# HELP!  Early Birth!!!



## themrslove (Mar 23, 2011)

My girl Maybell just gave birth to two teeny tiny little babies.  They are so small.  Not able to stand, eyes aren't even open.  But they are alive!  And kicking!  And appear to be breathing!  Is there anything that I can do for them?  I am fully prepared that they will die, but if there is anything at all that I can do, I would like to!  (This is my first birth!)

ETA:  They are at LEAST a couple weeks early.


----------



## damummis (Mar 23, 2011)

I don't have an answer but


----------



## themrslove (Mar 23, 2011)

My previous optimism is gone.  
Both little ones, a doeling and a buckling are not going to make it.  Their little hearts are still beating, but we are getting no muscle reaction and they have no muscle tone at all.  

I have a photo of them, and if someone can handle seeing it, I would love some feedback as to how early they are.  (She was running with the buck for 5 weeks, so we don't know a definite date.)


----------



## damummis (Mar 23, 2011)

So sorry.


----------



## themrslove (Mar 23, 2011)

Its okay.    It happens.  I just really wish I knew what caused her to loose them.  No sickness in our herd.  Up to date on all vaccines etc.  She has given birth once before to term to a huge buckling.  (This is her second freshening as a 3 year old)
Sad that this happened with our first birth and sad that my poor doe lost her babies.  

Second question though...she had two little ones and then passed one placenta.  She still has junk hanging out of her vulva...how do I get her to pass the rest??  We have a 24 hour vet about 10 minutes away in case we need something to get her to pass everything or if we need to take her in.

Thanks!


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Mar 23, 2011)

themrslove said:
			
		

> Its okay.    It happens.  I just really wish I knew what caused her to loose them.  No sickness in our herd.  Up to date on all vaccines etc.  She has given birth once before to term to a huge buckling.  (This is her second freshening as a 3 year old)
> Sad that this happened with our first birth and sad that my poor doe lost her babies.
> 
> Second question though...she had two little ones and then passed one placenta.  She still has junk hanging out of her vulva...how do I get her to pass the rest??  We have a 24 hour vet about 10 minutes away in case we need something to get her to pass everything or if we need to take her in.
> ...


Passing the afterbirth may take a couple hours to a day or so, that is normal. Aborting however can be a problem and I would put her on Oxytetracyclene injections for the next 5 days at the dosage of 1cc per 40lbs of body weight. 

I would isolate her from the other does,incase she is contagious, I would completly clean up all afterbirth and straw, bedding where she kidded.

Just incase, and I would consider treating remaining does with oxytetracyclene that were bred by the same buck during or after she was bred. 

Do you have cats?

How many days from kidding did she abort? I see, 2 weeks or maybe 3?



With all that said, she could have been banged hard by another goat, or sometimes things just happen.


----------



## mistee (Mar 23, 2011)

I AM SO SORRY THAT IS HARD..


----------



## themrslove (Mar 23, 2011)

Thank you for the response!  I am not for sure for sure when her due date should have been.  She ran with our buck for 5 weeks starting November 7th, 2010.  But yes, a couple of weeks away still.  

We have one more doe due that was bred by the same buck who should be due the same time Maybell would have been.  We will get her started on oxy.    We have cats, but they are all inside.  We do have a more aggressive doe that could have knocked her around...so that is a possible that a trauma caused her to abort.  

We will keep her separated and separate our other bred doe, as well just in case.

Maybell is separated right now, muching on hay and grass but obviously upset about her babes.  The doeling would have been beautiful...a dark red buckskin with splashes of white and big moonspots on her hind quarters.  However, this buck always throws gorgeous kids.


----------



## themrslove (Mar 23, 2011)

mistee said:
			
		

> I AM SO SORRY THAT IS HARD..


Thank you.


----------



## julieq (Mar 23, 2011)

So sorry you had to go through that.  Sometimes it happens and we just can't figure out why.  It's never easy.


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Mar 23, 2011)

themrslove said:
			
		

> Thank you for the response!  I am not for sure for sure when her due date should have been.  She ran with our buck for 5 weeks starting November 7th, 2010.  But yes, a couple of weeks away still.
> 
> We have one more doe due that was bred by the same buck who should be due the same time Maybell would have been.  We will get her started on oxy.    We have cats, but they are all inside.  We do have a more aggressive doe that could have knocked her around...so that is a possible that a trauma caused her to abort.
> 
> ...


I am sorry I know how frustrating it is.


----------



## goatdreamerCT (Mar 23, 2011)

So sorry!!!


----------



## themrslove (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks, everyone.  

We have one more bred doe due about a month from now.  Hoping for better results for her!


----------



## PattySh (Mar 23, 2011)

Very sad to hear this is happening to you. That's so not fair.


----------



## helmstead (Mar 23, 2011)




----------



## Roll farms (Mar 23, 2011)




----------



## KellyHM (Mar 23, 2011)

I wouldn't mind seeing the pics, for a learning experience if nothing else, if you don't mind.


----------



## themrslove (Mar 23, 2011)

WARNING:  Picture below is a little sad and graphic...do not keep scrolling if you are sensitive to goat tragedy.  










