[goosepimple]

Adivce goat keepers please:
We have a pygmy called Aunty Gherty (6yrs) with a recurring foot problem which has gone on too long.  We've had repeat doses of Betamox and previous to that Duphamox (think its more or less the same) and we would think we'd cracked the problem and then back to problem again.  I think perhaps we need more hard standing around their house area to avoid the soft ground / mud getting stuck in their feet.  We've tried lots of attention and then thinking that maybe we had given too much attention / trimming and cleaning / spraying with antibiotic sprays etc we tried leaving her for a bit and that wouldn't work either. Got on to the vet yesterday and he has given us Engemycin - 3 injections, 1 every 5 days and it should be long lasting.  Did the first today and will see how she is at the weekend.  Has anyone used this drug before?  Our other goats are always fine.  We will take her to the vet if she's not fine in a couple of weeks although he has said we are doing everything right, so don't know if there's much he could do.  Thanks for reading and help.

[little blue]

she needs some rough ground .... but give her some chance to rest it too!
We were given Terrymicin spray from the vet (for kids' navels) and that says on the can its for foot rot.  I've used it on my own blisters too, which is fine if you dont mind bright blue patches for a while!!

Our goat absolutely hates having having her feet done, she gets herself in a complete panic so we give them plenty of stones to climb on, pavers & sneak up on her for a quick snip one foot at a time!

[princesspiggy]

we had that problem with our first goats, we kept them in field with a shelter but myrtle's feet were too wet with the dew etc. our farmer friend told us to spray with blue spray , and i made the mistake and used purple spray - for weeks and she was very lame and no better. eventually had vet out and he diagnosed "scald" between her toes and prescribed engymycin jabs and engymycin blue spray. cleared up really quickly after that.
scald isnt foot rot (in my opinion) but is very painful.
so note - blue spray and purple spray arent the same ...grr   

[Anke]

I now use Engemycin spray on any sheep that show signs of scald (a precursor to footrot) with good results. If you are doing all you can - there are some animals (in the case of sheep) that have recurring footrot problems and these are usually not bred from any longer/culled. Some people use Golden Hoof, but I haven't tried it yet.

[jaykay]

I'd second the blue Terramycin spray. But I think you're right, the more hardstanding you can provide for her the better, in these wet winters!

[Old Shep]

I am just trying  tip I read on this forum to put some lime down somewhere where they stand like next to a trough.  I have recurring scald in two of mine and although terramycin sorts it temporarily it comes back within a few weeks.  It's early days to say if the lime works.  In summer they used to stand  (of their own accord) in a half full bag of fertilizer - and that sorted their feet for ages !!!

[jaykay]

and i was advised (by our SallyintNorth  ) to put lime down in the boggy bit by the hay feeders, to keep the sheep's feet sound. Maybe you could find the bit they stand in most Amanda and try lime?

[robert waddell]

yep lime sorts out the feet even in cattle 

[Cinderhills]

That's a great tip with the lime, thanks.  Think I'll try that as it gets so muddy around the hay rack.

[goosepimple]

Thanks everyone, these are great and really valued replies, thanks (reminds me how great this website is).  We have lots of lime at the moment as we are renovating some listed buildings here so I will give that a go tomorrow, what an unusual tip! (or is it..) Gherty is up and about today looking great so the new medication is working quickly.  I must say we have been using both purple and blue sprays, think I'll have a re-check on exactly the make of the blue we are using.  So far as the rough ground - we have been keeping them in a quarry, very rocky and stoney, they love teetering on the narrowest of ledges but it does also have sandy patches and muddy bits near the house (I'll get the lime down) so we clear out their feet and nail chop at the end of every month as a rule (is this enough?).  Think we'll extend the hard standing around the house by a few meters perimeter and fence it so I can confine her when necessary. 
Thank you all - wish goats feet were designed better!

[little blue]

 
Thank you all - wish goats feet were designed better!

they are designed perfectly ....
... for mountains & sheer rock faces!
not cosy hay, wet grass, and British weather!  

[goosepimple]

 

[Brucklay]

I don't know if this has been said already but OH is asking is it hydrated or hydraulic lime - from what I've read I think it's hydrated lime - I would like to put some by entrances to sheep shelter and billy goats house as the ground is a bit damp and anything to help - thanks in advance

[Lesley Silvester]

What does scald look like, please?

[Anke]

What does scald look like, please?

Like athlete's foot in humans - really it is sore, damp, slightly pink/red skin between the toes.