I have a 19 month old doe who is going to kid in a week or two. During the past few days I would sometimes notice her standing a little crooked. Today I looked at her close up and I noticed her front legs especially by the shoulders are spread out. Compared to her fellow goats her points of elbow are stretched out from her body. I can easily fit my hand between her point of elbow and where it should be connected by her heart girth. Should I call a vet? I don't want her to be permanently lame. She is one of the lower goats in the pen she shares with seven others. Could this be caused by being bucked around? She still can walk around just when she stands and runs, it looks very off. Her hooves and legs look okay it is just by her two front shoulders that she seems stretched out-almost like a spider (when she stands and runs). Did she stretch or pull a muscle? Should I wrap her shoulders to her body? This is the first time I have noticed anything like this. I would greatly appreciate any advice on how I can help her.
Doe walking/standing abnormally. Do I need to wrap, splint?
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frustratedearthmother
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Without seeing your doe it's hard to give you an answer. Part of it could be that she's bigger and heavier and that it is having an effect on her stance and gait. As they get closer to their due date, in preparation for giving birth, the body releases hormones that cause ligaments to soften. This is very evident in the ligaments in the rear end of the doe but it also happens, to a degree, over the entire body and they can get 'loose and wobbly' as a result. I hope that's what is going on with your doe because if so, she'll get better after she kids.
If that doesn't sound like what is happening with your gal you might be reassured to talk with, or have a vet assess her.
Please let us know how things go. This could be an opportunity for all of us to learn something. Good luck!
If that doesn't sound like what is happening with your gal you might be reassured to talk with, or have a vet assess her.
Please let us know how things go. This could be an opportunity for all of us to learn something. Good luck!
Mini Horses
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Agree with above!
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Thank you for the information. She kidded a week ago. she still has the wobbly stance and stretched out shoulders but it seems to be slowly going down. It is not perfect yet, but not as pronounced as it was. Someone I know suggested giving her Selenium paste. It was out of stock at one of our local farm stores, but I will still look for it at elsewhere. Also, this same doe seems to be regurgitating her cud or something because I have noticed green and yellow stuff around her mouth this morning. I never actually saw her throwing or spitting up. She did this about a month before she kidded also. It lasted for three days and again I never actually saw her do it. I did notice some green stuff on one of her fellow goat's back. She was the only one in her pen to do this. We tried adding some baking soda to her feed and it seemed to go away after three days the last time this happened.
We had another goat kid this morning. One of her teats on her udder feels warm to the touch. When I squeeze it, it feels like there is a hard thing that reminds me of a metal stick running up and down through her teat. I was able to squeeze some thick white stuff out of that teat. Is this mastitis? I have never had an experience with this before. Her kids were trying to drink off this teat. If this is mastitis, will it heal with her kids drinking off it? Do I need to treat it with something? Should I contact a vet?
We had another goat kid this morning. One of her teats on her udder feels warm to the touch. When I squeeze it, it feels like there is a hard thing that reminds me of a metal stick running up and down through her teat. I was able to squeeze some thick white stuff out of that teat. Is this mastitis? I have never had an experience with this before. Her kids were trying to drink off this teat. If this is mastitis, will it heal with her kids drinking off it? Do I need to treat it with something? Should I contact a vet?
Mini Horses
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You need to milk some out of that side to get it flowing. Could be the colostrum plugged in there. Put a kid on other side so she'll let down and work this side. Wet, warm cloth on teat will be helpful. Suction might be necessary to get the plug out. Milk her. It will be sore if you don't get it now.
Check her, one of the kids may have gotten it open by trying to nurse. Is udder over warm on that side?
Can't say about mastitis without test but must get milk flowing or you'll have a mess. You can get test strips at some farm stores. I buy online as I do milk several of my goats.
Check her, one of the kids may have gotten it open by trying to nurse. Is udder over warm on that side?
Can't say about mastitis without test but must get milk flowing or you'll have a mess. You can get test strips at some farm stores. I buy online as I do milk several of my goats.
frustratedearthmother
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Yep - what she ^ said.
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I tried to had milk her - we do not have a milking machine - I was able to get more of the thick white stuff out of her teat (the left one). It took a very long time and I do not think I got very much out. Her kids prefer the other teat (the right one) because the milk comes out easily. They do not try very hard to drink off the problem one. So far, I have been unable to get any real milk out of left one. The left side of her udder doesn't feel too different in warmth than the other one. However, it is getting really hard and heavy-maybe because the kids are not working on it? What kind of suction could I use? These are Boer cross goats so we don't normally milk them.
Ridgetop
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Sounds like you have a case of mastitis. The kids will nurse on the teat that functions. If your farm store has any mastitis treatment tubes. I have used "Today", it is a good one, buy several tubes. You will need to restrain the doe in a stanchion and follow the directions to treat her. Separate her from the rest of your goats to avoid them being infected by the mastitis milk. You will have to pull the kids and bottle feed them while treating her.
