# Doe in labor...how long is too long?



## Kadjain (Jan 14, 2012)

My doe has been showing signs of labor since last night. Today she is definitely in labor and has contractions spread far apart. It's been at least 12 hours and I'm wondering how long is too long?
I know people can be in labor for 36 hours or even more so I'm not getting worried yet, I'm just curious. This only my second kidding and it's this does first time. The other doe I have that kidded with me had experience birthing once before that I know of and she delivered in a couple of hours from when she went into labor.

Thanks


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## Ms. Research (Jan 15, 2012)

How's she doing?  

K


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## Roll farms (Jan 15, 2012)

If I have a doe having active contractions, who hasn't started pushing w/in 8-12 hours, I usually assume there is a kid positioned wrong and go in to investigate....but I make *sure* she's actually in labor first.  If they've been pushing for an hour w/ no bubble appearing, I go in and investigate.

Hope it turns out ok....


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## Kadjain (Jan 15, 2012)

Still no kids as of this morning. There were a couple of small mucus blobs that came out but not much. She wasn't eating yesterday but started feeling better last night and ate some alfalfa. She is looking and acting like she is not in labor now. 
Could she have went into a false labor?


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## Roll farms (Jan 15, 2012)

Yup.  This forum is full of "SHE'S IN LABOR" threads, only to be followed by "Oh, wait...it was just gas..."


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## Kadjain (Jan 15, 2012)

So I shouldn't be getting worried by now?...cause I am


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## Ms. Research (Jan 15, 2012)

Kadjain said:
			
		

> So I shouldn't be getting worried by now?...cause I am


I don't have goats.  Never handled them.  Just petted them when I took Henry to the Petting Zoo.   

The only thing I can say, if you ARE that worried, is to call a friend close by who has goats and who has gone through this.   Just so they can SEE what's going on and maybe give you a little piece of mind.  

This forum is good to find out info, and put pics on and maybe get the answers you need.  But having someone there in person with knowledge of goats could help better for you now.  

I don't know.  All I know is I wish I could help and this is all I have to give.

Hoping all is well.  Please keep us posted.

K


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## Kadjain (Jan 15, 2012)

Thanks K,

I will get my friend who lives kinda close.


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## Chirpy (Jan 15, 2012)

I agree... sounds like you need to get an 'eyes on' second opinion from someone who knows goats.

I'll just say that I waited last spring when one of my does was in labor.. she never really showed visable signs of active contractions.   I started getting worried though and ended up rushing her to the vet because I "felt like things weren't right" - the doe seemed to be too quiet to me.   She had twins... they were entangled.  It took the vet a bit to get the kids untangled, in utero, and then she pulled out the first twin... a too large boy who was full-term but stillborn.   She then pulled a doeling who was weak but did fine.... she's jumping around out at the barn right now and is perfectly healthy.  If I had taken action a couple hours earlier - the buckling would probably have been fine too.

I will always error on the side of getting help sooner from now on.

Good luck.


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## Kadjain (Jan 16, 2012)

WOW, what a stressful weekend!
I picked up my friends who have been raising goats forever and they tried to help figure out the problem for half the day. It finally came down to taking her to the vet for a c-section.
There were 4 kids, 3 bucklings and 1 doe however only 2 of the bucklings came out alive. We tried to revive the other 2 kids but no success. We were all amazed that any of the kids came out alive. I'm sad but happy at the same time. Mama seems to be doing ok. I will post pics of the survivors later.
Thank you all for your care and support. We really appreciate it! 

I'm wrecked, good night...


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## Ms. Research (Jan 16, 2012)

Kadjain said:
			
		

> WOW, what a stressful weekend!
> I picked up my friends who have been raising goats forever and they tried to help figure out the problem for half the day. It finally came down to taking her to the vet for a c-section.
> There were 4 kids, 3 bucklings and 1 doe however only 2 of the bucklings came out alive. We tried to revive the other 2 kids but no success. We were all amazed that any of the kids came out alive. I'm sad but happy at the same time. Mama seems to be doing ok. I will post pics of the survivors later.
> Thank you all for your care and support. We really appreciate it!
> ...


