# First Time Kidding, Normal? *pics*



## MrsBrooke (Sep 14, 2015)

I've never done this before, so not entirely sure what to expect... somehow, this doesn't look like the pictures I've seen or the experiences I've read about.

My doe has something hanging from her vulva. It feels like a long cord of pink, fleshy tissue. It is a solid piece, as opposed to mucous... like she's passing a piece of wrinkly skin. I felt it, but did not pull... she did not appear to like me messing with it. There is a little blood, but clotted.

She is a Spanish x Nigerian Dwarf doe. Three years old. It's her first time kidding, too. She has not bagged up and acted normal this morning. Ironically, she was the only doe we thought wasn't pregnant.

It's possible she is going into some kind of labor. I felt for kids and maybe felt one? The timing would be right if she is. About 5 months ago, she went in with our buck. We thought she was sterile, based on what we'd been told. So while we're pulling our hair out waiting for the other two to pop, this happens...

Any idea what am I dealing with here? 

Your help is very appreciated.

MrsB


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## babsbag (Sep 14, 2015)

I don't think that is normal, it is nothing I have ever seen and I have had many many does have kids. If anything I would suspect a miscarriage. I have never seen tissue passed during a normal labor and delivery. But they are goats and I could be completely wrong so I would just watch her and assume she is in labor and see what happens. Good luck


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 14, 2015)

I'm stumped.

I've never seen anything like that either and I've been doing this a long time.  Is it possible that she kidded earlier and the baby is missing?  It could be a piece of placenta still hanging....  Predators are good at 'delivering' babies and eating placenta. But, if that were the case she'd probably be crying and searching...but maybe not if she never got to bond with the baby.  Really hope that's not the case!

But, you said she has no udder so that doesn't really seem likely.  Of course, there is the occasional doe that doesn't bag up until she kids anyway. 

Or - I wonder if she has had a placental separation?  It doesn't really look totally like placenta.  Do you see any lumpy, bumpy spots on it? 

Does she act like she's in labor?  Any pushing, or nesting?

It looks like mucous, but if it feels solid  it's definitely something that's not supposed to be there before delivering a kid.

Have you tried to do an internal exam to see if she's dilated?  I'd be real careful and wash her off thoroughly.  You don't want to shove any of that 'stuff' back in and contaminate her any more.  

Have you checked her temp? 

These are just some of my ramblings...kind of thinking out loud so don't put too much stock in any of it.  Or you could just give it a wait and see.  If she's not in any distress and doesn't have a temp it won't hurt to wait a little bit.  BUT - if nothing changes by morning I'd be thinking of calling a veterinarian.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes!


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## Ferguson K (Sep 15, 2015)

Following. You should post the pictures of her stance you sent me those morning.


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## samssimonsays (Sep 15, 2015)

Watching.


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 15, 2015)

Any news????


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 17, 2015)

Sorry for the delay!!

So far, very little change. The "skin" seems to have passed, as it is no longer there. Unless it sucked back into her body, it's gone. There is no evidence of a dead baby or mummified kid or afterbirth or anything.



^^^ These photos were taken 9/15/15 at 6am. She was squatting a little and having contractions, but they were tiny.



^^^ This is 9/15/15 at 5pm. No more contractions. No more blood. No more anything... She looks a little swollen and "open."

I'm hoping whatever it was that she passed was just moving out of the way for perfectly healthy kids and an uncomplicated (if surprising) birth!!! She was locked in the barn for the duration of the tissue episode, but we have moved her in with her pregnant aunt and mother to see what happens. 

MrsB


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## samssimonsays (Sep 17, 2015)

Hoping for the best!


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 17, 2015)

frustratedearthmother said:


> I'm stumped.
> 
> I've never seen anything like that either and I've been doing this a long time.  Is it possible that she kidded earlier and the baby is missing?  It could be a piece of placenta still hanging....  Predators are good at 'delivering' babies and eating placenta. But, if that were the case she'd probably be crying and searching...but maybe not if she never got to bond with the baby.  Really hope that's not the case!
> 
> ...


