I have a wether with a lump on the side of his jaw. Based on the location and the fact that it's not hurting him, my guess is that it's a salivary cyst, but if it's an abcess my understanding is that it's usually CL. I don't really have an area where I can keep him 100% quarantined, and right now I just have two wethers at home while our doe is being bred, so if I separate them they're going to scream the neighborhood down.
If I try to drain it with a needle, like for a salivary cyst, do I risk it opening up and infecting my yard with the CL bacteria?
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I would run a test on it ASAP if it is CL your other goats(s) are at risk and if it gets on the ground it can be there for 7 years(don't quote me on how many years, but I think its is 7), then you don't want to keep goats in that area b/c they could contract the disease. Best of luck to you!!
So I took the chance and tried to pull so fluid out with a needle and syringe....no luck despite several tries, so I bandaged him up thoroughly and put him back in the pen. This morning, nothing on the bandage, but he has thick white pus coming out of his mouth....so I guess he popped it from the inside with his teeth.
Well THAT'S good news. I think Deb's idea is good. Better to err on the cautious side, and be able to contain it if it IS more than just a cyst. Fingers crossed for you, that's what it is!!
I checked with the herd he came from and they're CL negative and VERY picky about letting outside goats onto their farm. There have been no abcesses on any animal in the time he's been here.
If you only have the two wethers, I would put them in a stall and leave them there until the cysts disappears. IF it bursts, you have at least isolated it to one place, and you can burn the bedding. Not sure about the walls and hay feeder though. You'd have to look at your particular structure and figure out that part. But at least it won't be all over your pasture. The only way to know if it is CL is to have it cultured by a vet. If it is CL, the goat will be a carrier for life and could have internal abscesses that you don't see. He could wind up infecting other goats. Typically goats with CL are culled.