I think we are losing her

Hip_Shot_Hanna · #1 12/12/06, 06:38 PM

Our little Nigerian Dwarf doe is doing very poorly. We've been to the vet, and he's not sure what's wrong with her, but she has stopped eating and drinking and just lies on her brisket groaning.

We've given her propylene glycol, vitamin b, probiotics, goat nutri drench, and are syringing electrolytes into her on an hourly to half hourly basis on his recommendations. He even said it wouldn't hurt to give her milk, and she's had a cupful of that too for the calcium. No fever, no pneumonia. He says he thinks it's ketosis or enterotoxemia, and that's she is somewhat dehydrated.

But she's got that far away look in her eye. She's around day 135, and there's still fetal heartbeats, but it doesn't look like she's going to make it. I really hate this. I will be up all night - might be able to check back from time to time.

The folks we bought her from came out and did everything they could think of doing. We thought of inducing labor to save the kids, but her cervix is still closed tight, though she now has a slight white discharge.

She seemed uncomfortable last night and didn't eat her grain or drink any water last night or this morning. Then she went right downhill fast. At this point, she's unable to stand.

This really, really hurts.

tcboweevil · #2 12/12/06, 06:48 PM

Dear GOD please touch this doe, her kids, and her owners. Please heal her and help her. Father, I know that you notice even the sparrows and provide for all living things. Please protect this doe and help her through this. Please, GOD, I am asking for a miracle. In Jesus' Precious Name i pray, Amen....

DocM · #3 12/12/06, 07:04 PM

You've done everything I would do - now you need to keep her hydrated and see if she comes around. Ketosis treatment isn't immediate - hang in there. Don't discount touch.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #4 12/12/06, 07:51 PM

Please read the Sue Reith article on hypocalcemia on dairygoatinfo.com click on goatkeeping101.

Syringing in fluids orally is useless at best. Use sub Q fluids. Get some lactated ringers from your vet tommorrow, and make a large handful sized bubble right below her shoulder. As she absorbes this into her system, make another bubble on the other side...continue this as long as she absorbs the bubbles of fluid.

Read the article and get the injectable CMPK from your vet, take the article with you. Propolyne glycol is immediate energy and does with no calcium in her blood is not needing the energy and can't use the energy...Give the calcium and the propolyne glycol and you will see an immediate difference. Continue with the meds on schedule until she kids. If you abort her now, the kids are too early to be viable. She is not a cow, ketosis information for cows kills goats. Get the 2cc of Lutelyse to induce labor and give it to her to kid on 150 days....so give the shot 36 hours before she is 150 days bred...but be certain of that date because if you give lutelyse IM, 2cc, she will kid in 36 hours, and kids younger than 5 or 6 days early are to early for most folks to pull through. You can also give her dexamethazone to mature the lungs in the kids faster, in case you have no choice but to take them early if she is soo far gone she can't wait to deliver in a week. Vicki

dbarjacres · #5 12/12/06, 07:55 PM

I'm so sorry. It's terrible when you have to watch them go, just better to find them gone already, hopefully peacefully. I'm sorry, but have no ideas for you either, sounds like knowledgable people already exercised all the options on her.

Hip_Shot_Hanna · #6 12/12/06, 09:04 PM

Gemstone died about fifteen minutes ago. As soon as she did, Dave cut into her and we pulled out three kids, two does and a little buck... but it was too late. I rubbed them over with paper towels and cleared their noses and shook them and rubbed them, even blew into one's lungs, but we couldn't revive them, they had died before she did, apparently. Poor Gemstone - she died because of a twisted gut - so painful for her.

I'm disheartened and discouraged, and I'm bawling like a baby.

Thank you for the encouragement and the information. Vicki, I'm going to print out what you put in and keep it in the goat folder. Our friend that sold us the goat is an experienced goat dairy person and walked us through trying to save the kids, and when we were describing what we were seeing as we opened poor Gemstone up and he said that it was a twisted gut, as there should have been no intestines in that area.

It's heartbreaking - and it was horrible to see her in such distress. But I guess we've learned something from the experience.

Thanks again to all.

ozark_jewels · #7 12/12/06, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hip_Shot_Hanna

Gemstone died about fifteen minutes ago. As soon as she did, Dave cut into her and we pulled out three kids, two does and a little buck... but it was too late. I rubbed them over with paper towels and cleared their noses and shook them and rubbed them, even blew into one's lungs, but we couldn't revive them, they had died before she did, apparently. Poor Gemstone - she died because of a twisted gut - so painful for her.

I'm disheartened and discouraged, and I'm bawling like a baby.

I'm so sorry.....I know this doesn't help now, but I had a situation similiar to yours last year, where the doe was close to delivering and was dying.....I decided it was better to save some than to lose all.....because the kids will die before the doe, as their oxygen will be cut off first. I put the doe down(shot in the back of the skull), and cut the kids out fast. Saved two beautiful doelings by doing this. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but the doelings were worth it in the end. Hopefully you never have to go through this again....but in case you do....something to consider....<hugs>

Ark · #8 12/13/06, 05:22 AM

Oh Deb, I am so sorry! That is so sad.

We lost a sweet doe and her unborn kid last spring and I still could just cry when I think of her.

Rachel

Goat Freak · #9 12/13/06, 08:01 AM

I'm very sorry Hannah, hopefully things will be better for you in the future. At least Gemestone had a good life with you. You did all you could do. Good luck.
Bye.

Kazahleenah · #10 12/13/06, 09:42 AM

Thinking of you Hannah... I know that's hard to go through.. ((huggs))

Kaza

moonspinner · #11 12/13/06, 09:56 AM

This is truly heartbreaking and I'm close to tears in reading this. I am so very sorry you had to go through this and you're in my prayers.

Sweet Goats · #12 12/13/06, 09:56 AM

I am so sorry to hear ha, and that you had to go through that. I hope you realize you did everything you could for her. Pleaase take these hugs from Colorado.

At least she knew you loved her dearly.

TWOGOATS · #13 12/13/06, 11:34 AM

when I read the first post on here, I groaned, because almost everything you described happened to my LaMancha this past Saturday and preceding. the only difference is that I didn't feed her milk, and she was only one month preggo.
when we took her to our vet, she said that she had liver fluke, stomach worms, cocci, I already was treating lice, and the vet determined that her rumen was completely shut down. she stomach tubed her and gave her dewormers, but Daisy didn't get any better. she was given almost all of the same treatment as gemstone, but she seemed to have given up the will to live. she died in my arms at about 11:40 this past Saturday.

my lesson learned: deworm more often, and don't keep hoping the goat will pull out of a loss-of-appetite phase without help.

I share your pain