Author Topic: Digger has a tough fight ahead update  (Read 8671 times)

Daisys Mum

  • Joined May 2009
  • Scottish Borders
Digger has a tough fight ahead update
« on: May 11, 2014, 03:05:10 pm »
Went out this morning to find poor little fellow lying in a corner unable to move, my initial thought was that he had been squashed as he seemed unable to get up at all. I took him in and put him under a heat lamp before getting the vet out. He checked him over and could find nothing wrong but gave him a vit injection and a painkiller, as I am here on my own I couldn't get mum to let me milk her so a 30 mile round trip to friends with goats got some colostrum and some milk. When I got back he was up on his feet and trying to get out of the box, tubed him a little colostrum and then gave him some by bottle, I have put him back in with mum for now but not leaving them alone for more than an hour at a time. He weighs in at 840 g so not much of him. Vets not too hopeful but will just have to see how it goes.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2014, 07:16:24 am by Daisys Mum »
Anne

benandjerry

  • Joined Jan 2014
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2014, 04:07:03 pm »
Big hugs for you and Digger :hug:

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2014, 07:09:29 pm »
Good luck with the little chap, I suppose as he is so small he will need feeding little and often? maybe his little body can't hold enough fuel/ heat so that's why he perked up under the lamp.
So Tiny  :(
If you can give him a small top up I wonder if you can add something to the milk to build him up quicker, honey, glucose? (I seem to remember my dad use to give glucose 'D' to calves).
I wonder if someone else could come back on that thought?

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2014, 07:51:11 pm »
Fingers crossed for the little fella  :fc:

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2014, 08:51:40 pm »
Milk - little and often if he is this small. He probably also needs a heat lamp, as he is so small, eats very little and then looses body heat very quickly...

 :fc: he perks up, if mum isn't letting him feed regularly I guess bottle is the only solution.

I am maybe a bit far away, but I do have spare milk if you really do need some. I can freeze it in 1ltr quantities and then transport should be ok. Get back to me if you want to discuss.

Daisys Mum

  • Joined May 2009
  • Scottish Borders
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2014, 09:24:35 pm »
He is still with mum and feeding from her I have just been out again and tried to give him a bottle but he refused it, his little tummy seems full, I have set up the heat lamp for him and he seems to be staying under it. Thanks for the offer of milk Anke but I now have a freezer full.
Anne

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2014, 09:29:22 pm »
has anyone tried the little jackets lambs wear? would one of those help keep him warm?

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2014, 10:09:45 pm »
Hope he picks up. This cold weather is not what the little ones need.

Mammyshaz

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Durham
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2014, 10:17:44 pm »
Poor Digger, he does sound like he has improved from earlier so  :fc: for him and  :hug: for you.

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2014, 10:29:51 pm »
I would make him a warm jacket - the sleeve of an old jumper or a woolly sock work. Cut clear of his bits underneath cos little boy goats pee in their jackets  :)

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2014, 07:49:04 am »
Hope he's ok  :( fingers crossed for you xx
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Daisys Mum

  • Joined May 2009
  • Scottish Borders
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2014, 04:27:09 pm »
His breathing seems a bit fast today so vet has given him some antibiotic and some metacam but he has put on 200 grams.
Anne

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2014, 04:40:06 pm »
It's funny with the wee pygmies, they just seem to take a teaspoon of milk from mum at a time and it gets you all worried they're not getting enough etc.  The breathing on my girls was very quick too Anne, making me worried, but they are in tip top shape now and the smaller of the two has caught up. They're nibbling the hard food now at 2 weeks old.  :fc:
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

Daisys Mum

  • Joined May 2009
  • Scottish Borders
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead update
« Reply #13 on: May 16, 2014, 07:17:47 am »
Poor little Digger lost his fight , to say that I am gutted is an understatement,  :'(
Anne

bloomer

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • leslie, fife
  • i have chickens, sheep and opinions!!!
Re: Digger has a tough fight ahead update
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2014, 08:09:02 am »
 :bouquet: :bouquet: :bouquet: :hug: :hug: :hug:

 

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