# Just lost my yearling doe, she was due the end of this month......



## SDBoerGoats (Apr 7, 2012)

I don't know where to post this, I am just going to try here. I am so upset.....we were doing chores tonight, Sugar was at the manger eating hay. About 5 minutes later, I walked around the back of the barn and she was laying on her side, right in front of the manger, dead! I am in total shock, she wasn't sick at all. She has had all her shots. Been dewormed regularly. She was bred in November and due the end of April.  She was the first baby I ever raised, I can't stop crying right now. 

Has anything like this ever happened to anyone else? She was not under stress, she was with her mother, and her babies from this year. And the other does she has been raised with. She has never been bullied by anyone. I am heart broken, she was bred to Sundance and I was so looking forward to her babies.


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## Chirpy (Apr 7, 2012)

I am SO sorry.  How awful for you...


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## BetterHensandGardens (Apr 7, 2012)

I'm so sorry for your loss, my first doe just kidded and I can imagine what I'd feel like in your situation, the loss and shock would be horrible ......


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## Roll farms (Apr 7, 2012)




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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 7, 2012)

I just don't know what could have happened, why she died so fast. She's eating and then she's on the ground already dead. Yeah, she was out of the first doe I ever bought, my first baby. And she was bred to my sweet little Sundance.   I don't know if I'm cut out for this. To just lose a doe for no reason that I can see. They are like my dogs to me, so sweet and so much personality. And thank you all, I know you totally understand.


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## autumnprairie (Apr 7, 2012)




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## redtailgal (Apr 7, 2012)

I'm so sorry.


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## RPC (Apr 8, 2012)

I am very sorry but could she have choked some how on something that is the only thing I can think of as to how she could have suddenly died besides some heart condition that you could not have known about.


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## Tmaxson (Apr 8, 2012)

I am so sorry for your loss, I just can't imagine how you must feel right now.  I pray that you will be able to feel some relief from your pain soon.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Apr 8, 2012)

That is terrible. I hope you are doing OK.

Maybe it would be a good idea to have a necropsy done in a case like this. Maybe she had something that is contagious and infected your other goats. It may be a bit pricey, but if it could save  this from happening to another goat, honestly I would do it no matter what it cost.

The only thing I could think of right off the bat is that maybe there was a dead kid inside of her and she became septic from the toxins put out by the body. I would think there would be other signs, though. At any rate, let's hope you never have to go through this again!


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## Chicks&Feathers (Apr 8, 2012)

Hugs and prayers are sent your way! SO sorry for your loss!!!!


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## ksalvagno (Apr 8, 2012)

I'm so sorry. Unfortunately, the only way to find out what caused the problem is a necropsy. I know how much it hurts though.


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## elevan (Apr 8, 2012)

I'm sorry for your loss.

Another thing that can cause sudden death is a head butt to just the right spot and when you're talking a feeding area with other goats around it's something that I would suspect.  Choking would be another possibility...along with illness that could have been subclinical and caused sudden death.  Without a necropsy you just can't know for sure.


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 8, 2012)

elevan said:
			
		

> I'm sorry for your loss.
> 
> Another thing that can cause sudden death is a head butt to just the right spot and when you're talking a feeding area with other goats around it's something that I would suspect.  Choking would be another possibility...along with illness that could have been subclinical and caused sudden death.  Without a necropsy you just can't know for sure.


Thank you all so much for your kind words. I am still in shock this morning, I miss her so much and feel like a failure that she could just die like that. I don't think she choked, that was my first thought, I opened her mouth and she only had a few small pieces of hay in her mouth, looked down her throat and didn't see anything. Her mouth was warm still. Gums weren't pale. Could she really die from a head butt that fast? I have never seen anyone ever bully her, she is the herd Queens daughter and was usually the one standing on her hind legs doing the head crash thing. I'll post a pic of her when she was 7 months old, and she was challenging one of our older does for the big boulder on the hillside.


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## Mzyla (Apr 8, 2012)

So very very sorry for your loss - 
The not-knowing would be killing me...like others are saying; maybe you can consider necropsy?
I read on internet that some people are cutting their goats open by themselves to see it whats what....

If you strong enough to do it....

Hope that you be blessed with many other goats as lovable as this one was!


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 8, 2012)

Sugar is on the right, she was 7 months old. Popper, a 3 year old on the left. Sugar was challenging Popper for the BIG rock. LOL! Makes me cry all over again.


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 8, 2012)

Mzyla said:
			
		

> So very very sorry for your loss -
> The not-knowing would be killing me...like others are saying; maybe you can consider necropsy?
> I read on internet that some people are cutting their goats open by themselves to see it whats what....
> 
> ...