Hoping Mom is doing well after surgery.  And the survivors are settling in and getting what they need.  

No wonder you are a wreck.   So sorry it was so stressful for you and your doe.  Babies are supposed be Joy and Happiness, not stress and sadness.  

K


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## Roll farms (Jan 16, 2012)

Glad 2 of the kids and mama seem ok.  Hope they continue.  Sorry you lost 2.


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## SarahFair (Jan 16, 2012)

Oh wow!
I'm glad she's okay hope the two kids do well as well


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## Ariel72 (Jan 16, 2012)

I'm sorry u lost 2 babies.  So glad u were able to get your doe to the vet in time to save her and two of the babies.


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## jodief100 (Jan 16, 2012)

I am sorry for the loss and glad someone was there to help you out.  It is very hard to tell real labor from "just kidding"  so don't beat yourself up about it.  

Hoep momma and the boys are well and on the road to recovery.


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## Chirpy (Jan 16, 2012)

I am so sorry you lost two.. I pray the other two and momma do really well.

It can be very difficult to know for sure when it's time to be concerned (as I stated in my above post)... do no kick yourself over this.   You did great... you were concerned and took action and saved two AND momma!


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## fortheloveofgoats (Jan 16, 2012)

So sorry to hear that. I hope that the two survivors are going to be just fine, and momma too. I hope that you were able to get some rest. Do they know what happened? Can't wait for pictures.


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## Kadjain (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks for your ressuring comments. I was being kinda hard on myself about it. 

Coco (mom) is doing ok but I'm sure she is in a lot of pain. Once I was up for three night in a row passing three kiddney stones so I'm trying to relate to her the best I can. I'm realizing that when she cries for me it's more for my reassurance and not because something is wrong. She is eating a bunch and drinking and getting up and moving around.
One of the bucklings can't walk yet and is still having trouble standing. I'm helping him and it's getting better. The vet pulled one of the kids out by all four legs, I'm wondering if it was this one and he hurt the legs? It is mostly the front left that gives out.
Here I rolled up a sheet and put it under him for support





But he can stand on his own for a little bit




Here he is takin a break after a bottle feed




Here is the stronger kid that I'm going to keep








Fresh bottle fed mouth





Here is Coco with her good side




and her not so good side




This incision puts both of my back surgery scars to shame




Poor girl, she is such a sweet heart


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## zzGypsy (Jan 16, 2012)

awake and alert is good, on all 3 of them.

on your weak little one - sometimes if they're all squeezed in there one or two won't have enough room to move, and might not be getting quite the food and circulation of the others. frequent feedings, some drench, keep them warm, and a little patience often does the trick.  as long as he's making progress, you're fine.  sometimes pulling them (c-section or the usual direction) can do damage to delicate ligaments, but typically that heals over a couple of weeks.  more often, it's that they're just weak and that because they haven't had a chance to move as much as they might have, their joints aren't working perfectly, or their tendons are too long/too short, or things aren't lined up right.  once again, if there's progress, you're fine.

we had a mismatched set of twins this year - a reeeealy big one and a reeeealy small one.  the little girl was probably squished by her much bigger brother and she couldn't stand for the first 3 days, and couldn't straighten her front legs for the first 2 weeks.  but it's week 3, and she's looking quite normal now, everything functioning fine, legs are good, she's jumping around with the rest and is catching up on size a bit.

you can Ever So Gently work the legs towards a more normal position - a few seconds at a time if he doesn't seem to be making progress, but I'd just work on feed and support so he doesn't stretch the ligaments out of position any further than they already might be, at least for several days, and see how he does.  baby tissues are easily damaged, so be very very gentle if you do decide a little physical therapy is needed.

hang in there, you're doing fine.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Jan 17, 2012)

Also Bose may help and hopefully somebody will chime in with the Nigi as I don't know it for babies.


