The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Roxy on December 27, 2011, 12:05:15 am

Title: Its happened again
Post by: Roxy on December 27, 2011, 12:05:15 am
Just two years ago, we had a dreadful December kidding, when two goats kidded dead kids.  History is repeating itself, with a different goat.

I am upset, because Dolly did not breed with her previous owner, and we gave it a go, not expecting anything.  Been keeping an eye on here all day, and although she has  a bloody discharge, and lying down and up again, and pawing the bedding, there was no further progress.  Can feel a kid, but unable to do anything.  Got the vet ths afternoon, who thankfully has tiny hands, as Dolly is small.  She says the cervix is completely closed.  She said the kid is in the right position, but pretty sure its dead :(  Dolly had a jab to try and hurry things along, just been back to the farm to check on her.  Hopefully she will kid overnight - poor girl is very uncomfortable.  Could have had a C section, but vet said their practice do not like doing them as survival rate on goats is not good .....and the financial cost is high too.

I do wonder sometimes why I carry on, with all the problems I seem to have.
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Lesley Silvester on December 27, 2011, 01:07:54 am
Roxy I'm so sorry to hear this.  Hope Dolly produces soon and that it is still alive but, if not, that Dolly is ok.
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: jaykay on December 27, 2011, 10:04:07 am
Sending you and Dolly hugs. I hope she kids ok, but yes, if not, I hope at least she's ok  :-*
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Blinkers on December 27, 2011, 11:06:48 am
Oh Heavens, so sorry to read this - fingers crossed and sending hugs xx
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Brucklay on December 27, 2011, 02:35:14 pm
Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Dolly - really hope alls well soon
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Sylvia on December 27, 2011, 03:30:41 pm
I hope all goes well for Dolly and her kid :bouquet:
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: salopman on December 27, 2011, 04:07:14 pm
hope something happened by now ....poor dolly poor roxy
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: richmorpygmygoats on December 28, 2011, 06:23:39 pm
Hi
So sorry to hear your sad news.  :'(

I start kidding in 11 days time ...... I hope every one expecting kids has easy time of it.

Rich
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: little blue on December 28, 2011, 06:28:41 pm
how is Dolly?
:goat:
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Brucklay on December 28, 2011, 06:52:44 pm
Please let it be good news xxx
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: chickenfeed on December 28, 2011, 07:42:57 pm
fingers crossed.

not sure what the vet meant by c sections though, the cost is high but the outcome can save lives, mum had a dairy goat and pygmy that had c sections with no problems its all down to the vets.
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: jinglejoys on December 28, 2011, 11:29:08 pm
Thats another reason I don't keep pygmies.Can't remember the last time I needed to help a goat to kid,at least 20yrs :)
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Roxy on December 28, 2011, 11:39:35 pm
Sad to say no good news to report .....Dollys cervix did open late yesterday morning, and she began pushing, but nothing happening.  I had a go at getting the kid out without success.  Dolly being a very small alpine - it needed someone with very small hands, which thankfully I have, but even so, it was incredicably tight in there, and although I could feel the kid, I could not locate the front legs, and can only think they were pushed back.  There was just no room in there.

I spoke with the duty vet - a different one this time, and he had been called out to the surgery to a sick dog, so asked if I could get Dolly there.  Someone persuaded hubby to let me put her in his Discovery .....he was not happy believe me!!  Vet was a sheep farmer, and he had small hands, but he could not get beyond the kids head to find the legs, either.

Like the other vet, he said a c section on a goat in his opinion would be too stressful, and we would lose Dolly anyway,  and by this time the dead kid was smelling .....so we had to do the kindest thing and put Dolly to sleep.
Vet was very gentle with her, and Dolly  stood quietly, sucking on an extra strong mint we slipped her :)
Vet even put a plastic cover in the back of the landy to pacify hubby, for us to carry her back in.  It was worse coming back, cos of the smell .....but we managed to get hold of the slaughterman right away and meet him,so it was over and done with pretty fast.

It was a shame, losing the kid and the female, but its one of those things, and we have to get up, dust ourselves down and move on.  No use saying  what if, f only ....for whatever reason the kid was being aborted, according to our dates, around three weeks early.#

Got another smaller female to kid shortly, so just hoping that goes better.

Thanks for all your kind thoughts.
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Brucklay on December 29, 2011, 07:47:11 am
So sorry Roxy, to loose Mum and kid is just the worst outcome - I really hope your next kidding will go completely as should. Still about 7 weeks from kidding here and really looking forward to the kids so hoping for lots of nice stories now
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: plumseverywhere on December 29, 2011, 08:47:57 am
Oh no Roxy, so very sorry - what a terrible and very sad outcome.

Im due my first kidding in March and am very nervous now  :(
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: jaykay on December 29, 2011, 10:27:21 am
Oh Roxy, I'm so sorry  :-*

Plums don't be nervous, most goats manage kidding very easily.
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Blinkers on December 29, 2011, 11:19:10 am
Awwww.....so, so sorry Roxy.  :'(   RIP Dolly  :bouquet:
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Anke on December 29, 2011, 11:59:43 am
Oh that's not good. So sorry.

Is there a possibility that the goat got infected with Toxoplasmosis while already in-kid? Any of your farm cats recently had kittens? It may be just if she has come to you recently and as an adult she may not have been exposed to it. It may explain the dead kid (and already a bit smelly...) The nanny itself would not have necessarily shown any signs of being ill, so difficult to know.

I know mine have not been exposed to toxo and neither have my sheep, but I dread the time when some of my fairly new neighbours decideds to get a kitten or two... (and I need to get a farm cat myself, but have not found one at the right time (i.e. none of my sheep or goats in-lamb).
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Lesley Silvester on December 29, 2011, 01:07:08 pm
Oh Roxy, I'm so sad for you.  My girl had a difficult kidding this time with legs back but managed to get him out eventually.  Don't know how I would have coped if I'd lost them both.
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: little blue on December 29, 2011, 07:32:49 pm
oh, so sorry. :(
how awful, we are thinking of you :bouquet:
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: Roxy on December 29, 2011, 10:50:50 pm
To those kidding goats for the first time ....please do not worry!!   I can honestly say, I have been very fortunate and have had easy kiddings on the whole.  And the vet said goats usually kid ok, an what has happened is just bad luck.
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: plumseverywhere on December 30, 2011, 08:36:25 am
Its been very bad luck for you Roxy  :(  How are you feeling now? Its been an ordeal for you.  Hope you are ok x
Title: Re: Its happened again
Post by: maybelle on December 30, 2011, 06:50:41 pm
Oh Roxy what a shame, very sad that you lost mum and kid  :bouquet: