (I did have a couple of moments where she would fidget suddenly, causing me to clip more than I'd meant to...). However, on both front feet, there was this strange protrusion of dark red that seemed to be much closer to the surface. It didn't actually bleed. And I stopped--rather horrified--when I realized I'd clipped too much. W/ the second front hoof that I did, I tried to trim around it, but I don't think I did a very good job. Anyway, I realize that I messed up w/ this. Is there anything in particular I should be doing? (I took these pics this morning, 24 hrs after I trimmed them). I did apply iodine, but I'm concerned that it will not stay on. We have a big-time snow melt going on, so everything is a bit soggy....
I am also open to any other feedback about the trimming job I did....did I take off too much, too little (I mean, I know that I took off too much by the blood spot. But how do they look otherwise?). Having some experienced eyes telling me what I need to do differently would be welcome help!!
Thank You--
Erin
Hoof 1 
Hoof 2...this one was more overgrown, as you can see. I've trimmed it a # of times, working slowly to get it back in shape, but there is still a curve under to it 
Last edited by emulkahi1; 02/27/10 at 02:27 PM.
Reason: fixing non-functional pics
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02/27/10, 01:42 PM
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A & N Lazy Pond Farm
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 3,375
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No Pictures!
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02/27/10, 01:58 PM
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Enabler!
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: CO
Posts: 3,865
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Not sure what photo program you are using.
I use photobucket.com
I upload the pictures
Hover over the picture I want to use, and copy the last link.
I paste it here and it says [Img] on both ends.
I preview the thread and make sure it works, then post it.
With hooves even if they are pretty bad I do not try to take off too much at once. I trim some, wait about 2 weeks trim again, till I get a better flat looking hoof with not lot sticking out in the end. They also walk on hard surfaces to help naturally trim them. Rocks, concrete, even shingles help.
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You may not copy my posts or pictures without my consent on this board or any other.
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02/27/10, 02:09 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Central MT
Posts: 346
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Are the pics still not showing up? I thought I'd gotten them fixed. I can see them now......hmm....
I used Kodak Gallery. Maybe I need to go create a photobucket account.
Edited: Ok, I tried again w/ photobucket. Can you see them now? Sorry for the poor quality pics. I took them w/ my cell phone camera....
Last edited by emulkahi1; 02/27/10 at 02:28 PM.
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02/27/10, 04:17 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Central MT
Posts: 346
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Also, I was curious...does it look like some kind of rot? It appeared like dark, gummy, sort of dried blood. It wasn't free-bleeding, so I wondered if was something besides me just cutting too close. I tried to find good pics online, but couldn't seem to come across any clear, descriptive ones. Thanks again!
Erin
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02/27/10, 05:10 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,012
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The outer walls need to be trimmed up a bit more-wait a week or two. I trim the outside wall a bit shorter than the inside wall. The bottom of the hoof (side view not shown) should be parrallel with the hairline.
Those crevices will harbor germs/dirt that can lead to problems. When you are done trimming leave no crevices. I've recently started using a dremmel & it cleans up those crevices nicely.
Hard to tell in the pic-the bottom looks kinda rounded. Did you trim this part?
Again I'd wait a week or two before re-trimming. Pick the dirt out of those crevices & dip the feet in a 10% bleach solution, or koppertox whatever you have on hand.
HF
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02/27/10, 06:07 PM
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A & N Lazy Pond Farm
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 3,375
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Yep I agree with Happy Farmer. I would not recommend Koppertox though. I bought some then read not to use it on meat goats. I figure if it is not to be used on meat goats it should not be used on any goat. I use the bleach water and a scrub brush. Clean them real good then clip like HF said.
Nancy
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02/27/10, 06:10 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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Caprice Acres has some good hoof pictures...scroll down under goat care
http://capriceacres.webs.com/goatcare.htm
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Teach only Love...for that is what You are 
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02/27/10, 06:18 PM
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A & N Lazy Pond Farm
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 3,375
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Minelson thanks for that link, I don't have time to read it right now but it does look like some good info there and I have bookmarked it for coffee sippin time.
Nancy
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02/27/10, 06:55 PM
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Katie
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Twining, Mi.
Posts: 19,930
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Thanks from me too Minelson, I bookmarked it too & will check it all out later. You sure don't want to have a drink or a glass of wine & try to read it though with all that wild Background going on! Hehehehe!
I would scrub with the bleach water solution too & just keep trimming a little off at a time, you'll get it & they don't look too bad. I would get the crud out of the crevices & trim again in a couple weeks too.
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02/27/10, 07:54 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Central MT
Posts: 346
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THANK YOU for that link! I'd googled and googled, trying to find relevant pics, w/ no luck. I think this will be really helpful. So....those strange little blood spots....is that where the live flesh part of the hoof was starting to connect w/ the hoof wall? That was my guess, but I thought it was odd that it didn't bleed freely and was just that gummy kinda blood/flesh (if that paints a lovely pic :P). There is no odor of rot, or pus, or anything like that.
Thank you, also, for your advice about what to do next. I will use your tips and try again in a week or 2.
HappyFarmer....when you said that the "bottom looks kinda rounded. Did you trim this part?"...did you mean that the fleshy part of the hoof looks rounded? I did trim some of the flesh off, but stopped when I started to see pink. I will try to take a front-on pic tomorrow morning. The hard hoof part had started out looking like a J, if that makes sense. The hard part had grown over the bottom part of the hoof. Anyway, I think a pic will speak 1000 words in this case. I'll post one...
Thank you for all of your advice. It is very helpful! (I really like the dremmel idea....I use that on my wolfhound's nails and it does a great job, and I never "cut a quick"!).
Erin
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02/27/10, 08:11 PM
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Flying Farm Nubians
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW-VA
Posts: 910
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If you take a pic of the hoof flat on the ground or on milk stand it would help us.
To me it looks like you could trim some more. The red hole? if that is what you are asking, needs to come off with next trim.
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02/27/10, 09:19 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Central MT
Posts: 346
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Yes, the red hole was a source of concern for me. So I could be aggressive w/ trimming that? Since I didn't know what it was, I was afraid to be too bold w/ continuing to trim it.....
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02/27/10, 10:32 PM
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Flying Farm Nubians
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW-VA
Posts: 910
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Leave it for now. But keep an eye on it. In two weeks try to take a little more off.
How does the hoof lay now? Is it flat on hard surface. Can the goat walk right or is it off?
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