Please help, kid is not nursing well.

[Adri]

I don't have a lot of experience with nursing troubles, as my other 2 mommas had no problem getting their kids to nurse well. Lily gave birth to a doeling yesterday morning. Lily has loads of milk, but whenever her baby does try to nurse (which isn't often or for long), she flicks her away with her foot or steps away. I can deal with that by holding her in place, but I can't get the doeling to get interested in feeding. I have collected some of Lily's milk and tried to feed it to the doeling with a bottle, but she is having trouble latching, her tongue is all over the place and she keeps turning her head away. Does anybody have any advice for getting a good latch?

 

[fairview610]

Try putting some kyro syrup on the nipple and a small amout in the bottle

 

[Adri]

Thank you for the quick reply! Would molasses work?

 

[fairview610]

I have never tried molasses but it could, worth a try anyway. I have used kyro and it worked well for my kids whos mother could not care for them!

 

[20kidsonhill]

You don't happen to have selenium and vitamin E available? If she was here I would give her a Bo-se shot.

Has she ever nursed, like she nursed well the first couple of times, but now she isn't doing well? or she has never had a sucking reflex. If your answer is never she needs selenium if your answer is she nursed well the first time or two, she needs baking soda.

If you can't get her to nurse you will need to consider tube feeding her.

 

[20kidsonhill]

also the karo syrup will do a great job buying you time. I would try to get 5 to 10 cc's of karo syrup syringe fed into the kid, thinned with a little of mom's milk, The sugar absorbs in their system quickly and gives them energy to think, it may kick start her sucking reflex, kids that have gone too long with out nursing or get cold respond really well to karo syrup, not sure in your case it will help kick start her sucking but the energy well help keep her alive.

 

[20kidsonhill]

First step is to gather your supplies. Decide what you need to tube your goat with. Does the kid need Colostrum? Electrolytes, B Vitamins, probiotics, goat milk or milk replacer can also be used. For a newborn kid, I would not suggest giving more than 2-4 ounces of any fluid at one time. An older kid you can give 4 - 6 ounces of fluids at a time, depending on his size. You will need a feeding tube and 60cc syringe with an irrigation tip. These can be obtained from the vet or anywhere they sell veterinarian supplies. The tube enables you to put the fluids directly into the kid's rumen. The Syringe is used to hold the fluid before it travels down the tube. You will also need a cup of clean warm water, and a small syringe 3 cc or 12 cc work fine. Finally you will need a bowl or something to clean your equipment up in, disinfectant, and hot water.
The first step, after assembling your supplies is to measure how far you need to insert the tube. Measure from the kid's nose, to the center of the ear, and back down to the chest floor. Mark the tube at this point. This is the maximum depth you need to insert the tube. Hold the kid securely, and dip the end of the tube in water to soften it. Insert the tube from the center of the kid's mouth, over the tongue, and down the throat till you reach the mark. You should be able to feel the tube pass down the esophagus. You can feel it down the side of the trachea or windpipe. The kid should be still able to cry with the tube inserted. If the kid is awake and crying, and suddenly stops while you are inserting the tube, withdraw the tube until it can cry and try again. It is very important that you get the tube in the correct spot. If you pour fluids in the kid's lungs, he will die.
There are several different ways you can make sure the tube is in the right spot. Smell the end of the tube; you should smell stomach smells - like old milk. Remember a newborn is not ruminating so you will not smell rumen smells. Listen at the end of the tube; you should her little crackles, not breath sounds. If you hear breath sounds withdraw the tube. Another way to make sure is to stick the end of the tube into a cup of water. If it blows bubbles you are in the lungs. A similar check is to blow lightly into the tube. Watch the kids and make sure the lungs don't inflate when you blow.
Before you add the syringe. Pour 3-5 cc of water in the tube. A small 3 cc or 12 cc syringe works well for this. If the tube is in the trachea the kid should cough. If it is in the esophagus he should still be able to cry. But, be extremely careful if the kid is completely flat or comatose. A comatose kid can not swallow, cry or may not even cough. His reflexes are not working. Rely on checking for breath sounds and bubbles. If the kid is comatose he needs to be revived quickly, such as the case of a chilled down kid. Time is an important factor, if you don't get warm fluids and sugars into the kid quickly he will die.
Attach the syringe to the end of the tube. I like to just use the outside of the syringe and let gravity push the fluids into the kid's rumen. This prevents you from pushing the fluids in too fast. When you have completed your checks and are sure that the tube is in the correct place, add 5cc of water in the syringe. The water should flow freely down the tube. If not withdraw the tube about a 2" and push it back in. The tube may be against the wall of the stomach or kinked. If the water flows down the tube without resistance, slowly add 2 -3 ounces of fluid into the syringe. Let gravity push the fluid down the tube, hold the syringe up above the kid's head. This is easier done with two people until you get accustomed to the procedure.
After all the fluids have flowed out of the syringe, add 10 cc water to rinse the syringe. This prevents any medications or milk from accidentally being aspirated by the kid when the tube is being removed. A kid can survive if he aspirates a little water it will be absorbed by the lungs. Milk in the lungs is likely to cause pneumonia. Remove the syringe from the end of the tube. If you cover the end of the tube while it is being removed it will keep any fluid left in the tube from leaking out and being aspirated. Just like if you hold your thumb over a straw and remove it from your soda. The soda stays in the straw. Remove the tube slowly, don't pull it out fast or jerk it. This can damage the soft tissues. Place the kid down on his brisket, sitting up, never laying on its side. If the kid is flat, from floppy kid, or is comatose from being cold, roll a towel or rag up to prop his head on. This way if they cough up any fluids, they will not aspirate any into their lungs.
Gather all your supplies immediately place the tube and syringe in a bowl of soapy hot water, we use a disinfectant such as Nolvason or betadine. Clean all equipment and rinse well. We wash all of our tubing equipment in a stainless steal bowl, then pour boiling water on it to help sterilize it. Be careful not to burn yourself

 

[Adri]

Thank you, that sounds like good advice. I have just been on the phone trying to find a feeding tube, and the large animal vets in my area only have "calf-sized" and the small animal vets seem unable or unwilling to help. The large animal vet has some selenium. Would you advise that I give her some?

She did seem to nurse okay at first. I took her temperature, it is 103.4. I used a medicine dropper and did manage to drip 2 cc's onto the back of her tongue. She is looking weak though.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Thank you, that sounds like good advice. I have just been on the phone trying to find a feeding tube, and the large animal vets in my area only have "calf-sized" and the small animal vets seem unable or unwilling to help. The large animal vet has some selenium. Would you advise that I give her some?

She did seem to nurse okay at first. I took her temperature, it is 103.4. I used a medicine dropper and did manage to drip 2 cc's onto the back of her tongue. She is looking weak though.

I would mix baking soda into a little corn syrup and water, just enough to thin and force feed her that. She may have developed floppy kid syndrom if she was nursing well at first. Repeat baking soda treatment in two hours. 1/2 cc baking soda, If it works she should start acting hungry after that.


You can use tubing from a fish tank and a syringe for tube feeding.

And yes, I do recommend a dose of selenium (bo-se injectable),

 

[Adri]

I rushed out to the vet's and picked up the Selenium/Vitamin E injectable and in no time, I can't believe the difference in her! She went from limp and sleepy and now she has perked up, is doing little leaps and is trying to nurse again.

Now I just have to hold the doe down long enough for her to get latched, or should I skip this and let her nurse off of my other doe (who delivered her kid a day earlier) who stands for her kid to nurse?

Should I still try to get some baking soda into her?