# HELP! Kit stuck inside birth canal



## AmberLops (Aug 18, 2019)

PLEASE HELP!
I have a Netherland Dwarf doe named Mascha (6 months old) who was due yesterday.
She made a nest this morning and I noticed she was bleeding a lot. Then she started having contractions a few hours ago. Nothing is happening, there's no kit coming out and I feel 2 inside of her.
I lubed up and put my finger in there to see if she was pinched...and she is.
I don't know what to do...the kits aren't moving at all and she is getting very weak. I read on a breeders website that there's nothing you can do besides euthanize or have an emergency C-section done but no clinics within hours of me are open today.
I've been giving her tons of black cohosh but her contractions are getting weaker.
Is there anything I can do??
I feel like i'm going to lose her today if I don't do something.


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## AmberLops (Aug 18, 2019)

@Baymule @B&B Happy goats @Hens and Roos @GypsyG @Bunnylady @Ridgetop @promiseacres @Pastor Dave @AlleysChicks


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## AmberLops (Aug 18, 2019)

I moved her into the house a couple hours ago so she's not outside in this heat. She's in the bathtub with a bunch of towels.
She's still losing a lot of blood...I syringed her some electrolyte water hoping that will help her.


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 18, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> I moved her into the house a couple hours ago so she's not outside in this heat. She's in the bathtub with a bunch of towels.
> She's still losing a lot of blood...I syringed her some electrolyte water hoping that will help her.



I haven't  had this experience  with my rabbits.....I will be frank with you, I would put her out of her misery. If she keeps loosing blood, she will die, if you try to save the kits...they most likly will die due to the stress they have been under during labor., .....sometimes  you have to make a tough decision....I can only tell you what I would do in that situation


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## Baymule (Aug 18, 2019)

I have to agree with @B&B Happy goats the situation sounds dire with no happy ending. She is not a large animal, so no putting on the ob glove and reaching inside. Sometimes you just have to do the merciful thing, then go have a good cry. I am really sorry.


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 18, 2019)

It sucks to have to do it if you choose to....but it's  just as hard to sit and watch  with that helpless feeling


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## AmberLops (Aug 18, 2019)

I hate this...she's my favorite dwarf


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 18, 2019)

Understand  my friend....your decision, .......my support all the way !


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## promiseacres (Aug 18, 2019)

Am not any help either. Very sorry!


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## Hens and Roos (Aug 18, 2019)

just saw this now, sorry you are going through this  I agree with @B&B Happy goats and @Baymule


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## Baymule (Aug 18, 2019)

Dare I ask what happened


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## GypsyG (Aug 18, 2019)

Crap... I just saw this.  Update?


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## AmberLops (Aug 18, 2019)

I had to end Mascha's suffering. She got worse and worse and I could tell she wasn't going to make it.
Definitely one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. I buried her and painted a stone to put on her grave.
I was expecting a bad first litter but I wasn't expecting this at all. Right now I feel like giving up on the rabbits but I know I can't...i need them.
I feel like the worst person in the world, and i'm hoping tomorrow will be easier.


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## GypsyG (Aug 18, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> I had to end Mascha's suffering. She got worse and worse and I could tell she wasn't going to make it.
> Definitely one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. I buried her and painted a stone to put on her grave.
> I was expecting a bad first litter but I wasn't expecting this at all. Right now I feel like giving up on the rabbits but I know I can't...i need them.
> I feel like the worst person in the world, and i'm hoping tomorrow will be easier.




(((((HUGS))))) I am so, so sorry that you had to go through that.  I don't have much experience with dwarf breeds, but it is my understanding that this is an unavoidable common occurrence.    Don't beat yourself up, and don't give up on rabbits... It is very clear how much your rabbits mean to you and you are a good bunny mom.

