I "took in" a boer doe this past summer. She's a sweet girl, but has some very big problems. When I got her, she was extremely malnourished and could barely walk. When I took a look at her hooves I realized that they had probably never been trimmed in her life (she looks to be older, probably at least 5) and she had hoof rot in all 4 of her hooves. Through the summer I worked on trimming her hooves down a little at a time, treating the hoof rot with hoof-n-heal and getting her weight up. She's filling out quite nicely and I've gotten all but 1 hoof under control. She can walk now, but she has a bad limp. The problem, I've figured out, isn't her misshapen hoof, it's the joint on that one hoof. It's stiff and can't bend at all. I don't think she broke it...it's more like the hoof rot traveled up INTO her leg. I don't even know if that's possible. What I want to know is if there is anything I, personally, can do for her? I know it sounds mean, but if I can't do anything for her personally, I'm going to have to take her to market in the Spring. :-/
I don't think... it would travel up to the leg ... how far along ...are you.. in treatment on that hoof...any rot left in it...or is it pretty healed...? She may of had a bad injury happen to her... in the past.... that didn't heal properly.... and is making the leg stiff....if you have the hoof rot under control..... and if the stiffness is from a old injury ...I would keep her and breed her.... having a limp... isn't an issue ...if it is not hurting her..... and is getting around ok.... it doesn't prevent her from a normal life..... I had a gimpy goat...that had a healed shattered hip...... she produced for me ...show animals....and it never seemed to bother her...even giving birth..
I agree with Pam, the stiffness in the joint would likely be from the way she was forced to walk on bad feet, now that the hooves have been properly cared for, you are noticing the stiffness more. This is likely permanent because of the previous hoof damage.
Okay =) She did go into heat about a month and a half ago and hasn't cycled again so I'm thinking she might be bred =) Strangely enough, with the first snow here she seems to be getting around easier. She can all but keep up with the others when their run up to get fed now :wink:
Glad she is doing good... :thumb: Also glad.... she didn't come back into heat.... that is a good sign...of babies to come.. :wink:
First of all, Congratulations on all the work you have done for this doe. and for taking her in a treating her like she should be treated. God Bless you. It makes me so mad when people get animals and have no idea how to treat or take care of them, I know we all have to learn but these other people could of asked someone for help. As for the hoof rot in the last one, have you tried a bleach solution? Putting her foot in some bleach water, that might help to Kill the fungus. I agree with the others on the stiffness. There might not be anything at all you can do about it. What I did for my dog that is sore (he is old), I have some Epson Salt gel, I rubbed it all over his leg, pretty thick, and I wrapped it. It did seem to help him. Good luck on the babies and God Bless you for the love you have given her. Thanks for the reminder, I have to go do some feet today.
My Murray is prone to hoof problems so I really have to stay on top of trimming. With hoof rot and scald I found LA 200 squirted between the "toes" works wonders. I also put a pack of jello in the feed about once a month because Murray tends to creak when it gets cold and it works for me plus he likes it. Gina
I've got a 250lb Katahdin pet wether who injured a hock as a young lamb. Ever since it had been stiff and hugely swollen. He limps. Be we keep water and hay for him close to the barn so he doesn't have to walk much and he's happy. He's 5 years old now and lives a fine life. As long as your doe can maintain condition, even if she limps, I'd give her a chance.
if she still has hoof rot in that hoof I would be giving her antibiotics IM and topically - like an Oxytetracyline (LA 200, Biomycin, Duramycin) the IM injection would be 1cc per 20lbs
