Help with Nigerian Doe - Update

[mangled]

Hello all-

We have a 5 year old Nigerian Doe, named Oreo. She's always been a sweetheart, and has had no troubles getting along with any of our other goats. We acquired a Nigerian buck for breeding purposes, and he successfully bred every doe we have, with the exception of Oreo. We had her pastured with him for about 15 months and in spite of being bred, she has never gotten pregnant.

We sold our buck October 19, 2012, and she's not been exposed to any other bucks since then. Over the past few days, her udders have gotten huge and she's acting bizarre, almost buck-like. She was running up on the flanks of our other does, doing the tongue-flap that our buck always did, and she's attempting to mount our other does as well.

Her behavior has gotten so bad that we have isolated her in one of our birthing pens until we can get our local caprine vet up here to look at her, which isn't until Thursday.

She's fed a mix of hay, she gets a 16% dairy mix and we give alfalfa pellets and an occasional handful of chicken scratch grains.

Is it possible she's just getting close to dropping a surprise kid or two? Her udders are huge, a little shiny but not at all hot to touch, and she isn't acting like they hurt.

Any ideas would be appreciated. Thursday's vet visit is 3 days away.

Thanks-
Em

 

[RainySunday]

Sounds very possible that she could be pregnant. Maybe your previous buck left you a parting gift? I have three does that were with the buck from Oct. 14-Nov. 4th and they are due anyday now.

The growing udder is a pretty good sign. Have you tried feeling for kids (put you hand on her belly, just in front of her udder)? If she is due soon, you should be able to feel kids somewhere on her right side, or in front of her udder. What about her girly bits? Any changes there?

Good luck!

 

[mangled]

No, no changes to her girly bits. I have really been keeping a close eye on her tonight. She's in a birthing pen, isolated from her herd mates, and she's quite unhappy about it. Poor girl. I don't think she's contagious or anything, but I can't have her roughing up my other girls.

I figure on keeping her isolated at least until the vet visit Thursday. I sure hope its just a pregnancy and nothing serious.

Thanks-
Em

 

[ThornyRidgeII]

Cystic Ovaries?????... I had a Pygmy Doe that was never bred and as she aged she developed this condition.. they take on very buck like characteristics and at times noticed she had swollen teats.. mention this to vet and see what they say..or just wait and walk out an find surprise kids!! It happens.. sometimes you may think a doe did not get bred but it is amazing how quick it happens.. blink of an eye!!! and sometimes you may not even know it literally until you find kids! good luck with her whatever the case may be!!!

 

[Queen Mum]

Cystic Ovaries?????... I had a Pygmy Doe that was never bred and as she aged she developed this condition.. they take on very buck like characteristics and at times noticed she had swollen teats.. mention this to vet and see what they say..or just wait and walk out an find surprise kids!! It happens.. sometimes you may think a doe did not get bred but it is amazing how quick it happens.. blink of an eye!!! and sometimes you may not even know it literally until you find kids! good luck with her whatever the case may be!!!

Hmmm, good point! I didn't know what the signs and symptoms were of Cystic Ovaries. That was good information.


I hope your girl is just being PG...

 

[doxiemoxie]

I have an old lady goat that's like that. She acts a little bit bucky and she has one enlarged teat. She's been that way since fall but she's getting so bad I am ready to put her on hormones (you can get an injectable implant so it's treat once, lasts for half a year) You are doing the smart thing getting the vet to check her out. Please keep us posted.

 

[Oakroot]

Check your feed for soy. Soy can cause hormone upset (because it is full of photoestrogen) including cysts in human women. You could try taking her off the dairy mix and see if that helps though it may take several months for hormones to readjust.

 

[20kidsonhill]

interesting, to think that after all that time he bred her almost the day before you sold him. Seems like she must be pregnant, I have does that act like that before they go into labor for a day or so. I guess could also be hormonal, and something going crazy in her system. Cyctic does are not that uncommon.
my guess though is that she is pregnant.

Good luck either way.

 

[mangled]

Thanks , everyone.

Today she is still restless. Bleating constantly, and holding her tail down flat. She's doing a lot of ground pawing and she does a funny squat. I am beginning to think we may be getting surprise kids.

Sure wish I could have got the vet here more quickly. I'm really worried about her. Our other does kidded pretty easily and quickly. How long can labor last?

Thanks again-
Em

 

[babsbag]

My doe that was due yesterday was doing the buckish behavior and head butting her herds mates last week. It is a trait I have noticed a few times before kidding.

Be sure and let us know what happens. Hoping for kids.

They can do the pawing, squatting, bleating, restlessness stuff off and on for a week or more, but some of mine never do it and I come out to feed and find kids. It all depends on the goat. I love the surprises that end well.

Good luck.