These radiograph images show the break in Butters’ hind leg before and after the metal pins were inserted above and below the fracture

Distinguished Resident: Butters is Better Now

TIt was a bad fracture; he broke his metatarsal bone which went through the skin. Our Director of Animal Health, Dr. Holly Haefele, bandaged his leg and gave him some pain medication for the ride to the clinic. There Butters was put under anesthesia so they could take radiographs and repair the fracture with four metal pins, two above the fracture and two below, going through the bone. This is called an external fixation devise. Once this was in place additional radiographs were taken. It looked like really nice bone alignment which meant a good prognosis for healing. Butters was bearing near normal weight on his newly fixed leg within minutes of waking from anesthesia.

Butters was able to bear normal weight on his leg shortly after surgery

Butters is now in a pen near the office. There he can remain a little more secluded and have pretty constant surveillance during his healing period. It will be six to eight weeks before he is expected to heal completely and have his pins removed. He will then be returned to the Children’s Animal Center where he lives with his brother Scotty and cousin Cappy. Our Nubian Goats are the largest goats at the CAC and are very active. You will probably be able to visit with Butters again in June.