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## babsbag (Sep 17, 2015)

The squatting  looks like a pretty normal pose for a goat about to go into labor. But that tissue still has me concerned. I have never had or seen a goat prolapse so no help there. I have never had a goat with any blood before a delivery either so that too is a different. Hopefully she is pregnant and will do the deed and clear up the mystery.


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 17, 2015)

X2!  Hoping you get a fantastic outcome!


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## purplequeenvt (Sep 18, 2015)

That looks a lot like "goo" that would indicate an infection or a dead baby.


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## Goat Whisperer (Sep 18, 2015)

purplequeenvt said:


> That looks a lot like "goo" that would indicate an infection or a dead baby.


x2 

That is what I was thinking. Don't really have experience in that area so I didn't post. 

I would be talking to my vet about this one. I would also be taking the does temp daily to make sure she doesn't spike a fever.


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 18, 2015)

Here she is from this morning (9/18/2015). Pardon the low light.

There is evidence of ever-so-little blood still on her business end. Sides are still hollow. Eyes are bright, still eating and drinking normally, tussling with her aunt and sister... For all intents and purposes, she's acting completely normal.

Nothing hanging out or protruding and no evidence of having given birth. She's bagging up and getting bigger, though, so hoping that's a good sign!! I managed to cop a feel, and she's very, very tight under there.

A mystery, to be sure!!






MrsB


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 18, 2015)

I will pick up a thermometer from the store on the way home to monitor her temp. I will also contact the vet. I have to take my dogs to get their annual shots anyway.  Fortunately, the vet also sees goats. Lucky us!

MrsB


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 18, 2015)

purplequeenvt said:


> That looks a lot like "goo" that would indicate an infection or a dead baby.



I hear you, and that's what I thought, too... Except that it's really not "goo." I kinda tugged on it, and it's a solid piece of tissue. Where "goo" mucous would come apart and drip and glob and all that, this is literally a solid piece of something.

I feel she may have aborted her pregnancy at some point, and we are waiting on the baby to pass. Again, she's still very spry and acts like nothing is wrong.

Hopefully, the vet will have some information.

MrsB


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## Goat Whisperer (Sep 18, 2015)

Glad to hear you are going to talk to a vet! I would show him/her the pic too.


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## bonbean01 (Sep 18, 2015)

Hoping for a happy outcome


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## babsbag (Sep 18, 2015)

A few years ago I had a goat abort almost full term kids, one had died in utero quite early and that is what most likely prompted the misscariage. I did not do anything to the doe, she never showed any signs of being sick so it never crossed my mind. The next year she went into heat, I bred her multiple times but she never settled. The vet said that she probably had a chronic uterine infection from the miscarriage. She did a uterine flush with tetracycline but the doe still refused to settle. The vet said I should have done a flush after she gave birth since one of the kids had been dead for a while. Now she most likely has too much scar tissue to settle.

The doe comes into milk every year just as if she had been bred, a pleasant little surprise. She was in heat a few days ago too so I will be breeding her again, just in case.

Hope this all works out ok for you.


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 18, 2015)

babsbag said:


> A few years ago I had a goat abort almost full term kids, one had died in utero quite early and that is what most likely prompted the misscariage. I did not do anything to the doe, she never showed any signs of being sick so it never crossed my mind. The next year she went into heat, I bred her multiple times but she never settled. The vet said that she probably had a chronic uterine infection from the miscarriage. She did a uterine flush with tetracycline but the doe still refused to settle. The vet said I should have done a flush after she gave birth since one of the kids had been dead for a while. Now she most likely has too much scar tissue to settle.
> 
> The doe comes into milk every year just as if she had been bred, a pleasant little surprise. She was in heat a few days ago too so I will be breeding her again, just in case.
> 
> Hope this all works out ok for you.



How interesting. I appreciate your words and support!!

MrsB


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## purplequeenvt (Sep 18, 2015)

MrsBrooke said:


> I hear you, and that's what I thought, too... Except that it's really not "goo." I kinda tugged on it, and it's a solid piece of tissue. Where "goo" mucous would come apart and drip and glob and all that, this is literally a solid piece of something.
> 
> I feel she may have aborted her pregnancy at some point, and we are waiting on the baby to pass. Again, she's still very spry and acts like nothing is wrong.
> 
> ...



