My goat tore her leg open!!!!!

[Chatychick]

You can get tetanus shots at the feed store where you buy their feed. Like Tractor supply or any other most sell shots and there isnt hardly anything worse than tetanus causing her lock jaw and her starving to death cause she cant eat for a $3 shot. also maybe some furizone ointment it will help with infection. I have used it on my goats and horses when they cut themselves.
I have a motto: If I cant afford it I dont do it...the animals come first. They eat before I do.
I fed 30 cattle and calves and 6 horses, 42 goats and who knows how many fowl I have from turkeys, chickens and geese and ducks. not only that 1 cat and 10 dogs.

 

[helmstead]

I'm very sorry for your goat and only have one thing to say.

If you can't afford a vet, you SHOULDN'T have animals. Animals are a luxury, and they should come first.

My advice? Take the goat to the local animal shelter/rescue and sign her over where she can receive proper care, and don't get any more animals until you can afford emergency care when needed.

 

[bluerose]

Human meds aren't going to help you much in this instance.

Get to the feed store and ask them for what you need (quality ointment- furazone is not good, highly carcinogenic, i would avoid it; cotton sheeting; vetwrap) and go to the pharmacy and get nonstick gauze pads and gauze rolls.

change the bandage daily at least.

it will take a lot of $$ (vetwrap is something like $1.30 a roll and you will probably use half of one a day depending on the length of the wound and the size of her leg) to get her to health- you can't stop wrapping, really, until the skin is knitting (and then you can go to gauze pads and vetwrap until it's not going to tear open easily and then go to just ointment).

SHE NEEDS ANTIBIOTICS AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES. can you at least call a vet for advice and dosage? if not, you need to find someone who has the resources to care for a severely injured goat. if she's not bearing weight she's likely in significant pain.

unfortunately, I agree with helmstead. it is not responsible in the least to own an animal you cannot take care of.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Chad there are things less expensive than treats that are a bigger priority to her right now. I agree the shots should be given and you can get them at the feed store. Find someone local to you that is experienced in goat care and ask for help. Most folks are more than willing to share knowledge with you. Failing a goat person try someone that has cattle. While pictures are helpful it's just not the same as being there in person to really see the wound and show you how to bandage it right.

Try the local SPCA or Goat rescue too, they have great volunteers that would love to help someone that cares. They are just sick of those that don't care and let things get way out of hand, so call them now. Prevention of infection is very important. Early wound care makes all the difference.

 

[Moonwalker]

I agree with those who say if you don't know how and can't afford medical care for your pets, don't get them.I am always rescueing things, but I know a lot about caring for injuries and sickness and I do know when to say "No" when I have reached my space and financial limits.

OK, lecture over, let's help this goat!
Peroxide is great for old, infected wounds or scrapes. When it hits fresh blood or raw skin, it actually creates heat and will "cook" the surface, actually slowing down healing.

For a wound like this, since it's old and not stitched, you want it to heal from the inside out, since if you try to keep it closed, the surface may heal with infection (abcess) inside.
hose it out and remove any debris or dead tissue. Use your hand or if your are squeamish, a piece of GAUZE (not cotton balls, they leave lint that can trap crud). You can use betadine or iodine shampoo. After it's clean, apply antibiotic ointment (silvadene or neosporin if you don't have silvadene) OR, if you can get to a Tractor Supply or other feed/supply store that carries animal meds, RED KOTE (also called SCARLET OIL) is one of the best things I have found for healing deep, and/or infected wounds. It will keep it moist and heal from the inside out. Don't use both neosporin and scarlet oil, one or the other. You can use vet wrap to bandage it. It won't stick to the wound or the hair around it. Don't pull it too tight, just snug enough so it doesn't slip. Ask at the feed store for the tetanus shot and penicillin and instructions on where and how to give it.
Clean and rebandage daily.
After a few days, once it starts healing, you can leave the bandage off.
If you do not have the time and resources to do this, please take her to someplace that can, even if it means you have to give her up.