First milk as much out of the udder as you can, then follow the directions on the mastitis tubes. The mastitis tube comes with a pointed tip that needs to be inserted into the teat. Then squeeze the entire contents into the teat and holding the teat end closed massage the contents of the tube into the udder. Depending on the type of mastitis antibiotic shots can also be given. Take a sample of the discharge from the affected side of the udder to the vet and have them test it to find out the pathogen. Then the vet can prescribe the proper antibiotic.
Mastitis is a nasty thing and can destroy that side of her udder. The hardening of that half would indicate that scar tissue has already built up in it. I had a ewe given to me years ago that freshened with half an udder and raised twins on the remaining half. BUT I also had 2 ewes develop mastitis in half their udder. I was out pf town at the time and it wasn't noticed right away. They each ended up losing one of their twins and the remaining twin was scrawny. I culled the ewes and remaining lamb. Mastitis is nothing to fool around with.
If you can save her she will probably have only have half an udder at next kidding. The other half will be thick, hard, filled with scar tissue and unable to produce. The mastitis can also travel to that remaining half. Since she is up and nursing on the good side, she probably does not have Black Mastitis". "Balck mastitis" is a deadly form of mastitis that causes gangrene in the udder and can quickly kill the doe. The udder is first very hot then turns cold to the touch quickly and the doe goes down and dies in a couple days. The term "black mastitis" is because as the udder turns gangrenous the skin turns dark in color. Over the past 32 years we lost one young doe at her first kidding to that type of mastitis. It was so quick I couldn't get a vet out in time - she was dead in 2 days.
Keeping trying to massage that half of the udder and milk it out. Apply hot wet rage to it as you massage. You are trying to drain the pus so don't mix any of her milk to feed to any kids. Use the mastitis infusions and pray.
Good luck.
First milk as much out of the udder as you can, then follow the directions on the mastitis tubes. The mastitis tube comes with a pointed tip that needs to be inserted into the teat. Then squeeze the entire contents into the teat and holding the teat end closed massage the contents of the tube into the udder. Depending on the type of mastitis antibiotic shots can also be given. Take a sample of the discharge from the affected side of the udder to the vet and have them test it to find out the pathogen. Then the vet can prescribe the proper antibiotic.
Mastitis is a nasty thing and can destroy that side of her udder. The hardening of that half would indicate that scar tissue has already built up in it. I had a ewe given to me years ago that freshened with half an udder and raised twins on the remaining half. BUT I also had 2 ewes develop mastitis in half their udder. I was out pf town at the time and it wasn't noticed right away. They each ended up losing one of their twins and the remaining twin was scrawny. I culled the ewes and remaining lamb. Mastitis is nothing to fool around with.
If you can save her she will probably have only have half an udder at next kidding. The other half will be thick, hard, filled with scar tissue and unable to produce. The mastitis can also travel to that remaining half. Since she is up and nursing on the good side, she probably does not have Black Mastitis". "Balck mastitis" is a deadly form of mastitis that causes gangrene in the udder and can quickly kill the doe. The udder is first very hot then turns cold to the touch quickly and the doe goes down and dies in a couple days. The term "black mastitis" is because as the udder turns gangrenous the skin turns dark in color. Over the past 32 years we lost one young doe at her first kidding to that type of mastitis. It was so quick I couldn't get a vet out in time - she was dead in 2 days.
Keeping trying to massage that half of the udder and milk it out. Apply hot wet rage to it as you massage. You are trying to drain the pus so don't mix any of her milk to feed to any kids. Use the mastitis infusions and pray.
Good luck.
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Wanted to get that post up quickly. As to the first doe that had the extremely loose shoulders just before kidding, she probably has loose shoulders normally just not as noticeable until the ligaments loosened prepartum.
Have you had these goats a long time? Did you just get them? I see that you are a new member - are you also new to goats? Please post where you are located, the type of goats you have, and what is their purpose - meat, milk, pets, etc. We will be better able to help you with more information.
Have you had these goats a long time? Did you just get them? I see that you are a new member - are you also new to goats? Please post where you are located, the type of goats you have, and what is their purpose - meat, milk, pets, etc. We will be better able to help you with more information.
Mini Horses
Herd Master
Agree with mastitis options. I was hoping for better, especially since these aren't milk goat variety/use.
The meds she's describing will prob run in $50-80 range for a box. Unsure, haven't had to use in a long while! Might be able to buy a partial box from a vet....or even want to get your vet involved!
The meds she's describing will prob run in $50-80 range for a box. Unsure, haven't had to use in a long while! Might be able to buy a partial box from a vet....or even want to get your vet involved!
