[Bagot]

Noticed last weekend that one of our Bagot Billies was carrying his rear right leg. Figured at the time he could have got into an altercation with one of the Bagots. Having shown no sign of improvement on Sunday I called the vet. She came out, had a cursory look at his foot, gave him some metacam and left. Unsatisfied with how that visit went we had another vet from the same practice out on Monday. A thorough examination took place which included taking his temperature which at the time showed no sign of him suffering from an infection. Checking the leg every day we notice that on Wednesday that just above the hoof there was some definite heat. Phoned vet and went and got a 'sub -cut' antibiotic with the trademark name Zactran. This has brought down the heat, but a week later he is still off his leg. So I am  wondering what our next move should be? Is it worth, for example, taking him to have his leg x-rayed? Are we being impatient? And if he has sprained his leg it will take a lot longer to recover? These are just some of the questions we have...

[Bagot]

Thank you for the advise. This incredibly useful. And yes you are right it is the coronary band where the swelling is.  We live halfway up a welsh mountain so given the time of year the ground is now wet. We supplement their food with biotin and they have a zinc lick, which to be honest they don't really touch. We also give them a further supplement which covers trace elements like Zinc, copper etc. Washing his foot sounds like a very good idea. As you might understand, we were worried that we aren't doing enough to help him. Frank, an unrelated Billy has taken on paternal responsibilities and will nuzzle him and provide further assistance when he is standing. He leans up against him, hooks his horn underneath him, tells him when he has been sitting in one place for too long. I've never seen anything like that before.

[Anke]

To add to that you should also ensure that he is not trying to mate any females until his leg is healed completely. Also AB's may make him temporarily infertile.

[Bagot]

Thank you for the advise. We only four bagot billy goats, no females. We four wethered Balwen sheep who put up with being occasionally hassled by our boys. 

[Bagot]

Thanks to Scarlet Dragon we did wash his hoof today. We have been checking his hoof everyday, but it was only when we washed his hoof today that we found a wound. It had been oozing puss which had gone rock hard. We have golden hoofed him today and sprayed the site with an antibiotic spray.