[countrywoman]

My goatling was mated at the end of November and missed her next season, so was hopefully pregnant.  Yesterday I found a splash of bright red blood on her bedding.  Checked her carefully for injuries - nothing. 

She seemed (and is still) bright, happy and eating with enthusiasm.  No sign of blood under her tail or around her vulva.  In fact no blood on her anywhere.  And she is definitely not in season, at least not like she was before she was mated.  No further evidence on bedding, just the one splash which I would guess was less than an eggcupfull.

Is this what would happen with an early aborted pregnancy?  Should I expect her to come back in season soon?

[Lesley Silvester]

Country woman, I'm afraid I don't know the answer but I hope it's nothing serious.

[jaykay]

I've not come across it either - sorry. I hope she's ok. I think she'd come back into season at this time of year, if she'd miscarried but you'd have to wonder why she had, if that's what's happened.

Where's Wytsend?

[Anke]

I would have thought that you would have seen some discharge/blood in her backend. If she has miscarried she would come back into season about three weeks later.

Not sure this hasn't happened to me (yet). If she was mated in late November you may be at the right time to get her scanned? I know goats are done much earlier than sheep, I seem to remember someone told me between 35 and 40 days post mating?

[wytsend]

I am guessing but my first suspicion would be a failed pregnancy... having not come into season after 3 weeks, you would believe she was pregnant.  BUT, given the mating was at the end of November,  it is not quite 6 weeks  so it is possible that an abortin has happened.

Contact your Vet or one of the sheep scanning people  who will confirm one way or the other.

[countrywoman]

Thanks for all replies.  I suspect she has miscarried.  No further blood or any other symptoms. 

I had already intended to get both my girls scanned in a couple of weeks so, unless she comes into season meanwhile, that will confirm things one way or the other.  Obviously if she needs a vet I'll call one but today she is still her bright, cheery self.

Oh, well.  Goat breeding is  fraught with problems, isn't it?

[Anke]

Well any kind of livestock breeding is, or can be. I have had a few goats returning to service, so having to trundle back to the male, but from then on it was always ok. Had a couple of cases of pregnancy toxeamia, but treated with Propylene glycol drenching and goats made full recovery.

I find sheep harder, in that my goats are handled evey day, can be loaded to get to the vets with minimal stress etc etc. You see much quicker if things are not right, even though I check the sheep every day you wouldn't necessarily see the results of a miscarriage and also PT is much more difficult to spot...

[princesspiggy]

if she wasnt bloody herself maybe it wasnt from her? do u have owls in ur barn? we have mice and swallows, and probly more that we dont know about! just a thought 

[Mays]

one of mine aborted a few weeks ago at 7 weeks in. A small amout of blood was apparent under the tail for 3 days, then it cleared up. My vet recomended no treatment unless she showed symptoms of illness, which she did not. Sad for us, but the doe herself didnt notice or alter her routine in any way.

[countrywoman]

There was no  blood on her at all.  If it wasn't for the fact that she has her own stall and I know that the straw was fresh and clean when she went in - and that no other creature had been in there because I have weldmesh panels to stop cats/foxes coming in over the half-doors - I would doubt it had come from her.  She is not even slightly ill or off colour in any way.

My only other thought is - could she have coughed up a blob of blood?  Perhaps if a bit of bramble caught her throat?  The blood was bright red, fresh wound colour as opposed to the reddish-brown stain when she cloudburst in October, and was only a splash not a flood as the cloudburst was.

I have decided that if she doesn't come into season I will have her scanned when I do her companion.  And then maybe wait until next year to see if she will oblige with a kid...  She is such a sweet-natured girl, I would not want to part with her.