Infection at Goat’s Disbudding Site

Infections, though uncommon, can occur when a disbudding site is not fully cauterized. These sites may need to be redone to prevent scurs.

Maggie in our goat group graciously allowed me to use her image to demonstrate what this type of infection may present like.

Weeping, oozing, puss and discharge can indicate an active infection. The site may have swelling due to the inflammation.

It is important not to put any salve, ointment or other application that prevents airflow to prevent risk of tetanus infection.

Instead, simply spritz the site with colloidal silver twice a day and monitor for improvement.

If symptoms worsen, apply 3-4x daily. I’ve never seen a case that didn’t clear up with topical colloidal silver.

To prevent, make sure the iron is fully reheated between applications and look for the copper ring to indicate a complete burn.

See Disbudding for a more thorough walkthrough of the process.