Delivery! 2 dead, 1 alive. Now what?

[francismilker]

My doe just delivered triplets about 45 minutes ago. The first one was breech, about the size of a pint jar, and dead. Next came the second one about twice or three times that size and alive. Finally, she pushed out another one the size of the first and it was still curled up in a little ball.

The two dead babies were'nt fully developed in their face area. It was like their muzzle had been "chewed" off. The live one is a little doeling about the size of a quart jar with giraffe legs. It's been about 40 minutes now since it's birth and it doesn't seem to be able to get up. She's doing a good job of attending to it and drying it off but it just seems to have no strength or control of it's legs.

It's making quite a bit of noise crying and whining as she attends to it, but hasn't gotten up. A couple times I tried to stand it but it doesn't have any legs to put under it. They just dangle loosely. Is this normal for baby goats or is it probably going to die?

Usually by this time with calves I see them making a more effective effort at standing but stumble and fall a few times. This one isn't doing more than crying and making thrashing movements.

Do I need to try and feed it? If so, how much?

Or, do I let mama take care of things and go on to bed?

[Creamers]

The baby could use a BO-SE shot

[Creamers]

http://dairygoatsplus.com/forum/view...5fb23861b6e87f

I'm sorry you lost two. . .hope the middle one pulls through

[Bearfootfarm]

Selenium might help, Vitamin E might help.

A heat lamp if it's cold and trying to milk some colostrum if she will let you would be good.

Good luck

[Cheribelle]

Oh, good luck with her!

[farmmom]

I'm sorry! I had a similar delivery this year. I hope your little survivor does well,

[SherrieC]

Hi, feel in her mouth for teeth, this will give you an Idea if it is term or pre, if you can feel teeth just erupting she's near term, popped through the gum line then full term. Get this baby warm, a shot of Bo Se, 2 Vit e capsules broke on her tongue, and tube feed or bottle feed her the colustrum. Get a wieght on the baby?
The smallest baby we ever had grew up just fine, it was 12 oz, like a little barbie doll. You may need to step in and raise this one.

[pygmybabies]

good luck, thinking of you, hope everything goes well with this little one

[ozark_jewels]

Oh, I just replied to your previous thread then saw this one....
I'm sure you have decided what to do by now, but if she were mine, I'd give her a shot of Bo-Se, towel her firmly but gently dry to stimulate her, milk the dam and tube feed the kid about 20 ccs of colostrum. See how she does after that......

[francismilker]

Update. She had triplets. Two were still born very premature. (not fully developed) and the other was alive for just a short time. If I am reading the calendar correctly, she was two weeks early. I did give a shot of Bo-se and gave about 15ccs of colostrum but the baby never gained enough strentgh to stand.

After further inspection, none of the kids were fully developed in the muzzle area. Even the one that was alive didn't have any movement in it's pallet. It couldn't have nursed if it would've lived. I weighed it this morning and it weighed between 14-15 oz.s. (Too small IMO to have a very good chance at life even though she might have been saved.)

Thanks so much to all of you for the replies and good advice. Once again, I'm a cattle person and this goat stuff is all new to me. It may be relatively close to the same procedure, but it's on a lot smaller scale and takes a little more finess'. Thanks all!

[Pony]

Francis, I'm so sorry. That really stinks.