Goat with broken horn

[akamoot]

Horn is broken at base but still hanging... any suggestions from anyone having too treat this?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Remove the rest of the horn, spray with bluekote, let it heal.

 

[cassie]

Oldhenlikesdogs is right. Remove it. You really don't have a choice. You can't put it back. Hanging like it is it will just make the goat miserable every time she bumps it. If it bleeds, apply pressure.

 

[akamoot]

Any chance that whatever is holding it on will dry up and the horn would fall off by itself?
What kind of tools should I have to remove it? Would it only be skin/hide holding it on, or could there be vein or other sinew still attached?
I don't think I can do it alone... so... I'm going to try get a vet out to help me...
Any medication I can give her to calm her, i.e., get her sedated... then maybe I could do it myself.

 

[res]

You can have the vet some help, but it is typically a pretty simple procedure.

The "wound" is far from sterile and clean at this point, so you could just cut the skin at the base with a pair of scissors. I would douse the scissors in Betadine or alcohol first, just to be safe.

Put her in a grooming stand to restrain her if you have one...

Hit her with a CD&T, or even better would be antitoxin if you have it. (Toxoid is vaccine, antitoxin combats exposure).

Vet can give you pain meds, but IME, a little pain in an injury like this is a GOOD thing, as it keeps them from re-injuring the wound.

Ask vet about antibiotics. Might not need them...

Flies will be your biggest issue, but only for a short time.

 

[cassie]

Any chance that whatever is holding it on will dry up and the horn would fall off by itself?
What kind of tools should I have to remove it? Would it only be skin/hide holding it on, or could there be vein or other sinew still attached?
I don't think I can do it alone... so... I'm going to try get a vet out to help me...
Any medication I can give her to calm her, i.e., get her sedated... then maybe I could do it myself.

Getting a vet to help you with this is like going to the doctor for a hangnail. Just so you know, sedation will cause more problems than it solves. These medications are not risk free, particularly for goats. Just whack the horn off. Pruning shears or anything will work. Just tie the goat up short, see how it is attached, and cut it off as close to the head as you can. Bleeding should be minimal. Spray with Blukote for infection and maybe put some spray on it for flies. I suppose you could leave it on but you are asking for trouble. Every time the poor goat bumps it it is going to hurt like heck, never mind the risk of infection. If you need to go to the livestock supply for BluKote, while you are there get some screw worm spray for flies, some tetanus antitoxin, and some blood stop powder. The blood stop powder is cheap and it will take care of the bleeding, if any. Believe me, the worst thing about this procedure is thinking about it. Just don't think about it. Just whack. Then give the goat any care she needs, put her in her pen, and go brew yourself a cup of tea. You will have earned it. If you absolutely positively think you need the vet, go ahead and call. But you can do this yourself. You really can.