lame goat - vet?

horsefarm

I have a very lame goat. He has been lame for a very long time and its getting worse. He spends most of his time on his knees or lying down. He now tries to walk on his knees and its quite distressing to watch.
My vet doesn't know whats wrong with the goat but my vet admits he's not a goat expert. He gave the goat antibiotics and bute. There was a very slight improvement but then when I stopped giving him bute he got much worse.
I'm at the point where I decided to get the goat put down tomorrow (he's a pet goat so i'm very upset) but now all of a sudden the goat briefly walked again (although very gingerly) so its making me doubt my decision to get him put down.

Is there a goat specialist vet in dublin/north wicklow? Or is it essentially the same as a vet that deals with sheep? My vet is a large animal vet so does deal with farm animals daily but I guess he probably deals with horses the most. I think maybe I should get a second opinion before I get him put to sleep however I cant bear to watch him hobble around much longer.

thanks

greysides

You could ask your vet for a referral to the Vet College. You are very close to them. It would be a pity to lose a pet over something that may be treatable.

SligoEdo

First off....why the **** has it been lame for a "very long time" and you've done **** all about it? Jesus Christ.
Secondly....get on the internet or get out a phone book and phone every ****ing vet in your area and ask them if a) they know about goats b) they can refer you to someone who does.

It's not ****ing rocket science.

Seriously....would you leave a sick child for "a very long time" before bothering to do something about it?

EP90

Bit harsh but I know where you are coming from…Doesn’t say much for the vet either.
Agree, first ring a few other vets for advice, you don’t have to deal with just one.
Ask here for some advice here http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?board=23.0


And for pity’s sake do something soon....

reilig

First off, I'd check for footrot and for ingrown hoofs. Put the goat sitting on its arse and bring up the two feet to check them.

First thing to do is prise the hoof apart a small bit and smell it. If its a really bad smell, then it's rot. You can buy various sprays and treatments for rot in your vet's. A home made remedy is to mix bluestone with butter and stick it to the hoof or bathe the hoof in a bluestone solution.

If its not rot, the he might just need his hoof pared. Check it. Use a sharp knife and just pare off any overgrown hoof. Keep paring until the base of the hoof is flat.

It is very possible that it is a combination of both foot rot and overgrown hoof and you will have to do a combination of both the above.

It's a very simple operation. There is definitely no need to put the goat down. I'm very surprised that a large animal vet would not be able to check the feet of a goat. It's a simple diy job.

horsefarm wrote: »

I have a very lame goat. He has been lame for a very long time and its getting worse. He spends most of his time on his knees or lying down. He now tries to walk on his knees and its quite distressing to watch.
My vet doesn't know whats wrong with the goat but my vet admits he's not a goat expert. He gave the goat antibiotics and bute. There was a very slight improvement but then when I stopped giving him bute he got much worse.
I'm at the point where I decided to get the goat put down tomorrow (he's a pet goat so i'm very upset) but now all of a sudden the goat briefly walked again (although very gingerly) so its making me doubt my decision to get him put down.

Is there a goat specialist vet in dublin/north wicklow? Or is it essentially the same as a vet that deals with sheep? My vet is a large animal vet so does deal with farm animals daily but I guess he probably deals with horses the most. I think maybe I should get a second opinion before I get him put to sleep however I cant bear to watch him hobble around much longer.

thanks

EP90

I’m sure we have all thought it can’t be that simple, basic or obvious. If it is, then Horsefarm needs to take further action regarding the vet.

So Horsefarmer, give us an update.

Birdnuts

Don't know a whole lot about goats but I assume being seriously overweight would contribute to these type of problems. The reason I ask is that one of my neighbours has a pet goat that has been helping herself to everything from the cattle feed to the kitchen waste and is now the size of a small cow!!. The owner is now worried as she has become lame - I pointed out her weight issues put he seems to think its something else.

horsefarm

I've had 2 different vets out a number of times over the past few months but thanks for the abusive response anyway.

