# Doe not pregnant



## Suburbanfarmer (Dec 3, 2013)

I have a doe that I bought in milk this last summer, she should be on her fourth freshening this year. But I can't get her pregnant! I had a buck come stay with us for several weeks. My other doe is confirmed pregnant, but this doe did not take that time around. 3 weeks later she came into "holy cow find a buck right now" heat. We brought the buck back and witnessed the breeding. A couple days later she bloated and was sick for 3 days or so. I was not surprised to find her back in heat 3 weeks later. So we brought the buck back over and had definite breeding happening. That was 3 weeks ago, now she looks like she is back in heat. ??

Anyone had this happen with their does? She has had triplets once (first freshening) and then quads for the last 2 pregnancies. 

Should I blood test her for pregnancy? Would she show signs of heat if she was pregnant?
Help
-Kristin


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 3, 2013)

Cystic ovaries can cause does not to settle and have repeated heat cycles.

Someone else on here has said that a low grade uterine infection could also present with these symptoms.

You should probably discuss with a vet.  You could do a blood test, or an ultrasound.

For cystic ovaries, you would treat with Lutalyse (I think that's how you spell)  But, if you give that to a doe that is pregnant she will abort.  A vet has to prescribe.

We gave one Lute this fall, she did not settle this spring and had repeated heat cycles.  We did not do an ultrasound because we knew she could not be pregnant based on the date of her last buck exposure, she would have kidded in August and we gave in Oct.  It will make the come into heat for breeding within 72 hours.

A uterine infection you would treat with Pen G.

Good luck


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## babsbag (Dec 4, 2013)

Actually my vet said that oxytetracycline (biomycin, duramycin, LA200, noramycin) is the drug of choice for a uterine infection. I too thought Pen G. She says "nope". Since she raises and shows goats of her own I will have to trust her on this one. 

My doe is also bleeding a little during her heat cycle, the vet says that that is because her cervix is open when she is in standing heat and it is causing her to flush out some of the gunk that is in her uterus.


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## 20kidsonhill (Dec 4, 2013)

Talk to your vet, but I would treat her for 5 days with a tetracycline bases antibiotics,  Biomycin/la 200/ duramycin ect and then see if your vet has the medicine that they use on cystic cattle to give her.   Can't  remember what it is called off the top of my head.    I know it is not lutalyse nor oxytoxin.    Lutalyse will bring her into heat, but not sure it will fix a cystic ovary.    Since LUtalyse is a Rx anyway you will need to get a Rx one way or the other.   A good Dairy/cattle vet would be good for this problem.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 4, 2013)

babsbag said:


> Actually my vet said that oxytetracycline (biomycin, duramycin, LA200, noramycin) is the drug of choice for a uterine infection. I too thought Pen G. She says "nope". Since she raises and shows goats of her own I will have to trust her on this one.
> 
> My doe is also bleeding a little during her heat cycle, the vet says that that is because her cervix is open when she is in standing heat and it is causing her to flush out some of the gunk that is in her uterus.



Isn't it amazing how different vets will have different opinions.  My vet is a professor at the NC State Vet school and is the goat specialist.  We have another vet in our dairy goat breeders association who raises and shows Toggs. And we know another large animal vet in the western part of the state that raises and shows Nigerians and Nubians. All 3 of them say Pen G for uterine infections.

But, you are right, you should go with what your vet says.

And, the OP definitely needs to consult their vet.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 4, 2013)

20kidsonhill said:


> Talk to your vet, but I would treat her for 5 days with a tetracycline bases antibiotics,  Biomycin/la 200/ duramycin ect and then see if your vet has the medicine that they use on cystic cattle to give her.   Can't  remember what it is called off the top of my head.    I know it is not lutalyse nor oxytoxin.    Lutalyse will bring her into heat, but not sure it will fix a cystic ovary.    Since LUtalyse is a Rx anyway you will need to get a Rx one way or the other.   A good Dairy/cattle vet would be good for this problem.



We just treated one in Oct with Cystic ovaries with lutalyse on the advice of our goat vet.  She hasn't come back into heat yet, so I guess I'll know in about 3 more months.

But, the OP should definitely consult their vet.


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## Southern by choice (Dec 4, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:


> Isn't it amazing how different vets will have different opinions.  My vet is a professor at the NC State Vet school and is the goat specialist.  We have another vet in our dairy goat breeders association who raises and shows Toggs. And we know another large animal vet in the western part of the state that raises and shows Nigerians and Nubians. All 3 of them say Pen G for uterine infections.
> 
> But, you are right, you should go with what your vet says.
> 
> And, the OP definitely needs to consult their vet.



Often vets will go with the pen-g because it hurts less. The ph levels of the other mentioned anti-biotics causes it to really sting and hurt.  Usually the pen is given more frequently than the others which makes the animal a pincushion sometimes.


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 4, 2013)

Southern by choice said:


> Often vets will go with the pen-g because it hurts less. The ph levels of the other mentioned anti-biotics causes it to really sting and hurt.  Usually the pen is given more frequently than the others which makes the animal a pincushion sometimes.



Probably means either are equally effective for uterine infections  and comes down to what they have successfully used before.


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## babsbag (Dec 4, 2013)

The duramycin does sting, and it is a big dose. I have to give her 10cc every other day for 6 days, so only 3 injections...but...I have to give the 10 cc in 2 injections as you can't inject more than 5 cc in one injection site so she gets 2 shots every other day. Poor thing.

I once treated a doeling with Tylan 200 for mycoplasma. She got 3 cc 2x a day for 14 days. POOR little thing had injection site lumps all over her. It saved her life, but still...I wish there were another way.


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## Jered Norris (Dec 4, 2013)

I agree with onefineacre I have had many does who can't get pregnant because of cystic ovaries. How old is she?


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## Suburbanfarmer (Dec 11, 2013)

Thanks for the info. Right now I'm really hoping that she just showed signs of heat, but is actually pregnant. I will be able to draw blood and test next week. If she comes back negative then I will chat with my vet and probably put her on a coarse of antibiotics and then try lutalyse. It's really hard to find a good goat vet in my area, so I go with what is available. So far I've been able to pretty much vet everything myself (years of horse care that ports over quite well actually).  But, I will see what my local vet has to say.
Thanks!
K


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