A few weeks ago, I received a call from a very concerned client regarding her goat.

The client noted that her goat was not using her right hind leg over the weekend. After some investigation, we found that the goat, named Fo, had a broken right hind leg. The break was much higher up than we would normally be able to treat with just a splint. The femur was broken all the way through and the ends of the bone were not at all lined up.

After some further discussion, we talked about the options of the owner taking Fo to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY to have a surgical repair performed on the leg. That visit was likely going to cost greater than $3,000 and just not within their budget. Initially, we discussed the family taking Fo home to consider not continuing any more treatment. Later that day, the family contacted the office to discuss the option of removing Fo’s damaged leg. Amputation is actually well documented in the veterinary literature but not always performed due to not having access to a surgical center.

A week later, Fo was admitted to Catskill Veterinary Services in Rock Hill, NY to have her right leg amputated. After an extensive period in the surgery room, Fo was resting comfortably in recovery. Within an hour after leaving the surgery table, Fo was standing and even eating! She was even walking around the hospital’s treatment room during her recovery.

Later that day, Fo went home to recover with her family. She was able to walk all the way down the ramp of the hospital and to her family’s car without missing a beat!

The weeks following her surgery, the amputation site healed and she continued to thrive. The most recent update from her family reported Fo doing extremely well. She is getting around and her surgery site is completely healed. While Fo is down to just three legs, she will live a happy and full life—a much better outcome than the alternative.

Fo is a great example that with dedicated owners and a positive attitude, quality of life can be attained even in the bleakest of situations.

Catskill Veterinary Services, PLLC
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drjoe@catskillvetservices.com