If you really want to continue with tiny rabbits maybe consider switching over to Polish?  They are not a true dwarf, so no peanuts and easier births.  I have had seven litters from my trio and no problems (knock on wood).  Or maybe bigger rabbits?  I rarely have issues with any of my big rabbits.  I have several friends who raise Netherlands and dwarf hotots, and it seems like they are just one heartbreak after another.


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## AmberLops (Aug 18, 2019)

Thank you...
And I thought about raising Polish a few years ago but where i was living then they were so hard to come by, so i chose Netherlands instead. Even here i don't see any Polish rabbits anywhere. I'm sure if looked harder i could find a breeder though. But I don't have as many problems with my Holland Lops or the Angoras so that's something.
I have some amazing Netherlands right now, and i would hate to give them up but i'm thinking about it. I just love them all so much and it would be so different not having them around.


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## GypsyG (Aug 19, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Thank you...
> And I thought about raising Polish a few years ago but where i was living then they were so hard to come by, so i chose Netherlands instead. Even here i don't see any Polish rabbits anywhere. I'm sure if looked harder i could find a breeder though. But I don't have as many problems with my Holland Lops or the Angoras so that's something.
> I have some amazing Netherlands right now, and i would hate to give them up but i'm thinking about it. I just love them all so much and it would be so different not having them around.



I have family near Nashville.  If you are seriously interested in Polish I'd be happy to meet up with you and gift you a trio.  I don't have plans to visit until next spring though.


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## promiseacres (Aug 19, 2019)

sorry for your loss.


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## Baymule (Aug 19, 2019)

Aww @GypsyG that is a wonderful offer. You are a good bunny mommy too! 

I am so sorry that you had to put her down. You have to weigh up if the heartbreak when things go wrong is worth the joy when things go right. Only you can answer that. 

Don’t give up on your rabbits, they are your love, your joy. You may just need to switch breeds. Big hugs.


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## Hens and Roos (Aug 19, 2019)




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## AmberLops (Aug 19, 2019)

Thank you everyone


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## AmberLops (Aug 19, 2019)

GypsyG said:


> I have family near Nashville.  If you are seriously interested in Polish I'd be happy to meet up with you and gift you a trio.  I don't have plans to visit until next spring though.


That is so sweet! Thank you...I might just take you up on that offer. Can you send me a message in the spring when you'll be in the area?  Thanks again, I would love to raise Polish.


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 19, 2019)

You two need to meet each other anyhow...what a better way ...you both are great


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## Pastor Dave (Aug 19, 2019)

I just now noticed this in New Posts. It didn't tag me for some reason with an alert. If it had, I wouldn't have been anymore help than the other gals that answered ya. I tried once a few years back to establish a Vet after coming out of hiatus from raising in the 80's and 90's and starting back up around 2015. The only ones I found considered rabbits exotics and specialty animals rather than agricultural or common pets. We couldn't afford veterinarian care as a kid on our house cat, ned alone a bunch of meat rabbits. Unfortunately it still holds true. I can't purchase a registered $25-50 rabbit and spend the type of $ they charge at the vet's office. We treat and medicate the best we can with what we can purchase. It keeps getting restricted more and more. At times favorite breeders have to be put down, and it's not easy. I keep telling myself I have given the animal the best life or as good as it would have received at any other rabbitry.


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## GypsyG (Aug 19, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> That is so sweet! Thank you...I might just take you up on that offer. Can you send me a message in the spring when you'll be in the area?  Thanks again, I would love to raise Polish.


Of course!  I'll give you at least three weeks notice.


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## AmberLops (Aug 19, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> You two need to meet each other anyhow...what a better way ...you both are great


Aw


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## AmberLops (Aug 19, 2019)

GypsyG said:


> Of course!  I'll give you at least three weeks notice.


