by Patricia Stewart

Created on: March 02, 2009

When a goat gets a wound, the first thing I do is clean it off and wash with a homemade goat milk soap. The oils in the natural soap help keep the edges of the wound supple, so they don't dry and crack, making healing more difficult. If the injury is in an area that is very furry, I'll clip the area down with a 10 blade, or perhaps a 50 blade with my show trimmers. This is just to help minimize dirt from staying around the wound any longer than necessary.

If the wound is at a location where the goat can't reach it with its tongue, I use a teatree oil treatment, blended with a carrier oil like sweet almond oil. Tea tree is a very strong antiseptic, antifungal, but it can be poisonous so I don't use it where it might be licked. If the wound is in an area that is lickable, I use a lavender oil treatment, as lavender has similar properties, though milder, and will soothe the irritated skin, while killing any germs that might infect it.

I haven't had to any sutures in my 13 years of farming, because none of the wounds we've faced have required it. I don't usually cover the wound either, as goats are likely to just pull at any dressing anyway. If I have to dress something, I try to put a shirt over the goat, so the whole body is covered. Then, they are more likely to pull at the shirt in their frustration, and not get to the dressing immediately.

I have used Neosporin on deeper wounds, as that is a stronger topical anti-biotic. It's not so strong though that it will interfere with the goat's digestive fauna, which can happen with a systemic anti-biotic treatment.

My preferred dressing is an elastic wrap, which if applied properly, flexes with the skin, and doesn't bind on the leg. If goats feel pressure anywhere, they work at with their mouths. It's a losing battle, in most cases, to try and cover any wound. If the goat doesn't open it herself, one of her herdmates will.

I also give a CD/T shot as a prophylaxis. I have a horse and a donkey, both of which carry tetanus within their bodies. It's just something that horses do. If the goat hasn't had a CD/T (Tetanus, enterotoxemia shot) then it should have a tetanus anti-toxin shot immediately after treatment is completed. I give this last, as it's more important to control any bleeding and close or cover the wound, than it is to deal with tetanus.

Goats are very resilient. Though they may scrape themselves up in playing, from my experience any major wound is because I didn't do my job and keep nails and dangers out of the pen. After finishing with a treatment, I always walk the stall and pasture trying to find where the animal got injured. Then I remove the danger, or fence it off, at the least.

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