How to Treat Sore Goat Hooves

Treating sore goat hooves is an essential management practice that helps minimize potentially serious long-term effects of foot infections. Sore goat hooves typically occur most frequently as a result of hoof rot and foot scald, contagious conditions that develop from prolonged exposure to wet bedding or wet soil, especially during warm, wet springtime weather conditions. Left untreated, sore goat hooves lead to multiple problems, including lameness, loss of appetite, decreased milk production and reproductive issues.

Things You'll Need

  • Goat hoof trimmers
  • Bleach
  • Hot water
  • Zinc sulfate antibacterial solution/copper sulfate antibacterial solution
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Instructions

    • 1

      Isolate the affected goat. Put the goat in a pen by itself to minimize your chances of having a contagious foot infection spread to the rest of your goat herd.

    • 2

      Examine the hoof to identify the cause of the soreness. Sniff the sore hooves; if they have a foul odor and the hoof flesh looks ragged and exudes a grayish discharge, then your goat most likely has hoof rot. Visually inspect the hooves to look for signs of foot scald, which most commonly occurs between the toes. Look for an area of swollen, sensitive flesh that has a pinkish-white color.

    • 3

      Trim excess and damaged hoof flesh away from the bottom and sides of hoof rot-infected feet to aerate and drain the infected tissue. Tie the goat to a post and use goat hoof trimmers or shears to cut away overgrown parts of the hooves, including any on the toes, heels and soles. Trim the bottom and sides of the hoof to remove any tissue that shows the ragged texture of hoof rot-infected flesh. Stop trimming once you've removed all the damaged hoof flesh or when you notice a slightly pinkish tint in the flesh on the bottom of the hoof.

    • 4

      Disinfect the hoof trimmers in a 10-percent bleach solution to minimize your chances of spreading the infection to other goats in your herd. Collect the hoof trimmings and burn them to dispose of them.

    • 5

      Treat the condition causing the foot soreness by exposing the feet to a topical medication that minimizes bacterial growth and dries the foot and hoof area. Soak the infected feet for 20 to 30 minutes three to four times weekly in a footbath solution of 10-percent copper sulfate or zinc sulfate. If only one foot is affected or you'd rather not soak, liberally coat the infected hoof with a 10-percent zinc sulfate or copper sulfate topical antibacterial solution once or twice daily for seven to 10 days or until signs of infection disappear.