Goat can't stand on front feet!

Greenland Farms · #1 07/13/11, 09:34 AM

Long story short. ( I was stuck out of state someone else was watching my goats) I have a Alpine doe that injured her front legs. They are both scrapped up but the skin seems to be healing well. I was told at first she was standing on the one leg. But not wanting to put much pressure on the other. Since this happened last Wednesday. I got home Sunday she hasn't wanted to stand on either front leg. I'm debating on having to put her down. She will kneel to go to her food and water. I have read that if they are left not putting weight on the legs for so long they freeze up and it's not reversable. Is this true? Also I was thinking of making a sling out of sheets to raise her up. One leg looks like it like it might be broken. I was thinking of casting it. I have also started giving her penicillion 2 cc a day. Is that enough? Should I just put her down? I get mixed opinions from the family. Very mixed strong opinions from family that don't own goats.. Please help!

Alice In TX/MO · #2 07/13/11, 09:37 AM

You should take her to a vet. There's absolutely NO reason to put her down without more information.

Can you post a picture here of her legs?

Does she have an elevated temperature?

No, it's not true that kneeling is not reversible.

Call for an appointment with your veterinarian.

Donna1982 · #3 07/13/11, 10:59 AM

Are you sure its from being injured? Not trying to scare you but I had that happen to my boy and my mom is having that happen to two of her kids. Lucky for my mom hers are pulling through but mine didn't make it. We have no idea why it's happening and either does the vets. If it is broken we have casted a few goats legs and they have pulled through just fine.

I would take her to the vet and make sure that's what it is. Also don't let anyone pressure you into doing anything. You know what is the best thing for your goat.

Hope all goes good for you and your little girl. Let us know what happens.

Greenland Farms · #4 07/13/11, 11:35 AM

I do not a have a local goat vet. They take care of cows. I have brought some of my goats there before and let just say I don't have a grand to drop to them. She was found dangling by her one leg off the ground. Very limp and not much response out of her. That was a week ago. Since then she went from standing on one front leg to just going on her front knees. One leg is twice the size of the other. I'm thinking of making some type of sling to get her in the up position. Anyone have any experience doing that? Thanks everyone for the encouragement.

Greenland Farms · #5 07/13/11, 12:45 PM

Ok so today she got up on one front leg!! For a little bit. I guess keeping some grain just out of reach gave her a good excuse to try. Her breathing is quite raspy she might have pneumonia. Going back out to take her temp. Read different things on the web to give them for pneumonia. Suggestions anyone? I was thinking of benedryl.

Greenland Farms · #6 07/13/11, 12:56 PM

103.1 with some clear discharge from the nose.

motdaugrnds · #7 07/13/11, 01:45 PM

Without a local vet to help and without an x-ray to see for sure if the leg is broken, about all you can do (and we can do) is guess.

If she were mine, I would indeed put her in a sling with all 4 ft barely touching the floor. I would then use my own senses and run my hands down and around her legs to see if I can ascertain whether or not anything is broken. If nothing leaps out at me I would take some very warm water with Epsom Salts in it and rub "both" legs down good with it. Then I would use VetWrap and, starting from her ankle, start wrapping that leg I am most concerned about up to her knee joint. I would leave her in that sling for about a week without doing anything else to that leg. After that I would take the VetWrap off, rub that leg down again with same type of water solution and re-wrap it in the same manner. (By then I should know if what I'm doing is having a positive effect.) If so, I would lower the sling just a tad so all four feet can actually hold her weight yet keeping her in the sling. ....... Mind you I am not at vet and with no formal veterinarian training. I am just letting you know what I would do if the situation presented itself in my herd.

During that entire time, I would treat that goat for pneumonia using procaine G Peniccilin every 12 hours (probably about 1cc per 50 lbs.)

I would make sure fresh water was within her reach and that no other goat could get in with her to disturb her in any way.

Do let us know what you decided. I do know what I would do with my own herd could be quite different from what others might do; and that is ok. I wish you the best.

Greenland Farms · #8 07/13/11, 02:34 PM

Thanks motdaugrnds
I just got off the phone with a vet that takes care of horses. She agreed with the penicillin. I was giving her 2cc when it should of been 3cc. She also recommended LA 200 4.5 cc every 48 hours for pnemonia. Now I'm thinking of how to sling her. Pulley hanging from a beam and somehow using a sheet. Wiping with the epsom salts sounds like a good idea. They are pretty banged up.

Greenland Farms · #9 07/15/11, 12:00 AM

Got her cleaned up and bandaged up last night. She got up on her own a few times today. Now if only we can clear up her pneumonia.