The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: plumseverywhere on April 29, 2010, 02:41:04 pm
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vet back out today as Ronnie, who had improved yesterday, detiorated again and collapsed 11am.
vet thought might be a twisted bowel. followed vet back to surgery for meds to keep him going during day and overnight but when I got back he'd died. apparantly not anything I did wrong but all the same feel really bad!
disposal people can't collect until tomorrow and i have 4 young children coming home soon..
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Sorry to hear about Ronnie. x
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Oh, I am so sorry. Children are very resilient - they will be upset, and they may want to see his body. Only you as their Mother can know if that is sensible or not. Personally I believe in letting children see real life, provided it isn't too gruesome. To them he will look as if he is asleep. You know you did everything possible for him anyway.
e-hugs on their way.
Annie
x
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Sorry to hear your news - my thoughts are with you
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So sorry about Ronnie. Its very hard, but if you have livestock, you have to deal with illness and death too. It could have been any number of things, maybe something he ate, that irritated his stomach. You did your best ,and I am sure the vet did too.
We can take our dead goats to the slaughter place - is that not possible with yours? It will be upsetting for the children, but its best to tell the truth about Ronnie. If they want to see him, then let them. It can help them put closure on this sad event. Have you got somewhere away from the other goats to put him?
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Thank you x
Annie, I think you are right. they have always seen their rabbits and small animals and held them when they've died. this time will be harder as he has to be taken away so there will be no funeral as such but I think my girls have really taken to 'farm life' and will see this as part of living, sad as it is.
this will sound awful but as it wasn't savannah I don't think they'll be as upset? they all have a huge soft spot for savannah as she is playful and follows us everywhere. poor ronnie was a cheeky boy goat but more interested in grub than playing with the children.
just hacked off with county hall now as they still haven't sent me the movement forms/medicine book etc despite me contacting them ages before the goats arrived.
he's in the garage Roxy, so the children can see him if they choose x
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I think children do seem to cope with death of an animal, better than adults. I suppose once you have told them, you could see if they ask where Ronnie is, and then you have the option of offering to let them see him if they want, but it could be better for them to remember him as he was.
I assume you will take the medicine back to the vets - ours give a refund on unused meds. The price they charge, its well worth doing.
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ah no :(
sorry plumeseverywhere
i am so sorry, hope you dont get put of with goat keeping.
and dont blame yourself, you love your goats and we all know that esp you ;)
hope your children dont get too upset if they do find out.
pity carcass has to stay over night.
again sorry to hear this awfull news.
langdon
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I'm sorry to hear your sad news Plums :-* :-* :-*
I agree with everyone that although it'll be hard on the kids and they will be upset it's better to be truthfull and help them deal with the reality of keeping livestock.
Hope it goes okay,
Karen x
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Hmm, only problem there is they might ask if they can eat him ::) ;D ;D ;D
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Very sorry to hear of the little mans passing x
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I told them when we got back from school. the 7 year old cried and the 5 year old came close to tears but my 8 year old (wise head, young shoulders) said" well its good that we didnt' get to know him too well as he'd only been here a little while"
they've also had the distraction of a litter of healthy kittens arriving this evening :)
funny you saying that Langdon, I did say to the vet earlier that I think I'm not cut out for this! I can't help blaming myself and Tony's gone all quiet because I do all the feeding etc I wonder if he thinks I'm to blame in some way :(
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you both need to know that none of you are to blame and that the other isnt
passing any judgement on other half.
its probualy hard cos ye like us are new to goat keeping, like you know molly hasnt been well
either cos i have been over feeding :o for a while i was so flipping gutted with meself, but after getting
great advice on ere i just told meself im a beginner and learning on the job.
the farm that i work on his litters of piglets lose one or two sometimes due to nature and with livestock he
said allso comes deadstock.
hope you soon feel as you were in the beginning with your goats ;) :goat:
langdon :D
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:) I'm sure I will feel OK again in a few days, thank you for your kind words.
I had been overfeeding too. It must be an easy mistake to make if both of us have. the vet told me that I'd overfed the kids by about 5 times too much and I am concerned that I've not given them enough hay. From what's happened today I am going to make sure that I feed them well from now on and will have lots of dry hay readily available!
funnily enough someone just popped in to visit and said "with livestock comes deadstock" so twice in 5 minutes I've heard that now! never heard it before.
just had a hug with the mum goat, she's still bleating for him. the whole time the vet was here, despite it pouring with rain, she didnt' leave Ronnie's side. its made me realise that the mother/kid bond is as strong in my goats as it is with me and my children (despite them being horrors sometimes!!)
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Aww, sorry to hear about the litl' un.
Always very sad, but don't fret, just concentrate on the others...
x
and congrats on the kittens!
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Sorry to hear about Ronnie, but as others have said, that comes with farming. So far I had no problems with the goats, but have lost lambs and ewes, and every time you feel as if there is something that you should/could have done to prevent it.... But when my first lamb of this spring died from hypothermia (we had a terrible snowstorm that day and he was premature) my 6 year old kept asking if he really was dead and was very matter of fact about it. It was me who was quite upset! And I think it helps kids to understand about animals, life and death if they can see both of it!
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Oh Plums, I'm so sorry to hear about your poor boy. I know you will blame yourself, but you did what you could to get him better. Sometimes even despite everything we do to try and help, they just can't get better.
I hope the kids don't dwell on it for too long, and you too.
Hugs coming your way
Beth
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Sorry that the wee man didn't make it. :)
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very sad . iff youv done youre best and looket after him youv got nothink to feal bad about
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Really sorry to hear your news - I've had my goats for over 2 years and still feel like an absolute beginner when things go wrong. We lost a beautiful little female kid a few weeks ago and I was really upset and wished I'd had more experience/training/knowledge etc. We have 4 orphan lambs at the moment 3 are doing really well but one has a lung infection and is on antibiotics - she's really trying and I'm really trying to help her but I'm starting to realise it could go either way only time will tell. I'm starting to learn that even with all the good intentions nature sometimes gets the better of us and we have to be strong. I love my animals and even with the bad times they do give so much joy - good luck to your family and hope you have lots of good experiences with your animals.
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Thank you everyone :) the collection people have just been and taken him - one of the other hardest parts now over.
the children have surprised me a little bit - they have really taken it in their stride and I feel quite proud of them. they are not being insensitive but just very realistic I think. my 5 year old India caught me having a wee snivvel last night and said "are you crying because of the goat mummy?" so I said yes and she said " but you didnt' do anything wrong and its better that he's not hurting now" - she is ONLY 5!!!
sorry to hear about your lamb Brucklay - I hope she pulls through for you.
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Aren't children just wonderful? :)
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I do genuinely think it's so much better for children to be exposed to animals and pets dying when they are wee. They have to learn its a a part of life. What a sensible thing to say from her, and I bet it made you feel better.
Beth
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It did :) this is the same child that cuddled a bluebell hen the other day and then asked if she could have it for dinner!