# I think my Alpine may be in labor



## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)

We got our Alpine Oreo in July. She was in with a large herd including a buck the lady said favored Oreo. So She said that Oreo may have been bread. We have had no signs of her being pregnant, with exception of her milk production started going down a month ago. We went from about 4 qts to 2qts and now we are at 1 1/2 qt. We never stopped milking because we didn't think she was pregnant. She is still  eating, drinking  and no diarrhea but yesterday afternoon I noticed that she had a blood discharge. She still has it today and it seemed a little heaver. I cleaned her up right now and put her in her own pen because now I think we may have been wrong and that she is going to kid. She doesn't look like she is expecting but the only stuff I can find in the last 3hours of research I've done points to her kidding. HELP ! We have our birth kit ready but should I do something more for her? How long do I wait and see if she is going to kid before I have to worry that there is something else wrong with her and the bleeding and should call the vet?


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## Roll farms (Nov 28, 2011)

Is there a breeder / experienced goat person around you that you could call to come take a look at her?

Here's a page w/ some kidding info on it....read it and then if you have more questions, please ask.

http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=586-goats-kidding


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## 20kidsonhill (Nov 28, 2011)

A bloody discharge isn't really normal for a doe, until right after she kids. After she kids, she will have some bloody discharge for a few days, making her backside a little messy. 

sometimes a doe in heat will have a bit of a discharge.


Can you take pictures of her and post them. 

You just need to write 10 posts to us, by saying hi, ect... and it will let you upload and add pictures. 
Or you can link it to a photo album.


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)

I had the lady down the road come look at her because she has goats of her own and has experance with breeding and birth. She thinks she is probably pregnant and getting ready to kid. I just feel so bad I should have just assumed that she was and made sure to meet her nutritional needs as a pregnant doe! I checked on her right now and the blood is back since I cleaned it a bout 2 hours ago. I'll go take some pics right now and try and post them !


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)

so do I need to just keep posting hi untill I hit 10 posts so i can add the pics? it let me upload them but not sure what to do next.


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## daisychick (Nov 28, 2011)

Hopefully the lady down the road will be available if you need help if your doe does kid soon.  Keep us updated and there are lots of helpful people on here.


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## daisychick (Nov 28, 2011)

Yes just keep posting on this thread until you get to 10 posts and then you can post the pictures.


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)

I just took her temp and it is 102.3. lol did the best we could she's a big girl and did not appreciate that!!


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)

ok this should be #10.


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)

not sure how to add pic for you all to see. sorry this forum thing is new for me lol


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## ksj0225 (Nov 28, 2011)

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=97


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## babsbag (Nov 28, 2011)

Go to "uploads" in the bar towards the top of the page and upload your pictures. After you upload the pictures there there will be a link you copy and paste into your post. At least that is the way I do them. 

Good luck with your doe and with the pictures.


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## daisychick (Nov 28, 2011)

click on uploads on the top blue bar menu, then find your file on your computer by clicking "browse" then upload it and copy the image code.


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## Ownedby3alpacas (Nov 28, 2011)

It took awhile before I could figure out how to post pics...def confusing until you get it. But, you don't need 10 posts before you can add pictures. Just before you can add an avatar and signature!


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)




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## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)

when I cleaned her I checked to see if there was any cuts, scrapes etc. there were none.


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## ksj0225 (Nov 28, 2011)

She looks mighty "closed" to be kidding in the next 24 hours, but I'm no expert... Hoping more will jump on here and look at your pictures...


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## Roll farms (Nov 28, 2011)

I dunno, that looks awfully dark and doesn't scream, "Doe in Labor" to me.  

Let me put it this way....if I found a doe like that, I'd assume she'd either aborted or had something wrong, and I'd call / take her to see a vet.

I could be wrong, but....that doesn't look like fresh 'having a baby' juice.

Good luck.


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## doxiemoxie (Nov 28, 2011)

X2... usually laboring does will have puffier girl parts and a more mucousy, less bloody-dark, discharge.  They usually kid fairly quickly after getting to that point too, as in several hours.  I encourage you to consider consulting a vet if you can afford it, for your doe's health and your peace of mind.  I know its night now.  Prayers that all goes well.  Keep us posted.


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 28, 2011)

Thanks everyone! I will keep you posted!!


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## Livinwright Farm (Nov 28, 2011)

I agree, that doesn't look like preperation to kidding goo.  Also, she doesn't look bred to me. Usually bred does will not have those wrinkles around their vulva... 

You don't by chance have sheep running with your goats, do you? if so, it could be that she was mounted by a ram and recently aborted the hybrid fetus... pretty common in mixed sheep/goat herds.  If not, then I would definitely get her into the vet as soon as possible... cause she could have developed some kind of uterine infection. 
Check her temperature in the mean time, if it is over 103.5 give her some asprin: one 325mg asprin per 10 lbs of goat. (sounds like a lot, but they metabolize much differently than we do and it is required that it be at that dosage).
If her temp is under 102.5, wrap her in blankets, give her WARM water or juice, and get her into the vet immediately. Cold goats are harder to get back to normal than goats with a bit of a temperature. Their rumens need heat in order to work properly.


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## elevan (Nov 28, 2011)

Normal goat temperature is 101-103*

102.5 would be well within the normal range.


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## redtailgal (Nov 29, 2011)

Livinwright........I've been around cattle for a hundred years now (been a long day, lol) but I am new to goats.   I saw that you suggested warm water or juice.....I've never heard of giving juice to livestock before and am curious. 

Why juice? (I assume that you mean fruit juice)

I'm not disagreeing with you, I am only curious.


