Buck walking funny

[SeaGoat]

I have a buck that's been walking funny for about 2 weeks. I checked his feet and trimmed his hooves, they're fine. He acts like the bone just above the hoof is sore. When it walks is like his back legs almost swing around each other. He has a hard time putting weight on it. It's been going on for such a while I'm starting to grow concerned.

I did notice a couple days ago a spot showed up on his back cheek/jaw area. Its small but the skin is showing, there's no hair on it, and has a spot in the middle. It looks like a bug bite. Its small. I don't know if this has anything to do with it but it just showed up. I also noticed over this past week he has lost a little bit of hair on the tip of his tail. He doesn't seem as lively as he's been so that's also concerned. I'm not sure if that's just from his legs being sore or what.

Any idea what could be wrong or what course of action I should take?

[Alice In TX/MO]

We need more info to begin to help.
1. Take his temperature.
2. Let us know what you have been feeding him.
3. Do you live where there are white tailed deer?
4. What minerals do you have out for him?
5. Do any of the goats in your herd have a history of abscesses?

[SeaGoat]

I'll need to purchase a new thermometer tomorrow. Who knows where mine is.

His eye lids are pink.

He's on Dumor pasture minerals
http://m.tractorsupply.com/en/store/...-mineral-50-lb

Dumor goat feed sometimes mixed with sweet feed
Hay (cow quality)
Browse

There are white tail deer in the area

No abscesses before

Everyone else is healthy and fine

[SeaGoat]

[Alice In TX/MO]

That looks like he got a sticker in his face, and it's healing up.

I would worry about urinary calculi. The buck I lost to urinary stones walked funny.

Are you giving him ammonium chloride to prevent urinary stones? How much feed does he get?

If he gets down in the rear, it could be meningeal worm, too, but I don't know if that can happen in the winter.

[SeaGoat]

I was wondering about stones or other urinary problems. I hadn't seen him tinkle in awhile, till today and while he did pretty, it wasn't as strong as I'd like it to have been.

Im not giving him anything right now.
You say I need to give him ammonium chloride?


He is in a pen with the herd queen who is pretty pushy, I wondered if that isn't why his lower leg was sore. Urinary problems can cause sore legs?

[SeaGoat]

Sitting here watching him, all the weight on his back legs are swinging to one side

[mygoat]

Can you video tape this? I'm having a hard time imagining it.

Hows his behavior/appetite?

[SeaGoat]

It's dark now but I will in the morning. Its like he's standing there, front two feet planted (as normal) but his back end will sway to the right side, till his legs nearly cross and he has to step forward to reset himself.

He is moving a little slower, but still eager to be with everyone, eat and drink

[madness]

We recently lost a wether to urinary calculi. You could actually feel them in his bladder. It might be hard to tell unless you compare to another wether. But you can stick your fingers and thumb, about 2" apart, into his abdomen from below until you can't go any farther and squeeze. If it's big stuff, it will feel like marbles. I don't know if you can feel the little gritty sandy kind.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Bladder pain will make him walk funny.
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/ar...calculi06.html

[Alice In TX/MO]

Meningeal worm:
But with goats, the deer worm seems to "get lost" and winds up in the spinal canal . . . causing hind leg weakness and unsteadiness, progressing to hind leg dragging, inability to walk in a straight line, rear end wobbling from side to side, tremors, inability to stand, and paralysis.

Read whole article here:
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/ar...ngealworm.html

[SeaGoat]

Sounds like the worm to me. ...maybe
Weve had a really wet year and I can not tell you the slug problem.

Guess I'll go by tsc tomorrow morning.
Couldn't hurt to dose him, right?

[Cannon_Farms]

All but the sweet dumor have AC in it. I can firmly tell you no one in TSC in any of the three stores are going to be able to tell you jack about goat care. Bethlehem vets office is a really good goat vet.
Good luck

[SeaGoat]

I got ivomec ... they didn't have ivomec plus, from what I saw.
Its injectable kind.
Will this still work?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Yes, give it orally.

[SeaGoat]

Just want to double check. 1cc/25lbs orally (I got injectable)

[Alice In TX/MO]

That's what I give. Yes.

[SeaGoat]

Just thought Id give an update..

He seems to be improving drastically each day (knock on wood)
He climbed some stairs 2 days ago and it was a pretty pitiful sight to watch.. This morning he marched right up them, then down with no problem. His limp as decreased, though he still walks/runs with his back end slightly angled out

A few days ago he went to headbutt one of the goats and fell head over heels, this morning hes out there shoving them around like its no thing.

Looks like hell make a full recovery from this.




But I do have a question.
I ordered some safeguard as I read up you need to follow up with it after the ivomec.
What is the dosage for that/how long?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Treatment involves very high dosages of Ivomec Plus or generic equivalent. Ivermectin paste or pour-on are not effective. Ivomec Plus or generic equivalent is recommended because if snails or slugs are present, so may also be liver flukes, and Ivomec Plus will handle both conditions at the same time. Ivomec Plus should be given at a rate of 1 cc per 25 pounds bodyweight for at least seven days, followed by a double-the-cattle dosage of fenbendazole (Safeguard/ Panacur) for five days.

From tennesseemeatgoats.com