# Very weak kid- possibly premature??



## cavalryhorse (Mar 27, 2013)

The past month where I'm at in FL has been very warm. Last week was in the 70s and wet with lots of steamy rain days... on Sunday night the temperature plummited and was close to freezing- the next very cold morning my LaMancha/? (I think she's got some miniature in there) doe gave birth to her kid around 10:30am. 

This kid came earlier that I was expecting since I was pretty sure she conceived around Nov. While everything on his body is fully developed, he is exceptionally weak. Too tired to suckle or do much standing and walking. 

I made sure he got some cholostrum in him and within what has now been about 48hours since his birth, he's had a BoSe, Bvit and I've begun tubing him (with momma's milk). He is peeing and pooping normally. Vet doesn't suspect premature birth, WMD or polio, just thinks he is a 'weak dummy kid'. 

I'm continuing to tube him and get him to suckle and stand/move as much as possible. (Also taking him in at night since it's still dropping to pretty low temps)

Any ideas or advice on this little guy's problem and how to help him out? He's was low on his front pasterns since birth (although that has improved a bit), he hunches his back a bit, has difficulting standing and walking and his desire to suckle is very low. His momma is very attentive and 110% healthy.

Thanks!

ETA: This is momma's first kid if it makes any difference.


----------



## SheepGirl (Mar 27, 2013)

He sounds like he is cold. How does his mouth feel?


----------



## cavalryhorse (Mar 27, 2013)

His temp has been normal- and he's still been very weak despite me bringing him in every night to sit with a heat lamp.
His mouth, gums and eyes are all healthy.


----------



## Squirrelgirl88 (Mar 27, 2013)

Our vet gave our weak kid a B12 complex injection. Said that the Thiamin would help with brain function and coordination. Ours couldn't stand at all for a little while.


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Mar 27, 2013)

I have had a couple that have taken 2  or 3 days of tube feeding, before they start to suck and can stand a little, and htey have not been premature.  I would just keep doign what you are doing, Add a little baking soda to the milk when you tube him.  Since he isn't getting up and moving around the baking soda will help keep him from bloating.  
Not sure on his weight, by maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon each time.  
we tube fed 4 times a day with the night time feeding being 8 hours a part and the day time feedings being closer together.  after tube feeding help him stand to help with digestion. the hard part is getting them to nurse after a couple days of tube feeding.  Try in the morning when he is good and hungry to see if he will latch on for even a few seconds.   then tube feed to make sure he has enough in him. then gry again 4 or 5 hours later, trying to get him to latch on first.


----------



## cavalryhorse (Mar 28, 2013)

Thanks!

He is definitely on the upswing- walking a lot more, getting off his pasterns and onto his hooves. I was so worried when he was born because I thought for sure his weakness was the result of a serious problem. Any ideas on what causes these weak kids? Genetics? Possibly something that happened in the doe's pregnancy? The father is a Boer with I suspect some miniature in there somewhere since he is smaller than any of the Boer's I've seen.


----------



## grainframer (Apr 6, 2013)

Sometimes when they are really weak when they are newborn they need an enema to help clear the way and get rid of the first poop they  can get plugged up very easy if they get a bit chilled and then they dont eat enough milk to keep things moving.


----------