To the more helpful replies, thank you. it's definitely not the obvious ones like foot rot etc. I'm very meticulous with his hoof care. His hooves look and smell condition is perfect. Its not weight related, his body condition is perfect. He does not get fed grains. The reason why the vets don't understand why he is so lame is because his legs/hooves look perfect. Antibiotics, painkillers, and anti inflammatories have made no improvement whatsoever so he is getting put down.

While ucd veterinary hospital is an option, realistically he is a rescue goat and I've already spent enough money trying to get him right

gazahayes

horsefarm wrote: »

I've had 2 different vets out a number of times over the past few months but thanks for the abusive response anyway.

To the more helpful replies, thank you. it's definitely not the obvious ones like foot rot etc. I'm very meticulous with his hoof care. His hooves look and smell condition is perfect. Its not weight related, his body condition is perfect. He does not get fed grains. The reason why the vets don't understand why he is so lame is because his legs/hooves look perfect. Antibiotics, painkillers, and anti inflammatories have made no improvement whatsoever so he is getting put down.

While ucd veterinary hospital is an option, realistically he is a rescue goat and I've already spent enough money trying to get him right

Could possible be Cae somewhat unlikely put the only thing I can think of
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/generalized_conditions/caprine_arthritis_and_encephalitis/overview_of_caprine_arthritis_and_encephalitis.html

horsefarm

Thanks for the reply. After extensive googling I had come up with the same possibility but the vet dismissed it. No heat or swelling in the knees. This goat was removed from his mother when he was born as he was an unwanted male in a dairy farm (hence why I rescued him and bottle fed him and a few orhers)
Him and the other wethers I rescued have been in isolation from other goats ever since so viral transmission is very unlikely

He has only been very lame for 4 weeks, but his deterioration was rapid. He has been moderately lame since Christmas. More noticeable on frozen ground. I thought it may be due to hooves needing a trim, or foot rot (despite no smell etc) hence why I became obsessive about his feet.

When his feet looked perfect but he was still moderately lame I called the vet and he thought it was an access despite no evidence of one. So the vet gave him a long acting antibiotic. He thought it would resolve in a few weeks. A few weeks later it suddenly got worse, with him going on his knees. I got the vet again, a different one came out from the practice and he didn't know what was wrong as his feet looked perfect. He suggested a toxic laminitis from eating poisonous plants, but he carries his weight on his toes rather than his heels. And there was no bounding digital pulse. This vet gave me anti inflammatories to cover that base, and more antibiotics incase it was an abscess. The goat is lean and trim and not fed grains so starch related laminitis isn't a possibility.

The goat didn't improve and I got the impression that it was contracted tendons. As my goats are fed caprine specific vitamins and minerals a selenium deficiency is unlikely. I got the vet again and mentioned this to him. He agreed that it appears that the goat has gotten out of the habit of walking. But he thinks the pain is coming from the hooves. He gave me pain killers and anti inflammatories. I have increased the goats selenium and vitamin e intake, also supplementing with Cod liver oil, and stretching his forelimbs.

The goat is well able to run to me (although stiffly) when he sees me with a bucket of food, but then straight away goes back to his knees. The last ditch attempt is to restrict his movement by putting him on box rest, forcing him to rest, and then stretching his limbs and doing controlled exercise by walking him in hand, encouraging him with a bucket of food. I will continue this process for the rest if the week but will be making the final decision on Friday

Any other sensible suggestions are most welcome.

Comments regarding me doing **** all for the goat are just totally ridiculous and uncalled for. I would challenge anyone to show me many other farmers that would put so much time, money and effort into a financially worthless wether. The vets think I'm daft for doing so much for him, and they will refer me to ucd vet hospital if I push the matter, but with financial constraints and lots of other animals to look after I won't go down that route

EP90

horsefarm wrote: »

I've had 2 different vets out a number of times over the past few months but thanks for the abusive response anyway.

My apologies for an unfair response, guess I jumped in when I read the line “He has been lame for a very long time and its getting worse”, sound like you have done more than could be expected. Out of interest did you get any help from the link. http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net...php?board=23.0

aonb

Horsefarm, sounds like you have done your absolute best for this poor chap