Please Someone give me immediate help!!!!!!!!?

Question

My goat was attacked yesterday morning my a couple dogs while he was outside for breakfast. A few nicks....No hanging skin.....However he is very skittish.Also his hind left leg is very stiff and does not walk on it he just lifts it up like a dog with a hurt Paw. However he lays down and when he is standing he puts a little weight on his paw. Is it broken or is it a sprain? Also what do I do in either scenario? Immediate help would be nice. So thanks for anyone

who gives me any feedback

Answer 1

I would recommend you take your goat to the closest vet, make sure it was not rabid dogs that attacked your goat. Sometimes animals need time to recover themselves, such as my cat. It was weak, wouldn't land on its paws if it was dropped (natural reaction by any cat) and it slept all day (3 days straight).

Good luck with your goat,

Anthony.

Answer 2

Hello, I raise goats.  I have about 100 of them.  I've suffered my fair share of dog attacks on my herd.



Your goat is very, very lucky to have survived this first attack by two dogs.  Unless the dogs were killed, they WILL come back.  The dogs had fun.  Keep that in mind, because next time, they will probably kill your goat.

Your goat should be fine after a few days.  Dog attacks hurt.  The dogs probably bit, and bruised him.  He's very sore, that's why he's not putting his hoof down.  If it were a broken leg, you would probably be able to tell.  The goat would put no weight on it, and it would dangle and flop, horribly.

Sprain possibly, more than likely, just deep muscle bruising.  

Keep your goat in a VERY safe place (not kidding when I state the dogs will be back).  Nice deep bedding, so he can keep warm.  Is he eating his hay, or pasture, as normal?  Very normal for them to be skittish, but he should still be eating.

Make sure there's plenty of clean cool drinking water.  Also make sure your goat has access to a salt/mineral block.  After the adrenaline rush, stress, and healing, he's going to need salt and minerals.

Sounds like your goat is a pet?  If so, spend time with him.  He will be most comforted from the feeling of security a "herd" brings him.  If he's a pet, he views you as his herd.  

If you find puncture wounds on him from the dogs teeth, clean them with hydrogen peroxide, or iodine if you have no peroxide.  Note:  I had a pet goat, which I came home and found being attacked by a dog.  I caught the dog, tied her up, and gave my goat immediate medical treatment, for the puncture wounds.  He equated my medical treatment with the dog attack.  I was virtually unable to touch him for more than a year after that.  Make sure your goat is in a reasonibly calm frame of mind when you administer treatment, or he may decide you are as bad as the dogs.

Lift your goats tail up also, and check for bites around your goats a**s.  If he's keeping his tail clamped down, he's probably been bit on, or under his tail.

I'm sorry this happened to you and your goat.  Most people don't understand that goats can make as loving a pet as a dog.  You are within your legal right to kill any dog attacking livestock.  However I reccomend if it is possible for you to safely do so, that you catch the dogs, and turn them over to police, or animal control.  Make sure you file a report.  

The people who own the dogs, are liable to you for ANY Vet bills you incure because of their dog attack.

~Garnet

Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

Raising meat goats since 1999

Answer 3

I doubt that his leg is broken as well. It's pretty easy to tell if it is broken. Hard to describe it, but you'd it if you saw it. His leg is probably bruised badly. If you know who owns the dogs, have a talk with them. If it happens again, shoot the dogs.

Answer 4

I doubt if it is broken, probably he got a worse bite on the leg than you thought. Give him a few days and he'll get the soreness out and be OK. clean his bites with peroxide and put some antiseptic on them. A vet can't tell if the dogs had rabies unless you take the dogs in to him. I assume that they got away.

Answer 5

shoot it LOL no sorry just kidding... take it to your vet if your not sure, could have pulled /torn a ligament if the dogs grabbed and pulled it, will probably need an ultrasound