Help with Nigerian Dwarf Wether

[KLLEETRUCKING]

Thanks for taking time to field my questions.

We have 3 Nigerian Dwarf wethers all about a year old. After a few mistakes in the beginning, we thought we were on the right track,,, wrong! Apparently, due to too much Alfalfa, Yoda developed urinary calculi and had to be rushed to the vet for a UBM. Like a colostomy but without a bag on his urine side. This was about a month ago. He seems to be doing OK and is back to 95% of his former self. His urine now dribbles out as he has no control now. YES,, I'll take the heat for the bad diet choices which have been revised.

During hoof trimming prior to his surgery he was fairly cooperative ( I hold him and dgf does the trimming), now he's not having any of it and pretty much runs when I come to pick him up. His brother and step brother almost fall asleep when their hooves are trimmed.
I could probably grab him and subdue him but that would only happen once and I certainly don't want him afraid of us anymore than he is.We've tried food distraction but that only works until I get near his sides then it's over.
Since his urine now dribbles, the fur on the underside is getting crusted with dirt and needs to be cleaned. Fortunately there no visual signs of infection.



Is he still tender in the surgery area?

Will he ever trust us again?

Has anyone had experience with this surgery and what was the long term out come?

Any suggestions on getting this little guy spiffed back up?

 

[FaithM7229]

You could bring him some treats to help bond! See what he likes. My Pygmy doesn't like very much. Although my Nigerian dwarf will eat anything. She likes carrots, apples, cherries, lettuce, pickles, celery, watermelon, strawberries, peaches, blueberries, and she even loves hard cider

you can also by licorice flavored goat treats at most farm stores. Anytime you feed your goats something, be sure to do it in very small doses! Also be sure to make sure it won't hurt them. I walk my goats every single day through the orchards and train them. I show them at the fair in the pack classes so we practice obstacles as well. It is fun for both of us and challenging. I would recommend trying it. It builds a great bond. I also recommend regularly grooming. My goats will stand completely still for hours while I brush them. They love it! Show them you mean no harm!

 

[chooks4life]

Is he still tender in the surgery area?
Possibly, who knows what else might have been cut or damaged deliberately or accidentally during surgery, and we all know how active goats are; he could have hurt himself being playful, or one of the others could have hurt him. Sometimes surgery sites develop internal scar tissue, some might be hurting him.

Will he ever trust us again?
Persist, be kind and patient, and he should. It's not too common for any animal to hold a permanent grudge against people, at least not against people they once liked. Some do though.

Has anyone had experience with this surgery and what was the long term out come?
Sorry, no experience there. I've only heard about that surgery, don't know anyone who's had it done, you're the first I've spoken to about it.

Any suggestions on getting this little guy spiffed back up?
Find a treat he cannot resist, spend time talking to him, maybe call him out on his uncooperative behavior too.

(The latter two suggestions probably sound weird but I 'reason' talk with all my animals, I find by the tone of my voice they can easily come to understand what they're doing that is displeasing or pleasing me, so I praise them for doing what I want, and scold them like a naughty child for doing what I don't want. Just use a disappointed tone on them for being naughty, not actually be angry, or threatening of course).

One thing I do know for sure is that guilt is a disruptive, unsettling emotion animals dislike sensing in humans. They seek to avoid it, it makes them lose trust for you. Not sure why. Lots of people run into trouble with their animals once they interact with them from a place of feeling guilty. I think like fear it's an unstable emotion, an unpredictable one, so they aren't sure of you. Confidence and calmness is an important thing to possess to inspire trust from an animal, and guilt and distress are nothing like it.

You tried to care for him, you made a mistake, and so what? Everybody does! Us animal keepers are like motorbike riders; there are only two types, those who have fallen off, and those who will fall off. Everybody, sooner or later, makes mistakes, and unfortunately our mistakes often cost lives. You've just got to let it go; you tried, an error was made, but you tried and that's got to be good enough because it's all we can really do.

Is it possible since his surgery that you're being too soft on him, as far as he'd see it being a pushover, so he thinks he no longer has to tolerate you maintaining his hooves?

Also, how are you handling him while doing his hooves? Is it possible it's uncomfortable for him due to something that's changed internally now?

Best wishes.

 

[KLLEETRUCKING]

Thanks for the replies.
I'm sure it's going to take time and persistence. We might try to isolate him from the others during hoof trimming and ply him with some grapes (they all LOVE grapes). As you know when they're all together, goats offer waayyy more help than needed.
Tonight during "walkies" he let dgf ( momma) slowly pet his sides and actually pick off some of the crud he's built up.

Again, thanks to everyone for your concern.

 

[KLLEETRUCKING]

A little update.
I did some more research on several goat forums and google.
It seems like a milking stand is most helpful, (no, I'm not milking wethers lol). But several posters commented that not only do they milk on the stand but also trim hooves. The goats are munching on "nummies" and are distracted and they are at a comfortable height for a human on a stool.
I'm a flatbed type trucker by trade and accumulate a lot of wood, (securement/dunnage. I bring home anything that can be burned or repurposed).
So,, today I built the main stand from just scrap lumber. It was brought into the pen and the "boys" were up on it within a nano second. Next is the head gate. I'll build it just for their size, attach it to the stand and let them check it out. Then next will be the feed bucket without feed.
I'm trying to introduce them in stages so they'll be comfortable and calm when we go: stand/feeder bucket/head gate/trim.
Should be a lot of fun,,, not.
I'll let you know, K. Lee

 

[chooks4life]

Good luck with that. It does sound like a good idea.

Best wishes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sorry to hear about all your troubles, there is a steep learning curves with goats, I hope you have luck with getting him in the milking stand, and getting his trust back, you sound very handy. I just had to comment on your post because I had stated in another forum how bad feeding alfalfa was and I got told how wrong I was, but it sounds like you have learned and are doing better. I have found some goats are not as willing to trust people as others, they all have different personalities, but all are enjoyable in their own ways. Goats think they are royalty and think everyone should wait on them. Hopefully your little guy is doing better.

 

[KLLEETRUCKING]

Thanks for the replies and well wishes.
I built the stand but couldn't complete the feeder/head restraint as I had to get back to work. I did bring the stand home and the "boys" were up on it in a matter of seconds. The boys view my dgf as "Momma". So every evening she sits on their bench and gives Yoda a little extra attention hoping to gain more of his trust. She's carrying the nippers and got a few clips off his front hooves the other night.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

that might be a better way of going, I know goats can freak out if they are unfamiliar with having their heads in a restraint, pygmys are a bit more reactive than dairy goats. And anything that can be climbed will be climbed. Love goats.

 

[KLLEETRUCKING]

UPDATE, on Yoda.
Karen managed to trim his back hooves last night, yippeeeee! She has been giving Yoda a little extra attention since I last wrote, extra petting, calm voice reassurance. Every evening the 3 get about a cup of Noble Goat feed in a common dish which they go crazy over. Well, last night when they were gobbling the feed down she approached from the front with her clippers and calmly picked his back leg up and got his hoof trimmed, ditto on the other one.
I'd say he was 99% cooperative, he gave a few half hearted kicks but she calmed that down right away.