Goat with an infected castration band - Updated

[Realtree4]

We have a 14 week old goat that we banded 4 weeks ago. I'm not exactly sure what happened (never had a problem before) but last night I noticed that where we banded him was discolored. His scrotum has been hard and cold for a few weeks now and I usually just take a quick glance. So last night I noticed the discoloration but it was getting dark so I sprayed some Banixx on it and decided to check better today.

Big problem.

The band is no longer there and he is now infected. There's a smell and a little bit of pus....only at the band site.

He is still acting well and eating and drinking (still nurses on his dam). We are going out to clean him and apply some blu kote.

My question is...

1. how much penicillin should I give him

And 2. Should we wait until the infection is cleared up to band him again?

My fear is that if we put another band on him with the infection there, I will make a bad situation worse. He is destined for the freezer but I really want him healthy and older.

This is my first time with a problem with banding.

ETA - Mom had her cd/t 30 days prior to kidding and he has both cd/t at 8 weeks and then 12 weeks.

 

[Realtree4]

So after a much closer inspection....

It looks like the band broke of before it could finish the whole job the scrotum is hanging by a small "tube" looking section that did not die off yet.

He is a great kid!!! He is acting completely normal and he laid down perfectly for me. Even letting me poke around down there. There isn't any redness or heat coming from the area, but a small tiny bit of pus along with "the smell". I cleaned him really well with iodine and then applied Blu-kote. Only then did he let me know he wasn't happy.....can't say that I blame him. But he jumped right up and went back to eating.

So I know I need new bands (other was too old?) and penicillin.

Anything else?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would do as you are planning, put a new,band on it and give 3-5 days of penicillin. I believe it's 1cc per 100 pounds, but we always do a bit more, so I might give a .2 to .5 depending on how big he is, extra won't hurt unless you are planning to eat him, giving too little is a problem, so we always give a bit extra.

 

[Realtree4]

Thank you! I will get an accurate weight on him before injecting him. Do you inject SubQ? And should I alternate injection sites? We alternate for cd/t which is why I'm asking. We are planning on eating him but the plan was to grow him out until 9 months to a year.

I'm going to go and pick up new bands....but I may give it a day to try and let the wound heal a bit. Maybe I'm just being too girly, but the thought of putting a band where it's so bad looking makes me feel so sorry for him!

This will teach me to do a physical check along with my usual visual check.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you don't get a band back on it it could make things worse and spread more infection as well as being an opening for more bacteria, best to get rid of what's left. I might even try snipping it off, but I not familiar with what is hanging. A vet would probably snip it off.

We don't eat our goats and have always given shots in the back leg muscle. Penicillin should be given in a muscle, I believe I read they give it in the neck muscle for meat goats, but if it's 9 months from now I might just give in the butt.

 

[Realtree4]

Well, first injection completed. And the band is going back on tonight.

I'm such a big baby! My husband did it because he's a diabetic and used to needles He injected IM in the back leg muscle. He did pull back on the plunger to make sure there was no blood.....nope, no blood. After was done and withdrew the needle then little drops of blood went down the leg. I almost passed out

I can put my hand up a doe and pull a stuck kid but needles and blood I cannot handle!

Next question is.....won't we run out of muscle to inject? If we have to do this for 5 days (at least) and twice a day......where all can we go?

Silly question?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We usually give it once a day. I'm a diabetic and I can't give animals shots either though I've done it a time or two. Try to use the smallest needle possible which isn't very small due to the thickness of penicillin, also use very short ones. There is sometimes a bit of blood. If he's looking okay he might be fine with 3 days worth. Shots on baby goats are never fun.

 

[cassie]

First of all, according to goat vets at the University of California Veterinary College at Davis, shots for goats should be given just under the skin rather than in the muscle. It is easier, safer, and causes less pain. When giving penicillin, it is a good idea to pull back on the plunger of the syringe before injecting it to see if there is any blood. Blood indicates you may have it in a blood vessel. If you inject penicillin in the bloodstream you can kill the goat. As for the band, I would leave it off. As a friend of mine learned, the testicles die very shortly after the band is applied. SHE banded a couple buck kids and shortly after she banded them she got a call from someone who wanted to buy them for breeding bucks. As bucks they were worth a substantial amount of money. As wethers they were not. Anyway, she went right out and removed the bands. Too late. The testicles were dead and this was maybe two hours after she had banded them. If I were you, I would clip off the scrotum (it should be dead) and clean the wound. That should get rid of the source of infection. I would continue giving the penicillin for a few days. Have you vaccinated this kid for tetanus?

 

[Realtree4]

Yes, his dam had her cd/t 30 days prior to kidding and he received both cd/t and booster.

His scrotum is cold and dead, my concern if I try to snip it off is that what the dead scrotum is hanging by May not be dead and then we have a whole other issue. Also, the scrotum isn't infected, it's at the site of the actual band. However, last night we went to apply more Blu-kote and the area is completely dried with zero smell. So that's good news?

I think I will do the penicillin SubQ.....we do all of our other shots and vaccines that way. I was just under the impression that penicillin needed to be given IM.

I appreciate everyone's help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The bottle says IM, we have always given it IM. When given under the skin the body can actually wall off the area and it can cause an abscess. In the muscle, the movement of the muscle gets the penicillin moving through the body quickly. I personally have never heard of giving penicillin under the skin.

And I agree with you about sniping it off. The band will cut off the blood supply, if after a day or so you could snip below the band safely I'm thinking, but I would probably let the band do it's job. Good he's healing, I've had a few infected band sites over the years and they always healed up quickly.