SuziB
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry, but I do not remember who posted the question about a friend's goat being foundered. I apologize, too, for taking so long to get back to you, but I had to locate my source material.
I raised purebred dairy goats for several years, but I was forced to give up my herd in 1990 (right after securing a good milk market at a local health food store!)
Anyway, I have been digging for my goatkeeping books, and I finally found some possibly helpful information in the book, "Aids to Goatkeeping" by Corl E. Leach. He was at one time the editor of Dairy Goat Journal, THE magazine in the goat world. Or, at least it was back in 1990.
(Now, please bear in mind that this is a 1975 edition, probably the ninth, as the eighth was printed in 1974. The first edition was published in 1926).
To quote: FOUNDER: Founder is correlated with impaction, resulting in inflammation of the front feet and joints, deformity of the hooves, and is accompanied by great pain to the goat. Treatment, in addition to that for impaction, calls for careful and frequent trimming of the hooves to keep them in shape, and to make the goat as comfortable as possible on soft bedding.
It usually accompanies a sudden overfeeding of concentrates, such as when a goat breaks into the grain bin and gorges itself on rich feeds.
This is a painful condition of the forefeet, sometimes called foot-fever. The symptoms are usually noticed first when the goat refuses to rest its weight on one or both front feet, often kneeling to take the weight from the feet. The feet will be feverish, dry, hard and elongated.
Discontinue feeding grain and substitute bran mash in very moderate feedings if the doe is milking. If the animal is not in milk, (and I think you mentioned that your friend's was a buck, rather than a doe, right?) it is well to discontinue ALL grain or mash. Feed good hay and when possible supply brush, leaves, saplings and weeds. (Goats are browsers like deer--NOT grass-grazers like cattle or sheep).
Give one grain santonin (two grains to a large buck) (Note: I would ask the vet about this; also your favorite pharmacist) each day for four days; then wait two weeks and repeat, doubling the dose if it appears necessary. Soak the hooves in warm water and trim as well as possible. Wipe dry and paint with the following: Equal parts yellow vaseline, beeswax, pine tar and camphor gum, melted in a water bath. Apply twice daily. In severe cases it is well to protect the ointment with a bandage.
Another treatment is to take strips of slippery elm bark and boil until they become soft and slimy. Let cool. Make canvas moccasins with draw-strings in the tops, leaving plenty of room in the moccasin for the hoof to spread when walking. Take pieces of the boiled elm bark and wrap around the top of the hoof and bind on with muslin, being careful not to get it too tight. Wet well with water from the boiled bark; then place the moccasin over the hoof and tie it on by use of the draw-string. Leave it on for two or three days, keeping it moist with the slippery elm water. After it is removed, keep the goat on soft or damp ground (except when sleeping) or in a heavily bedded stall, as the feet will be tender from the softening effect of the continual soaking. It is well to follow this treatment with the ointment mentioned above.
Another poultice is made of bran and linseed oil. This is to be held in place with bandages or moccasins or both. Give a dessert spoon of linseed oil each day. (I question this--isn't linseed oil POISONOUS? I am not at all sure that it is, but I think I would ask the vet first!)
These hoof treatments are for relief rather than curative. Remove the cause first of all.
One of the later treatments is the use by veterinarians of parenteral antihistimines which gives fair results.
End of quote from "Aids to Goatkeeping"
In view of the miraculous array of modern drugs and treatments, I would personally first of all consult my veterinarian of choice. Since it is now 2005, surely they have developed newer treatments.
I shall continue to go through my goatkeeping library, and if I find something more modern or possibly beneficial, I will post that information, too, if you wish.
One more thing: goats' hooves should be trimmed on a monthly basis. I found a good pair of sharp, one-handed pruning shears like those for rose bushes to be fairly efficient. Just go slowly and carefully. Set the hoof down frequently to make sure of your angle.
SuziB
I raised purebred dairy goats for several years, but I was forced to give up my herd in 1990 (right after securing a good milk market at a local health food store!)
Anyway, I have been digging for my goatkeeping books, and I finally found some possibly helpful information in the book, "Aids to Goatkeeping" by Corl E. Leach. He was at one time the editor of Dairy Goat Journal, THE magazine in the goat world. Or, at least it was back in 1990.
(Now, please bear in mind that this is a 1975 edition, probably the ninth, as the eighth was printed in 1974. The first edition was published in 1926).
To quote: FOUNDER: Founder is correlated with impaction, resulting in inflammation of the front feet and joints, deformity of the hooves, and is accompanied by great pain to the goat. Treatment, in addition to that for impaction, calls for careful and frequent trimming of the hooves to keep them in shape, and to make the goat as comfortable as possible on soft bedding.
It usually accompanies a sudden overfeeding of concentrates, such as when a goat breaks into the grain bin and gorges itself on rich feeds.
This is a painful condition of the forefeet, sometimes called foot-fever. The symptoms are usually noticed first when the goat refuses to rest its weight on one or both front feet, often kneeling to take the weight from the feet. The feet will be feverish, dry, hard and elongated.
Discontinue feeding grain and substitute bran mash in very moderate feedings if the doe is milking. If the animal is not in milk, (and I think you mentioned that your friend's was a buck, rather than a doe, right?) it is well to discontinue ALL grain or mash. Feed good hay and when possible supply brush, leaves, saplings and weeds. (Goats are browsers like deer--NOT grass-grazers like cattle or sheep).
Give one grain santonin (two grains to a large buck) (Note: I would ask the vet about this; also your favorite pharmacist) each day for four days; then wait two weeks and repeat, doubling the dose if it appears necessary. Soak the hooves in warm water and trim as well as possible. Wipe dry and paint with the following: Equal parts yellow vaseline, beeswax, pine tar and camphor gum, melted in a water bath. Apply twice daily. In severe cases it is well to protect the ointment with a bandage.
Another treatment is to take strips of slippery elm bark and boil until they become soft and slimy. Let cool. Make canvas moccasins with draw-strings in the tops, leaving plenty of room in the moccasin for the hoof to spread when walking. Take pieces of the boiled elm bark and wrap around the top of the hoof and bind on with muslin, being careful not to get it too tight. Wet well with water from the boiled bark; then place the moccasin over the hoof and tie it on by use of the draw-string. Leave it on for two or three days, keeping it moist with the slippery elm water. After it is removed, keep the goat on soft or damp ground (except when sleeping) or in a heavily bedded stall, as the feet will be tender from the softening effect of the continual soaking. It is well to follow this treatment with the ointment mentioned above.
Another poultice is made of bran and linseed oil. This is to be held in place with bandages or moccasins or both. Give a dessert spoon of linseed oil each day. (I question this--isn't linseed oil POISONOUS? I am not at all sure that it is, but I think I would ask the vet first!)
These hoof treatments are for relief rather than curative. Remove the cause first of all.
One of the later treatments is the use by veterinarians of parenteral antihistimines which gives fair results.
End of quote from "Aids to Goatkeeping"
In view of the miraculous array of modern drugs and treatments, I would personally first of all consult my veterinarian of choice. Since it is now 2005, surely they have developed newer treatments.
I shall continue to go through my goatkeeping library, and if I find something more modern or possibly beneficial, I will post that information, too, if you wish.
One more thing: goats' hooves should be trimmed on a monthly basis. I found a good pair of sharp, one-handed pruning shears like those for rose bushes to be fairly efficient. Just go slowly and carefully. Set the hoof down frequently to make sure of your angle.
SuziB