 

[bluerose]

Just having dealt with multiple wounds- especially with leg wounds you DO NOT want to leave the bandage off... dust/dirt/pathogens can get in very easily... the skin has to be knitting (which means a lot of healing for a cut to the bone) before you can realistically leave the bandage off.

you may want to leave the bandage off for 20-30min per day to allow the rest of her skin to breathe- but don't let her go where it will get dirty again if you can help it.

iodine shampoo? for one, iodine is caustic, and why on earth shampoo?

if you use betadine DILUTE IT as i said earlier. betadine is really your best choice and should be available at the feed store- it's what they use for surgical prep.

 

[dfchaser]

My goat did the exact same thing a few months ago. The vet had told us if she came out when we called her she would have given him stitches, but since she said we had it under control and supplies needed at the house she came out the next day. Since we cleaned him up so well and the wound had stopped bleeding it was too late for stitches when she got here. She gave us the wound powder and some diapers and vet wrap so we could continue care.

Here is what we needed to do to clean him up and prevent infection:

-give tetanus shot (whole bottle)
-clean wound, get ALL debris out - took like an hour and 2 ppl
-drench wound with penicillin - acts like a major dose directly to wound
-wrap wound in baby diaper and then with vet wrap
-every other day give a shot of bio-mycin by weight (antibacterial)
-every day, clean wound, put lyme or dry wound powder on it and rewrap with diaper and vet wrap

Your goat has to have a tetanus shot, and with a wound that bad an antibacterial is important as well. You need to call a vet since she is going to need things you dont have, and will need some sort of shots. The vet will also probably give you something for her pain for a few days.

My boy hobbled around on 3 legs for weeks, and we were pretty sure he had nerve damage, but now that he is healed all he has is a scare that runs from his hoof to his knee.

Remember, as soon as she stops eating or drinking there is a BIG problem, and you need to try and prevent that from happening.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[SilkieCRZYness]

alright, first, im going to tractor supply today and getting the tetenus shot, the red kote, diaper wrap and vet wrap. i will flush it out daily and re wrap daily to ensure a clean wound. Now, when i say i couldnt afford a vet to drive, out to the country were i live and not be able to stitch this up bc it is to late and just tell me what to do and have a service charge and pay by the mile its not worth it. i have all funds i need take care of her properally. i have called a few vets and no one wants to mess with a goat unfortuanatly. all i can say is i will do what i can, but i didnt get on here for people to tell me to turn my animals over to a shelter and im not adequate to care for my animals. thank you all who gave me valid suggestions on a reasonable budget and that i can do myself. tonight i will take the pictures as i am at work now. Also she is still eating and drinking and has a good attitude.


Dfchaser, can i get that bio-mycin shot at the feed store to as well as penicillin? thanks

 

[Chatychick]

We dont mean to sound mean...sorry about that ...yes you can get Biomycin at the feed sotre if they carry it or LA 200 also but it does sting. I would used a 20 guage needle and at least a 3cc syringe and give the shots 2x a day. We just want to help and the first post scared everyone as it sounded like you couldnt afford the care its going to take. Sorry about that again. Yes get the diapers and vet wrap and tetanus shot. Get the tetanus antitoxin and give it as its faster and then in 21 days give her the tetanus toxiod for longer protection. Give all your goats the toxoid for a years protection, better safe. Goats get into troubl;e all the time. I keep the antitoxin cause you never know if when trimming feet they can get cut to short and bleed. I still give the antitoxin when that happens even t=if they are up to date on shots just to be on the safe side. I hate calling in the vet also as it starts here to drive all the way and $100 then their charges. But sometimes I dont have that choice either.
I have cattle, goats and horses...and I love them all...plus chickens and other fowl too. Hang in there and help your girl...she will hate you for a while but will get over it. Good luck and accept my apologies...

 

[SilkieCRZYness]

i accept your apologizes and appreciate the help and understanding. all i did was rescue this goat from some mexicans buying her to eat and give her a loving home, i have a good heart and love animals to death. i have made a long list of supplies i will be purchasing at the feed store today and hopefully she will end up just fine as now she is pregnant and starting to show. (very excited)

I do believe i misled some of you about the financial part, i go to a college university, work full time for the county and live on my own, pay all my bills and have no loans for tuition. its not that i cant afford a vet, as i probably make more than most who just commented on my post, its just i wanted to SAVE money and keep the expenses to a minimum but take care of her problems properally. thanks again