Goats adapting to disability

Can't believe I found this video today about a goat that walks on its front legs.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4393534/Youve-goat-to-be-kidding-Animal-learns-to-walk-on-two-legs.html

Six or seven years ago, we had a doe that was suddenly paralyzed. The vet clinic at U of I was talking about spending a thousand dollars just to find out WHY she could suddenly not walk -- and without any indication that would be able to do anything if they did find out the cause. Anyway, we brought her back home, and initially I'd put her in the bathtub twice a day hoping that the buoyancy from the water might help her start to use her back end again. After about a week, we put her in her own little pen in the barn where she could see everyone but not interact physically, and at some point she started walking on her front legs. She didn't balance with her back end as high as this guy, and I think at some point she got some use of her hind legs again because her periods of her back legs touching the ground were longer than this kid. Anyway, I just found it fascinating when she was suddenly disabled. Initially she was so angry and upset, but in a very short time -- less than a day -- she had accepted it and started to adapt. Wish I'd have thought to get a video of her! Unfortunately she died about a year later.

Just goes to show what kind of will they can have. I have one now with a will to make it! Thanks Deborah, this is so encouraging.

I was actually coming to the site to share an idea I had about Anchovy. We were just discussing a new step in treatment. Today is day 11. She is doing extremely well at getting around and in fact is beginning to let the tip of that hoof touch the ground for just a second with each step. I guess you would say instead of walking on 3 legs with a bit of a hop when the 4th hoof should be used she walks on 3 with a bit of a quick limping step on the 4th. Just some of the time.

The swelling in the thigh down to the injury has went down a lot (almost normal there) from the injury to the hoof has been a very different story. The swelling in her little foot was so bad that her hoof toes were spread way out with the skin so tight that there was NO WIGGLE ROOM! Finally after I decided to put her back in the tub with her legs in a bucket full of salty water and antibacterial soap, the swelling has begun to go down just a hair to where you can move the toes a wee bit.

She can not run like the rest but will speed up to go after food and such. She will follow the herd just at a much slower pace and doesn't make every move with them she sometimes stays were she is resting comfy when they move around. She will dive right into the middle of them after grain! Just want ya'll to understand how she keeps on going. So as you can tell she acts very normal.

BUT- She DOES have a bit of a bad smell to her kinda like rotten meat. I don't think she is really infected, but I do believe that she has dead flesh. Kinda like if you banded a kid and they smelled rotten you know? To be honest I think she would be a perfect candidate for one of those things were they put those sterile maggots on an injury to consume the dead flesh.

So we are still giving her anti-biotic shots every 24-48 hours and just alternating different things like iodine, blue kote, peroxide whatever. About every other day we clean it and bandage it with a bandage covered in anti biotic ointment then wrap it over night so it can soak up the meds etc., then unwrap it in the a.m. and let it air till the next night.

She still has the 2 stitches that I am not taking out or it would be completely open and it is showing no signs of closing. I do wish i had put a couple more in it, but to late now.

So what we are contemplating is taking her to the beach! What do ya'll think? If you aren't familiar with the healing properties of the real salt water you may not understand but I am and have actually went to the beach twice about 5 days apart a few years back for my own self and when I left to come home filled a soda bottle with ocean water to use at home. I will take some huge containers with me so I can bring her some water home also. Do you think that people at the island would trip if they saw a goat walking down the beach! I couldn't care less. She is much cleaner than their dogs they take.

I think I will take her Saturday when Dennis is off. He says he will take us!

Replies

Margaret Langley June 25, 2012 at 12:18pm

Just goes to show what kind of will they can have. I have one now with a will to make it! Thanks Deborah, this is so encouraging.

I was actually coming to the site to share an idea I had about Anchovy. We were just discussing a new step in treatment. Today is day 11. She is doing extremely well at getting around and in fact is beginning to let the tip of that hoof touch the ground for just a second with each step. I guess you would say instead of walking on 3 legs with a bit of a hop when the 4th hoof should be used she walks on 3 with a bit of a quick limping step on the 4th. Just some of the time.

The swelling in the thigh down to the injury has went down a lot (almost normal there) from the injury to the hoof has been a very different story. The swelling in her little foot was so bad that her hoof toes were spread way out with the skin so tight that there was NO WIGGLE ROOM! Finally after I decided to put her back in the tub with her legs in a bucket full of salty water and antibacterial soap, the swelling has begun to go down just a hair to where you can move the toes a wee bit.

She can not run like the rest but will speed up to go after food and such. She will follow the herd just at a much slower pace and doesn't make every move with them she sometimes stays were she is resting comfy when they move around. She will dive right into the middle of them after grain! Just want ya'll to understand how she keeps on going. So as you can tell she acts very normal.

BUT- She DOES have a bit of a bad smell to her kinda like rotten meat. I don't think she is really infected, but I do believe that she has dead flesh. Kinda like if you banded a kid and they smelled rotten you know? To be honest I think she would be a perfect candidate for one of those things were they put those sterile maggots on an injury to consume the dead flesh.

So we are still giving her anti-biotic shots every 24-48 hours and just alternating different things like iodine, blue kote, peroxide whatever. About every other day we clean it and bandage it with a bandage covered in anti biotic ointment then wrap it over night so it can soak up the meds etc., then unwrap it in the a.m. and let it air till the next night.

She still has the 2 stitches that I am not taking out or it would be completely open and it is showing no signs of closing. I do wish i had put a couple more in it, but to late now.

So what we are contemplating is taking her to the beach! What do ya'll think? If you aren't familiar with the healing properties of the real salt water you may not understand but I am and have actually went to the beach twice about 5 days apart a few years back for my own self and when I left to come home filled a soda bottle with ocean water to use at home. I will take some huge containers with me so I can bring her some water home also. Do you think that people at the island would trip if they saw a goat walking down the beach! I couldn't care less. She is much cleaner than their dogs they take.

I think I will take her Saturday when Dennis is off. He says he will take us!
Elyse Nicholson June 25, 2012 at 11:11am

I think I remember that happening to your goat --- wasn't that around the time I picked up Hansel? Was it Coco Chanel?

This reply was deleted.