Great! Thank you so much


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## AmberLops (Aug 19, 2019)

Pastor Dave said:


> I just now noticed this in New Posts. It didn't tag me for some reason with an alert. If it had, I wouldn't have been anymore help than the other gals that answered ya. I tried once a few years back to establish a Vet after coming out of hiatus from raising in the 80's and 90's and starting back up around 2015. The only ones I found considered rabbits exotics and specialty animals rather than agricultural or common pets. We couldn't afford veterinarian care as a kid on our house cat, ned alone a bunch of meat rabbits. Unfortunately it still holds true. I can't purchase a registered $25-50 rabbit and spend the type of $ they charge at the vet's office. We treat and medicate the best we can with what we can purchase. It keeps getting restricted more and more. At times favorite breeders have to be put down, and it's not easy. I keep telling myself I have given the animal the best life or as good as it would have received at any other rabbitry.


It's hard when there's really no vets who treat rabbits...
The vet I work for doesn't, but they'll help me out with some things in the rabbitry.
There's a little clinic that sees all animals and it's helpful but they're only open 2 days a week


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## Baymule (Aug 19, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> It's hard when there's really no vets who treat rabbits...
> The vet I work for doesn't, but they'll help me out with some things in the rabbitry.
> There's a little clinic that sees all animals and it's helpful but they're only open 2 days a week


That's fantastic! Because we all know that animals happily wait 5 days to die!


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## AmberLops (Aug 19, 2019)

Baymule said:


> That's fantastic! Because we all know that animals happily wait 5 days to die!


Exactly


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## Pastor Dave (Aug 19, 2019)

My vet, before we moved, once told me how much penicillin to use on a rabbit based on weight and what she would use on a cat. That was helpful. I already had the refrigerated bottle from one of the ag/outdoor stores. It did the trick back then for a doe with mastitis. I also had help from a friend that was a rabbit show judge and during the day was a vet tech. That helped a lot too.


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## AmberLops (Aug 19, 2019)

Pastor Dave said:


> My vet, before we moved, once told me how much penicillin to use on a rabbit based on weight and what she would use on a cat. That was helpful. I already had the refrigerated bottle from one of the ag/outdoor stores. It did the trick back then for a doe with mastitis. I also had help from a friend that was a rabbit show judge and during the day was a vet tech. That helped a lot too.


That is helpful!
Do you happen to remember the penicillin dose?
I'm a vet tech but my clinic only sees cats and dogs


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## sadieml (Aug 19, 2019)

I was just telling my DD that at nearly 58, I'm considering going back to school to become a vet for the simple reason that there are never any vets around here (crazy, since we're such a big Ag state) who do goats, or most other "farm animals".  The few that are around (an hour or so away, mind you) charge an arm and a leg (plus your firstborn, a kidney, and dibs on one or both lungs).


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## AmberLops (Aug 19, 2019)

sadieml said:


> I was just telling my DD that at nearly 58, I'm considering going back to school to become a vet for the simple reason that there are never any vets around here (crazy, since we're such a big Ag state) who do goats, or most other "farm animals".  The few that are around (an hour or so away, mind you) charge an arm and a leg (plus your firstborn, a kidney, and dibs on one or both lungs).


We could definitely use more exotic and livestock vets!


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## Pastor Dave (Aug 20, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> That is helpful!
> Do you happen to remember the penicillin dose?
> I'm a vet tech but my clinic only sees cats and dogs



I want to say 1cc/10lbs. It's been a while now, and I forget. I had picked up the syringes and the Vet said to go subcutaneous at scruff of neck. The litter the doe currently had were fostered out. I think I treated for a week, and then had to wait a month for the penicillin to get out of her system before her milk was safe again. So I waited the month to breed, and she didn't have problems again, and was able to nurse too. It was only on one side if I remember.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Aug 24, 2019)

I'm so sorry to hear about what happened!  Do NOT blame yourself, you did what you could for her.


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## AmberLops (Aug 24, 2019)

BlessedWithGoats said:


> I'm so sorry to hear about what happened!  Do NOT blame yourself, you did what you could for her.


Thank you


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