Need HELP, goat tore her udder

[Wannabefree]

My cousins goat tore a hole in her udder on some barbed wire, to where milk is coming out. What's the best way any of you know of to prevent further injury? She wants to tape her up, but doesn't know what would be the best way to go about it. Any ideas?

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Oh that poor animal.
Clean it is # one for me. I would imagine you could bandage it, if you have her properly restrained and use some antibiotic ointment. I'd do it twice daily. I'd give her some elder berry flowers to munch on, if ya'll have it growing locally.
Any possible way to confine her to a smaller area, until a an alternative fence can be put up? I use 2X4 wire in my pen.
I am a nurse, although a human nurse, and I love working in wound care......I'd like to say here that ordinarily a nurse gets her orders from a doctor, but sometimes if the doctor is used to the nurse, she tells him/her what she wants. I have always pushed for cleaning wounds with salt water. I find it heals things faster. Sometimes I have even used a pack of salt water in bandage form and everytimes I remove the bandage to clean and change it, it looks better than the last time......but thats just my experience.

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like she needs a tetanus shot and some sutures...and good aseptic technique on that suturing and dressing.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I should have asked, but .....Is this animal, by any chance lactating? That would be a little torture, I would think, but then again, once you stop the milk, next to impossible to start it up again. That would complicate things.

 

[Wannabefree]

She is lactating. Their fence is not barbed wire. Cousins DH took them for a walk and she got tangled in a stray piece of barbed wire and tore it. She won't be back around barbed wire anymore. They did take her to the vet, and he said to dry her up, and didn't do anything else to it. Cousin wants to try to keep milking the other side, but i told he it wasn't a good idea. Sometimes she listens, sometimes not. They depend on the milk for their family. These folks are waaaaayyyyyyyy below poverty level, and can't afford milk otherwise. So she is holding onto the hope that she can keep milking for that reason.

 

[Beekissed]

I'd try a different vet...if there is actually milk coming out that puncture wound then there is such a great chance for infection there. If that happens, they won't be drinking milk from either teat. Did he even offer a tetanus shot?

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I can understand and sympathize with their situation. Considering what the vet didn't do, I'd say, whatever they DO DO, will be the best treatment she gets. If they really need the animal, and take every precaution they can and aggressively treat the wound.......hmmm, well thats all they can do. Maybe wash b4 and after milking and treat, treat, treat. For pain, they could maybe put a little oragel a few mins before milking and be extra gentle. I'm so sorry this happened. Please tell us something in about 2 days. I'd assume the affected tet's milk will be used on a goatling or at least scalded......

 

[pinkfox]

clean well, tetnus shot and glue the wound if possible with some tripple antibiotic cream...its going to be under tension if shes producing so theyll have to check it daily to make sure its not comming unstuck. it NEEDS to hold together if its going to heal so they may end up needing to suture and glue, but id definatly be updating the tetnus and dosing it with tripple anitbotic. depending on the exact location of the wound they MAY be able to gently milk he out on that side but they will need to go slow and be extreemly gentle!
unfortunatly just leaving her to dry up (or only milking one side) could cause just as many health issues.

 

[Bettacreek]

I can't imagine not milking the goat would be a good thing... She'll fill up for awhile before drying up, so she'll have increased pressure on the wound, plus the added discomfort of drying up. How much milk is really coming out? Is it seeping, or is it gushing out? If it's a seeper, you could bandage or glue it, if worse, you might want to suture it.

 

[Wannabefree]

The wound has closed itself up. They are going to gently milk out that side often to keep the pressure off that side. Thanks for all the advice and PM's.