That's why I said "goo" in quotations, it might not technically be "goo".  It could have been part of the amniotic sack or even part of the baby. 

When would she be due? In theory, she possibly could have lost one kid and kept the other. I had a ewe this spring that lost one lamb and the other was born healthy a couple weeks later. I thought for sure both lambs would be dead. Imagine my surprise when I went in her to pull the dead baby and a live one bit me!

I'd take her temp and talk to the vet. I'm not big on giving antibiotics without good reason, but uterine infections (and if there is a chance for live baby), it might be a good idea.


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 19, 2015)

Ah, I see. I misread you.  Now I understand.

Her temp is 102F. Still alert, bright-eyed, eating, drinking, and frollicking. Udder is growing every day.

No new discharge, but caught her this evening with some clear dribble... may have been urine?

Ugh. Goats.

MrsB


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 19, 2015)

Also, she has been in with our buck for the last 150 or so days. We thought she was sterile, but this may indicate otherwise. :/

MrsB


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## EmilyVioletElithabeth (Sep 24, 2015)

That does not look good. How did it tern? out because when my goats have their baby’s a yellow or clear goo will come out first and then the baby’s, I’ve never seen that. It looks like there is blood. Her bag is also rather small. Is she a first time mom? If not there should be a bigger bag. Meat goats may have a smaller bag but a dairy goat should have a bigger bag them that. 

Also do you have Cats living with your goats? because the cats poop can cos miscarriages in people and goats.


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 25, 2015)

She is three years old and a first-timer.

She is still eating like a pig, no more discharge, no kids, and she's not lethargic or off food or anything.

No cats, but we do have the occasional stray barn cat that wanders over.... but we don't have food for them (other than the occasional mouse), so they don't stick around long.

We have to wait until we get paid to get the vet out here. -_- It ain't cheap, but we're doing what we can.

She is a meat goat (some kind of Spanish cross).... a short, stubby little thing. Her udder is twice as big now as it was last week.

And time marches on!

MrsB


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## samssimonsays (Sep 25, 2015)

Still waiting and hoping for good results!


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## goatgurl (Sep 25, 2015)

one of those things that makes you go hummm.  been raising goats for over 40 years and have never seen tissue like that.  i'll be watching to see what happens


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## bloonskiller911 (Sep 25, 2015)

We had a first timer do the same thing.  it was an early miscarriage (less than 6 weeks after being bred) she came back into heat approx. 2 months later.  she never made a bag though until she was do with the second breeding.  my best guess is a kid has been aborted and is being processed out, while she may still be bred.  good luck to you and I hope that you continue to update this thread.


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## MrsBrooke (Sep 27, 2015)

bloonskiller911 said:


> We had a first timer do the same thing.  it was an early miscarriage (less than 6 weeks after being bred) she came back into heat approx. 2 months later.  she never made a bag though until she was do with the second breeding.  my best guess is a kid has been aborted and is being processed out, while she may still be bred.  good luck to you and I hope that you continue to update this thread.



That's good to know. Her udder is growing little by little. It doesn't feel warm at all.

Just now, I saw her acting very buck-like. Blubbering, flopping her tongue all over, sniffing at another preg-goat's hind end, pawing, and trying to mount her.

Very unladylike.

Other than that..... Zero change. Nothing. Zip. Nada.

MrsB


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 1, 2015)

Following this thread, and very curious to know if anything comes from it. Please keep us updated, and best wishes!


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## samssimonsays (Dec 28, 2015)

Any update?


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## Latestarter (Jan 2, 2016)

Been a while and just got back to this thread... Echoing Samantha... Any update? Very curious!


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## Ferguson K (Jan 2, 2016)

Mrs. B. Via Facebook messenger last week. 




 

 

Mrs. B, hope you dont mind me posting this.


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## Ferguson K (Jan 2, 2016)

Consensus is its a possibility that due to Texas heat he was shooting blanks. I've had it happen. That, or, the does didn't take first round.


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## Latestarter (Jan 3, 2016)

Thanks for the update! Hope the next attempt was successful.


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