I have no problem with a necropsy. Doesn't matter what the cost is, at least I would know. Can't do it until tomorrow though. I will call my vet in the morning. Will they do it that many days later?


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## DonnaBelle (Apr 8, 2012)

I send my deepest sympathy and condolences to you.  I'm glad you are doing the necropsy.  At least you will know what happened.

I have you in my prayers....again, deepest sympathy to you and yours.

DonnaBelle


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## poorboys (Apr 8, 2012)

so sorry for your loss, I lost a doeling this last december and it put me in bed! It's very heartbreaking.


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## that's*satyrical (Apr 8, 2012)

So sorry for your loss. That is so sad


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## SmallFarmGirl (Apr 8, 2012)




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## redtailgal (Apr 8, 2012)

Yeah, something could go down that fast from a hard head butt to the right place.  We lost a cow once this way.  Another cow headbutted her in the chest very hard, and she went down without even a twitch.

Try not to let yourself feel like a failure, though I know it's hard.  I felt that way for a long time after my wether, Hoovery, died (it was sudden, a reaction to PEN-G).  I was so devastated that he had died.

Stuff like this always seems to happen to the best/favorite, making it even harder to bear.

She certainly was a beautiful girl!  That picture is fabulous, thank you for sharing it.

Give yourself some time, and you will feel better.


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## SheepGirl (Apr 8, 2012)

I was once going to have a necropsy done a lamb (didn't though) but the vet said to put the lamb in the freezer to prevent him from decomposing. Well we didn't have room in the freezer so I wasn't able to get a necropsy done.

So if you were to do a necropsy, preserve her body by keeping it as cold as possible if she won't fit in your freezer.

I'm sorry you lost your doe.


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## Queen Mum (Apr 8, 2012)

So sorry you lost Sugar.  She looks very sweet and "fierce" too.

Love the picture.  You should print it and have it framed.  A wonderful memory for you.


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 8, 2012)

She was a sweetheart, so is her sister Cinnamon. Mama is named Spicey, her little doeling born this year is named Cocoa, in keeping with the Spices theme. LOL! But she got from her mother, the herd Queen, the "attitude". She never beat anyone up, ever, or bullied. But she didn't get bullied either. I thought it was so cute that a baby was standing up for herself that day on the rock. 
Ok, I'm gonna post a couple more pics, then I'm done. I'm having a rough time today, going out to do chores and she's not there. Still in shock it happened, and no reason why. And the babies that she was carrying. 
First pic is the day she was born, in the blue on the right,  the second one she is about 4 months old. Again on the right.


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## redtailgal (Apr 8, 2012)

What pretty babies!  Love their faces, lol. She had a SMILE!  

I'm sorry that you are hurting.  I dont think there is a person on this website who hasnt been in that position, so you dont have to be "done" until you are ready, I'm sure that we all understand.  Everyone was/is so patient with me about Hoover.  They really steal your heart dont they?  

Honestly, you are showing soooo much more dignity than I did.  


  It will hurt less each day.


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 8, 2012)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> What pretty babies!  Love their faces, lol. She had a SMILE!
> 
> I'm sorry that you are hurting.  I dont think there is a person on this website who hasnt been in that position, so you dont have to be "done" until you are ready, I'm sure that we all understand.  Everyone was/is so patient with me about Hoover.  They really steal your heart dont they?
> 
> ...


Awww thanks Redtail....She did have a smile! I just cry every time I think of her, or look at her pics. They were my first babies, and brought so much laughter, and joy. They were such a kick, and I fell in love with them. My grand daughters heart is broken, she showed them both at fair last year and they both got blue ribbons, one got Grand Champion. They were in her breeders herd. Anyway, thanks again, I don't think I'm gonna get over this anytime soon......


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## redtailgal (Apr 8, 2012)

Well, I cried over Hoover the other day.  He died a year ago.

You'll get there, just be patient and have a good cry when you need one.


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 9, 2012)

So sorry. 

addtional suggestions:  Snake bite or poisonous plant. There is a lot of new spring growth right now.  My first two thoughts whoever are always a heavy worm load that went unnoticed or pneumonia.  Really no way to know at this point. I am truelly sorry.


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## marliah (Apr 9, 2012)

I am so sorry  you really do get attached to them, it seems especially hard when they die out of the blue like that too.


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## GLENMAR (Apr 12, 2012)

I just read this. So sorry.


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 12, 2012)

Aww thanks so much. I am still not handling it well. Every day I look for her, and she's not in the herd anymore. It's hard. And since she died Saturday night, and my vet was out of the office Monday on emergency ranch calls, I couldn't get a necropsy done, and she wasn't chilled as I had no place to put her. I would give the world if I could know what happened to her.


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