# Franny has a hole in her head from banding, seriously ~ ~UPDATED with new PIC~~



## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

(UPDATED PIC July 14, 2010 on second page)

Warning: Some pics in this thread may be disturbing.

Franny is a dry 4 year old LaMancha doe who had her horns/scurs banded several weeks ago. (The vet disbudded her as a kid and it was a poor job. I have since aquired my own iron.) The horns fell off and left bloody holes which scabbed over nicely. The scabs dried well and clean. Then last evening, one scab was dislodged revealing a perfect clean dry hole through her skull and into her head. I could have dropped dry pinto beans in there if I wished and had a rattle. No blood, just dry bone. But hollow in there. I glued a bandaid down on it but it did not stay on there well. She would not let me do much in way of a a wrap. 

I am probably gonna have to superglue something to take the place of missing skull. It would be horrible if a bug got in there. I am off with my camera now and ideas are welcomed...


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## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously.*

Diane, I'm sending you a link to a topic from a year or so ago... It's just too embarrassing to post here again!


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously.*

ok


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously.*

This is the best pic I could get without going into the pen. I will get a better one later. It shows the dry edge to the hole. The bandaid is only attached at the inside edge with the distal portion flapping back and forth. I read the thread about this hole in the head business and plan to shave her head and then superglue some gauze on it. I am encouraged to think now maybe that this may grow back together. I am sure the other side has a hole too.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously.*

This is Franny with the little green castration bands in place...I put them UNDER where the horn meets the head. They have already been in place for enough days here in this photo that the area has become pink with inflamation.










Then one day both horns got knocked off at once. There was minimal bleeding and some pain was evident. It clotted up quickly and nicely.










All dried up and no problems last week.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``PICS ``*

I would just guaze and spray for flies. It will heal up on its own. As long as there is no infection she will be fine. Seen enogh of these when we have had goats dehorned surgically. Tam


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``PICS ``*

Thanks Tammy, I am feeling much better about it.

I went out there this evening and with hubby holding her, we shaved around the hole and then I trimmed a single sheet of gauze into a small circle to exactly fit over it, with just a small lip or rim. On that rim I put a solid strip of Elmer's Glue. I thought we had Super Glue but we didn't, so this will have to do until we get some or when it needs replacing which ever comes first. We were only able to shave a small amount because she fought so, but it did enable better placement of the gauze bandage. I had to be so careful not to let shaved hairs fall into the skull hole during her struggles so just did the minimum of what needed shaving.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``PICS ``*

Oh, and that other side is looking suspicious.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``PICS ``*

That looks really nice Diane. Its healing great. The other side hasn't popped off, like when the disbudding cap looks like this right before it pops off.Tam


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## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

Wow, you did a great job!  Now I know who to call when folks ask about banding horns!


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

Ok, this is the next afternoon and the 'bandage" is still in place. It is pristine so she has not rubbed it on anything at all. She has her own pen and no one tries to bump heads with her. The plan is to replace it with a new peice of trimmed gauze again only with superglue instead of Elmer's, when this one comes off or get's dirty.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

Great job Diane! You the gal!


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## pokyone42 (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

Looks AWESOME!  Great job, LADY!


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## Theresa (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

What a great job! I want to see it when it is all healed.
Theresa


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

Thanks yall, I am trying to photogragh her progress. That is why I already had a pic of her healing up (the one with her in the flowers) before she had the hole in the head..


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

Ok, it is day 2 after putting on the little gauze bandage with Elmer's glue. Almost 48 hours later and it is still nicely in place.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

Yea for you! That looks really nice.


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

wow, great job!
scary thing to deal with... I want POLLED goats more and more for so many reasons!


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

I really thought it would not last, but I was desperate and a bit upset. But the dressing has conformed to the area and has become hard like paper mache. She is getting papmpered and recieves a very good diet becuase she is penned separate and has no one to compete with. She had been the herd queen with the horns she had been sporting. Now the MiniMancha doe is herd queen.. I am feeding her well so she can heal even though she is not bred or milking.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

Small circular bandage of a single layer of gauze and Elmer's glue remains intact. Weather 98 degrees and dry.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

~~UPDATE~~

Franny is 100% healed. It actually seems like her ornery self is growing her horns back! The little bitty bandage lasted a week and a half or so and by the time it fell off, the hole was gone. Now the horns are are coming back! I did not expect that. But I am just happy that her head is closed up and there were zero complications.


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## Qvrfullmidwife (Oct 25, 2007)

*Re: Franny has a hole in her head, seriously ``more PICS ``*

dang those horns are stubborn!


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

Can you believe that, LeeAnne! They are coming back!


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

It looks good and maybe they won't be full fledged horns.


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## IXEL (May 17, 2010)

You might want to try a figure 8 burn next time, but congrats on the recovery!


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## favablue (Apr 11, 2009)

I do not think the horns will grow out. They may have very little scurs, but even those should fall off without any help.

If it so happens that they do grow back fully, you will need to go lower on the horns. The horn base is always under the skin line. You can not always see it very well, but you can feel a little soft ring around the horn base and that is where you cut little notches and place the band. I have heard that a lot of people have succeeded with going as high as you did so maybe it will work for you also. 

Glad that hole never got infected!


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

IXEL the vet disbudded her before I owned my own iron.

Kandace, if you look at the pics on the first page you can see where I placed the bands. I am pretty dang sure I was well under the horn and into the soft tissue. That is why this is so surprising to me.


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