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## 20kidsonhill (Nov 29, 2011)

that doesn't look to me like kidding either. and her vulva isn't swollen or puffy enough to even look all that pregnant.  

anyone see that much discharge from a doe in heat?  I can't really say I have seen quit that much.


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## Roll farms (Nov 29, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> anyone see that much discharge from a doe in heat?  I can't really say I have seen quit that much.


Nope.

I don't know what's going on.....Only thing that looks like to me is 'not right'....


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## aggieterpkatie (Nov 29, 2011)

I agree, not heat  and not labor.


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## 20kidsonhill (Nov 29, 2011)

I didn't want to say this, but I am leaning towards an abortion.


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## jodief100 (Nov 29, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> I didn't want to say this, but I am leaning towards an abortion.


x2  My first thought.


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 29, 2011)

Well It's early here so I will be on the phone soon to the vet. She is still the same only mad now because she is in a pen next to the rest of her herd and not in with them lol! Someone mentioned abortion however she has not been with a buck since July and I have looked everywhere and found no sign of anything. We did have a wether that I was unsure about. Our one wether has no scrotum or anything but Bob the other one did still have a small flat sack, could he have still had a small part that was intact and bread with her? They have always been together up until he went to his new home Sunday.


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## 20kidsonhill (Nov 29, 2011)

did you do the banding or castrating yourselves n Bob? or did you purchase him that way? 

They would have to have atleast one intact testical, or have had a testical that never came down into the sack, so when they were castrated a testical was missed. Or when banded one testical pushed up into the body and was missed. 

I agree if you have had her since July and she was pregnant that entire time, it seems like there should be a fetus somewhere. Or possibly she hasn't passed it yet, I don't want to get to gross on you, but it is possible due to what ever reason the fetus never formed probably, so she wouldn't look as pregnant as she should. Some of the abortion diseases can cause the fetus not to mature properly. 

REalize we are pretty much speculating and just giving you our advice from our experience. But I had a doe abort from health  problems last month and she was around 6 weeks pregnant and it looked just like your doe dose right now.


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## Livinwright Farm (Nov 29, 2011)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> Livinwright........I've been around cattle for a hundred years now (been a long day, lol) but I am new to goats.   I saw that you suggested warm water or juice.....I've never heard of giving juice to livestock before and am curious.
> 
> Why juice? (I assume that you mean fruit juice)
> 
> I'm not disagreeing with you, I am only curious.


Yes I mean fruit juice. The reason for giving fruit juice is because of the boost of vitamins for her immune system (espescially where the owner will be travelling with the animal, it will help in curbing the shipping stress) and the sugars to give her a boost of energy. 
If you have Vitamin B-1 & Vitamin B-12 pills/tablets, crush them and mix them with the warm juice as an aid for the rumen's health.


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 29, 2011)

Well we are waiting on a call back from the vet. Will keep you updated! Thanks to all of you who have been so great with the advice and support. Should hopefully know something by this afternoon/evening


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## SmallFarmGirl (Nov 29, 2011)

Hope all goes well !!


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## Livinwright Farm (Nov 29, 2011)

I hate waiting to get a call back from a vet.... it seems like it takes forever.  :/


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## Livinwright Farm (Nov 29, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> Normal goat temperature is 101-103*
> 
> 102.5 would be well within the normal range.


Ugh.. you're right, I din't even notice that my finger hit the wrong number... sorry about that. I meant if it was below 101.5.  typically if it starts to dip below the 101.5 mark it will continue to drop, which is when one should get proactive in doing what they can to bring up the goat's temp.


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## Livinwright Farm (Nov 29, 2011)

breezy B ranch: Did you get around to getting her temperature? If so, what is it?


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## autumnprairie (Nov 29, 2011)

breezy B ranch said:
			
		

> I just took her temp and it is 102.3. lol did the best we could she's a big girl and did not appreciate that!!


her temp last night



I hope you hear from the vet soon


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## Livinwright Farm (Nov 29, 2011)

autumnprairie said:
			
		

> breezy B ranch said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you! I am not quite sure how I missed that post...


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## autumnprairie (Nov 29, 2011)

no problem glad to help


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## Livinwright Farm (Nov 29, 2011)

any call back from the vet yet?


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## breezy B ranch (Nov 29, 2011)

sorry for not up dating sooner. crazy tuesday!  the vet called me back and pretty much repeated what everyone here said. she is concerned because bleeding is not normal but because it has stayed the same amount and not increased as well as her normal behavior and normal temp she felt that she could wait to be seen on monday. we are just to watch for any changes like more blood, temp change, or even a kid! if anything changes i'm to call her asap and she will see her on an emergency call.  i would like to thank you all and i will post any changes that happen and will post as soon as we get home on monday!!


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## breezy B ranch (Dec 1, 2011)

Well bleeding seems to have stopped! Still going to vet Monday because I want to make sure she is ok to breed.


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## Livinwright Farm (Dec 1, 2011)

breezy B ranch said:
			
		

> Well bleeding seems to have stopped! Still going to vet Monday because I want to make sure she is ok to breed.


Good idea


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## 20kidsonhill (Dec 2, 2011)

If she aborted it is pretty common to treat with an oxy-tetracylene before rebreeding.


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## breezy B ranch (Dec 6, 2011)

Well vet is stumped. Thinks that our wether may not have been done right and bread her and she aborted early, but because he is not here anymore she could not say for sure. So antibiotic to make sure no infection. Whew was very worried! Thanks to all!!


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## autumnprairie (Dec 6, 2011)

glad everything turned out ok.


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## terrilhb (Dec 6, 2011)

Just saw this thread. I am so glad everything worked out.


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