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## AdoptAPitBull (Jan 17, 2012)

I gave my weak, wobbly legged bottle baby some Selenium gel in her bottle and it seemed to help very much. Within a day or two she was standing and able to walk without all 4 legs going out from under her. I prefer the gel to an injection, and I think the goats like it, too. You can order it on Jeffers, or maybe your feed store has it. Use it soon for best results.

And try letting them walk on a hard surface, like a wooden floor. Sometimes blankets can bunch up and be uneven, causing them to fall even more.

Boy, they are CUTE! I love their markings!


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 17, 2012)

2 or 3 days will make a big difference with your little buck. Honestly I am more worried about your doe. I would not be afraid to gently get her up 2 to 4 times a day and have her stand and walk around. 

I have been following along, and have come to the conclusion, atleast in my opinion, that her weak labor is due to her already not doing real well, you said she was looking a little rough and thin.  I am concerned that she was already having a health problem and now she is trying to recover from the surgery.  

I would break open vitamin E gell caps into her feed. or get the vet to sell you some injectable bo-se and give it to the kids and especially to the doe. 

I would consider giving her injectable B shots

I would have a fecal done on her. 

Take her tempurature daily, or twice a day. to monitor her over all health. 

If she isn't to hard to drench, I would consider drenching her with 4 ounces of mollasses, corn oil, and corn syrup mixed one part each. or top dress her feed, but it would be pretty hard to top dress with 4 ounces.  I give my adult sized boer does, 8 to 10 ounces of this mixture twice a day, when they aren't feeling good. They normally like the taste, so drenching isn't normally a huge struggle. 

It also may not hurt to sprinkle a teaspoon of baking soda on her feed once a day, since she isn't moving around a whole lot, may help her with any possible indigestion. 

I have had luck getting a sick goat to stand more, by putting a salt block in the pen by the water, normally I wouldn't recommend a salt block(the red kind for cattle), but it gives them something to do.


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## fortheloveofgoats (Jan 17, 2012)

They are adorable. Poor momma. At least she just has a scar, think about what could have happened if the kids didn't come out. So try to look at the scar in a good way. I hope that the little one with the poor legs just keeps getting stronger for you. Thank you for the pictures. Hope your being able to get rest. Keep up the good work!


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## jodief100 (Jan 17, 2012)

They are adorable.  I hoep you the best.  I will second what 20kids said .  Make sure she is eating enouhg with plenty of roughage.


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## Kadjain (Jan 17, 2012)

As of this morning the wobbly kid can stand with no problem and is taking tiny steps.
Thank you 20kids for the suggestions, I will try to follow up on them. 
I have been giving Coco molasses in warm water. She chugs it down. She is still eating fine and does get up to walk a little.


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## fortheloveofgoats (Jan 17, 2012)

That's great to hear!


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## Kadjain (Jan 21, 2012)

Successful re-introduction! The first day she didn't want to nurse them but I took them out everytime they got hungry and made her nurse them. The second day she was much more interested in smelling them and started talking to them and licking them. Today (day 3) I left them with her all day and watched them nurse on their own. I think I'll just leave them with her from here. She looks happier. I'm totally happy  I feel like I overcame an obstacle, although I'm sure most of you knew it wouldn't be that difficult


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Jan 21, 2012)

That is great news.  I have learned much in reading through this thread.


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## Roll farms (Jan 21, 2012)




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## Kadjain (Jan 21, 2012)

I forgot to mention that the wobbler is fine and walking and acting goofy right along side his brother. Mom is much happier with them.
Also, I want to explain for people still learning (like me), if you look at the birthing house she is in, you see I nailed hog panels up-side-down so the biggest squares are on the bottom. The panels are 4 inches away from the wall. I did this so mom can't squish the kids against the wall if she happened to lay on one. The kid will fall through the square and mom will be blocked by the panel.


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