Farewell Sienna

[caryatid]

I thought I'd better post an update for y'all.

A while ago I posted about a possibly pregnant pygmy, and later about the exciting progress as it looked like she was going to deliver. (for those who didn't read the other posts- I got an older pygmy from a lady who was moving. If she was bred, we had no way of knowing when it happened.)

I have another friend who raises pygmies who came over to confirm the pregnancy. I swear we felt movement! She seemed to be steadily getting bigger, the way her body filled out was consistant with pictures of pregnant pygmies I found. (note- her daughter was getting the same feed and did not change size at all)

We calculated her due date to be early Nov (assuming the breeding happened at the last possible moment before we got her). As the date drew near, and then passed, we got nervous. I called the vet and took her in the next day. After the quick physical exam, the vet was also convinced that she was, or at least had been pregnant. She recommended Xrays so she could look for a fetus (either alive or otherwise). There was nothing there. Nothing.

The only thing the vet could think of would be a possible tumor, but she saw no signs of that either. Sienna didn't seem to be in any pain, other than her normal arthritis, so the vet just recommended a slow change in diet.

Last week she died.

Don't really know what else to say other than that.

thanks for listening.

[GoldenWood Farm]

Oh sweetie I am so sorry . That is so hard to loose one... . Give your other gals a big hug and try and remember the good times you guys had and that she had a wonderful home and life with you. I looks to me as if she had a great home with a amazing person taking care of her.

I am sorry <<<<hugs>>>>

MotherClucker

[caryatid]

The hardest part was breaking the news to my 8yo stepson. He was so proud of the fact that he had been taking care of them "all by himself" (not knowing that while he was in school I double checked everything)- hauling water out 2x a day, feeding, sitting still until the skittish gals got curious enough to investivate the grain bucket at his feet just so he could pet one for a brief moment. It could be pouring down rain or snow, and he would just sit there waiting.

It was hard enough telling him that she wasn't pregnant. He lost it when I told him she was gone. He had gone out to feed the night before, petted both Luci and Sienna who were curled up together in the barn staying nice and warm, then left to visit his mother for a couple days. The next morning it clicked that something was wrong- Sienna never LETS anyone approach her.... I rushed out to the barn, and Sienna was already gone, with Luci standing at the doorway, keeping guard.

We didn't have her long, and we knew that she was "very old" when we got her (her former owner couldn't tell me exactly how old), but it was still hard to believe.

thanks again for letting me share this.

[Jillis]

Did you have a good wormer that you used?

I have a Nigerian Dwarf doe that I bought 6 weeks after she gave birth. She looked like she was ready to give birth and she had been bred the week I got her. I wormed all my goats with Ivermectin on a regular basis, and I wormed her after she gave birth to triplets for me. She always looked hugely pg whether she was or wasn't.

ABout 6 months after she had birthed the set of triplets she gave me, I decided to switch wormers, because the Ivermectin didn't seem to be working as well. I had wormed her when I got her, mid-pregnancy, the day she gave birth, and then again when I wormed all the girl in mid-summer. This time (in late summer, early fall) I used a cattle pour-on called Cydectin, orally, 1 cc per 25 lbs. according to advice I received on this forum.

My roly-poly Nigie, for 3 days after dosing, had very little appetite or "zip", just sat around chewing her cud. No fever, no symptoms of any sickness.

Then, on the 3rd day, she was very perky---perkier than I've ever seen her. And the big, fat, belly was gone. She has looked like a normal goat ever since!

My belief is that even thought I was worming adequately, she had a very heavy worm load. I bought her at the age of 4, so perhaps her former owner was not a regular wormer of her goats. She must be a naturally very hardy goat to have birthed a set of triplets, then another almost as soon as was possible, and they were all big and healthy with no problems at all! Her daughters are very big and healthy still. She nursed them all!

I hope that helps, I am sorry you lost your girl, kisses and hugs for your son.

[nduetime]

So sorry for your loss. Time heals. Maybe another goat to keep Luci company would help too?

[Sweet Goats]

I am so sorry for your loss. The only thing I believe then loosing a animl is Not knowing why. God bless you

[caryatid]

Originally Posted by Jillis

Did you have a good wormer that you used?

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to print out your post and stick it in my livestock folder.

The lady we got her from is a breeder and assurd me that she had wormed them the day before she delivered them to me (mid-June). Since she had done it, the thought of switching meds didn't even cross my mind. Although, I'm hoping that is something the vet would have mentioned when she examined her.
She was highly recommended, so I didn't question her diagnosis. She didn't anything out of the ordinary, said there was a possibility of a hidden tumor, and that she was mainly just fat. Gave me a diet to put her on, and then bring her back for another exam. She mentioned that it was likely that changing homes also changed the "herd dynamic" and it was possible Sienna was simply overeating due to low competition for food. (Her old home had 60 pygmies and she was low on the totem pole. Luci always let Sienna eat first)

Sorry..I'm babbling. Thanks again for the tip.

[caryatid]

Originally Posted by nduetime

So sorry for your loss. Time heals. Maybe another goat to keep Luci company would help too?

Although my kids suggested it, I don't think we will be getting another one anytime soon. Luci and the sheep are are keeping each other company at the moment. In the spring we might consider it, but I think we may breed Rosie, and I don't want to add too many too fast. Luckily, Rosies's former owner is also DH's best friend (my 8yo is over there now for a sleepover with his boys!) and I know he would be over once a week to check her out.

(there is also a small chance we may be moving Xcountry in a little over a year. If that happens, I'm not sure what we are going to do with the critters.)

[caryatid]

Originally Posted by Sweet Goats

I am so sorry for your loss. The only thing I believe then loosing a animl is Not knowing why. God bless you

I agree- I keep asking myself what else could I have done? Is it my fault? If I had read just *one more* book, would I have learned what I needed to know? What if? What if? What if? *aagghhh*

[fishhead]

Without an autopsy and a complete review of your management you are only guessing and second guessing and third guessing. There's no reason to beat yourself up. Even the most experienced goat raiser or vet loses animals. It's the cost of owning an animal.

[goatkid]

Sorry you lost your goat. As you said, she was old. Maybe it was just her time. Another thought I had is hardware disease. Metal would probably have showed up in the Xray, but twine or plastic may not have. She may have gotten into something before she ever came to live with you. I hope you'll be able to get another goat someday soon.

[caryatid]

Thanks guys.
I forgot to mention something else that might explain why we are taking this so hard... The was the first "unintentional" death of large livestock we've dealt with.

We have had deaths before, but it was pretty obvious how all the chickens died (and the neighbor paid for them, then found a new home for her dog!). And well, butchering is different of course.