Rough day - first kid loss ever

[cjb]

One of Herriot's triplets was dead this morning - the little pinto colored one.

The other two babies were chilly and nearly dead. With great advice (thanks Vicki) we were able to warm them up and get them taking bottles. One of Herriot's teats was really swollen and clogged and the other wasn't enough for all three for the night

The two remaining are in the house on a bottle and I am working on Herriot's bad 1/2. Poor Mama was pushing the dead one around with her nose and making unhappy noises. I took the other two and she hasn't seen them since and is just bawling.

I guess now that they're warm and fed, I could let them visit with her for awhile, right?

[Wonderland]

Aw, I'm so sorry. That must be hard on you and moma goat. I'm sure letting them visit would be just fine, and it might help ease her stress.

[Cannon_Farms]

It sounds like your doe is a pet type, can you put them in a tiled room for visitation? My "hospital" consist of a kiddie pool and xpen if you had something like that it would be pleanty of room for momma to have a visit without tearing up your house or perhaps you can put them in the garage so you can monitor them while they are with her until shes able to care for them on her own?

[LaManchaPaul]

Sorry to hear that. Best with the others.
Paul

[GrannyG]

Sorry you lost a little one, when this happened to me, I kept the babies in the house during the night and took them out in the morning and left them with Momma for babysitting, then brought them back in and fed them at night in the house.

[cjb]

To make matters worse, I cannot get a drip from Herriot's udder. This doe came from a CAE tested herd but her udder is as hard as a rock and I can only get drips from it. This is my fault - I was advised to milk her out and would have realized that they weren't getting enough if I had done as I was told.

I massaged her udder for a long time and it hasn't helped much. I guess I can have her tested to be sure but I've never felt anything like this - it is like a huge bicep muscle.

On a lark, I advertised the babies already on Craig's list and one guy wants two pet goats and is willing to bottle feed them "for the experience". Probably the smartest thing that I can do is to just sell them as bottle baby pets to him and never breed for Herriot again.

Such a bummer.

On the bright side, the kids are running around the bathroom like they own the place.

[Wonderland]

Hey, hind sight is 20/20, so don't blame yourself because what you "could have/should have/would have" done.

If you wanted a baby from her, I would wait and be sure it was something that could actually pass along. If you later find out it's not, after selling her kids, you may regret it. I'm not an expert or anything, but that is what I would do. Just don't want to make a rash decision you might later regret.

[Cannon_Farms]

have you tried hot compresses? They make little hard plastic duct openers that work wonders if its a blocked duct.
I know it gets fustrating and I have had my share of wanting to give it up, especially since I seem to lose my show kids I buy and my old nag goats thrive but its part of doing goats, or any living thing, you save some, you lose some.
I wouldnt give up on your doe, do the hot compresses and see if you can get that duct opener from the vet in the morning.

[Cannon_Farms]

ps, if shell allow, even if they dont get anything let them nurse or try to, sometimes thats enough to get things going.

[pookshollow]

I'm sorry - it never gets any easier to lose them. I lost two kids this year, and three does. It hurts.

What you could try for mama is Vit C - 3000 mg (about 6 chewable tablets if you've got them) and raspberry leaves. If you have any herbal tea with raspberry leaves in it, open up the tea bag and give it to her. Both are supposed to be good to ease congested udders - and the hot compresses and massage as well.

With new kids, I check every few hours for the first few days - I want to see them up and nursing, and I check that their bellies are round and full. I always squeeze both teats after the birth to make sure that the plug is out and that there is colostrum coming out.

It's a learning experience, and sometimes it's a hard lesson to learn.

[betsy h.]

this is where an E-Z milker or maggidan's would come in handy. the suction would pull the milk out and all would be well.

[DairyGoatSlave]

im so sorry...do a hot compress for atleast thirty mins, maybe some bamamine if she hurts

[Bricheze]

Sorry, I know I cried my eyes out when I lost my doeling this year. You don't even think about how much losing a new one hurts until it happens and you see them there dead. It's the tough part of life.

One of my favorite quotes though (applies to so many situations): "Failure is the most important part of life, it is the part that teaches us, and the part that hurts"

[3crow]

Sorry for your loss.

Here is a thought: When I was nursing my kids I had gotten an infection and used cabbage leaves that were softened and still warm, it really helped. Maybe you can make a paste and apply it to the udder.

[Lada]

I agree with trying to get the kids to nurse her. Hold them up to her if you have to. They have way better suction than you do with your hands and may be able to get the milk flowing. Plus, she might let her milk down more readily if they are there.

[Minelson]

I am so sorry for you loss and this mess your in with Harriot now. Sorry, I don't have experience to give advice. But, try not to kick yourself so hard...it only makes matters worse for everyone. Learn and move on...you are a great goat daddy!

[susanne]

i would not offer them for sale either. if they tried to nurse, they might be infected with the virus already and will only give a heartache to the new owners.

i learned the hard way not to trust statements like "herd is tested negative"
i test and re-test any animal that comes in and still bottle feed with pasteurized milk only.
i think it will take a couple of years before i would feel comfortable to dam raise the kids.

sorry you lost one.

[LaManchaPaul]

Originally Posted by Minelson

I am so sorry for you loss and this mess your in with Harriot now. Sorry, I don't have experience to give advice. But, try not to kick yourself so hard...it only makes matters worse for everyone. Learn and move on...you are a great goat daddy!

Hey cjb... I'll say the same as Minelson;

I'm an avid amateur astronomer. In the early years I got a really nice scope and my best friend got an even nicer one. We spent lots of cold nights with extreme frustrations trying to understand and use our equipment. It took years of experience to be able to find and “see” objects listed in catalogues. Even though I was told how, what, when and where -and it was written- I’d look back after a missed event and realize I could have accomplished it… if only….

This doesn’t correspond to your situation, but the motto does. During the initial tries with extreme anguish and even embarrassment when friends or relatives came to see a failed-to-find item; my friend would smile and again say, “You have to pay the dues.”

When I lost the beautiful twin doelings to my idiot mistake, I remembered Charlie’s comments. So, cjb don’t get down. You’ll also find the “jewel box” or "green star" soon and this pain of learning will be dimmer. What you are going through is all part of The Goat World where at times, experience is the only teacher and a hard one at that!

Best. Paul

[goatsareus]

I am so sorry for your loss...

how are the kids and momma doing? have you tried to get the kids to nurse? it may only be a congested udder which will be helped greatly by having the kids trying to nurse, and you working with the udder too....hope things start to look up for you and your goats...you seem to have been doing a great job so far..

[DQ]

sorry

I agree with the others. the kids nursing is the best thing for a congested udder. some seem to think the congested udders at kidding is nutritionally related. excess protein possibly. but it could just be luck of the draw too. something to think about and research at least.