This is the twins.  They were precious for the little bit of time we had them.  
The dark one was a little doeling, the white tri color was a little buckling.  

ETA:  They were both still alive for this picture, so that makes it a bit easier to look at.


----------



## PattySh (Mar 23, 2011)

How sad they had beautiful markings. I will let someone with more experience in premies give you an idea of how old. I do know that a friend just lost a set of twins and she showed them to me after they died (her first babies this year also). Yours look younger, less hair, thinner legs etc. Hers would have been born the first week of April and they were born early last week.


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Mar 24, 2011)

Those are very early, I would say atleast a month and no way they would have survived.

Sorry.


----------



## SDGsoap&dairy (Mar 24, 2011)

I agree they wouldn't have been viable at that age.  There's really nothing you could have done.  Sorry you lost them!


----------



## helmstead (Mar 24, 2011)

Yep those look 30 or 40 days premature, I would say based of photos I've seen of other late term abortions.  How torturous for you that they lived a little while.  Bless your heart, they were gorgeous.  

I've now had two births that were premature - Bella's hormonal abortion last spring and Hannah's just a week ago.  Both of mine were right around 130 days gestation.  I THINK if we had known Bella was going to abort, we might have saved hers (had we been there to catch them and give respiratory support) and obviously we were able to save Hannah's...any younger though and we never could have done it.


----------



## ksalvagno (Mar 24, 2011)

So sorry for your loss.


----------



## rebelINny (Mar 24, 2011)

So sorry for your losses   I had a couple that died this year and they were bigger than that and they were 3-4wks early of course they were a standard breed and I think yours are Nigerian so that could be why. I had necropsies done and it came back nothing infectious, viral or bacterial which leads me to believe it was a mineral deficiency and since these goats had NEVER had a Bo-Se shot or copper before I bought them and scarfed the loose minerals I provided like candy I assume that was our problem. Bo-Se has been given as well as copper so hopefully we will keep up our regimen of minerals and they will be set and ready for proper kidding next year. good luck with your other doe


----------



## scrambledmess (Mar 24, 2011)

So sorry.  Their markings were just beautiful!


----------



## haviris (Mar 26, 2011)

I actually had a live kid born this year that looked just like the boy when she was born, her eyes were open though and their hair is alot thinner (she had a normal coat), she was the first of trips and at first I wasn't sure she was alive, her tiny legs were like pencils, her two sisters were also small, but looked full term. Took her a week to walk, and during most of that time I thought I was going to lose her, but I'm happy to say she's three weeks old now, and doing great! Did you get a weight on them?

I've had one abort, about 3 months along, they looked similar to yours, but completely hairless and pink. They weren't much smaller then the little one I had this year. It always sucks to lose them, especially when you're so close.


----------



## Emmetts Dairy (Mar 27, 2011)

Im sorry. Poor girl.  They were definatley too early to survive.  Thanks for showing the pics.  Great info to share. Glad you were able to do that.  I think things like that are always good to share for new breeders etc.  At least they get an idea.  Im not trying to sound cold, but its very informative. 

Im a believer that out of any tragedy there is always something good?

I do however agree with "20 Kids"  I would treat the doe and buck. Great suggestion 20!  Important!


----------



## themrslove (Mar 28, 2011)

Thanks everyone!  I so appreciate the support, encouragement, and advice.  

Miss Maybell is doing well.  She appeared to have passed everything without a problem and is eating well.  Treating all the animals with suggested remedies and crossing my fingers that in a couple of weeks I hope to have good news with my remaining doe!  She is due to kid as a 2.5 year old first freshener!  Her udder is coming in beautifully!  So excited!


----------



## themrslove (Mar 28, 2011)

Emmetts Dairy said:
			
		

> Im sorry. Poor girl.  They were definatley too early to survive.  Thanks for showing the pics.  Great info to share. Glad you were able to do that.  I think things like that are always good to share for new breeders etc.  At least they get an idea.  Im not trying to sound cold, but its very informative.
> 
> Im a believer that out of any tragedy there is always something good?
> 
> I do however agree with "20 Kids"  I would treat the doe and buck. Great suggestion 20!  Important!


I so agree.  As sad as it is, there is always something to be learned from the experience.  

Now after it has all calmed down, I am really happy that I have the picture of them anyhow.  Even though they didn't make it, they were still our first ever kids and they were so gorgeous.  (The little buckling was a clone of his sire!)  
  for next month!


----------



## Emmetts Dairy (Mar 28, 2011)

themrslove said:
			
		

> Thanks everyone!  I so appreciate the support, encouragement, and advice.
> 
> Miss Maybell is doing well.  She appeared to have passed everything without a problem and is eating well.  Treating all the animals with suggested remedies and crossing my fingers that in a couple of weeks I hope to have good news with my remaining doe!  She is due to kid as a 2.5 year old first freshener!  Her udder is coming in beautifully!  So excited!


  Great to hear shes doing well!!! I wish you all the best with your next delivery!!!! May the goat stork bless you with all beautiful does!!!!   Or whatever you want!!!


----------

