I'm beginning to suspect a false pregnancy

Wildwood · #1 04/05/11, 11:07 AM

I have a six year old nubian that I bought three years ago. She was in milk and I milked her through for two years. Unfortunately I didn't get her bred last year...or I thought I didn't. We have a couple of nigie bucks and we did our best to make that work but they didn't cooperate and we finally gave up. We decided to buy a nubian buck but just in case, decided to wait and make sure she and her sister weren't pregnant. After four months and neither her or her sister showing any signs of babies, we found a wonderful registered buck. That was a month ago.

Imagine my surprise last week when she bagged up and appeared to lose her ligaments. I was a little disappointed but we need the milk so it wasn't all bad. Still she just didn't look pregnant. My girls look healthy and aren't underweight by any stretch...maybe the high side of the perfect weight range IMO. Well it's been six days and her tail is back up where it belongs but her udders are so full she squirts milk when she runs. I watched for the cloudburst but since I worked most days the last week, I could have missed it.

I wonder if putting the buck in with them could have triggered a false pregnancy. She appeared to be in a raging heat when we got him and he was interested. Also if she is not pregnant would it be ok to milk her and if it is, how long should I wait before I give completely up on babies? I'd hate to not have colostrum for them.

TIA for and thoughts on this girl. I'm at a loss...as usual LOL.

chewie · #2 04/05/11, 11:20 AM

Quote:

but her udders are so full

she has more than one?! teehe, just kidding!

since this doe worked well milking thru, I am really wondering if she is not coming into milk on time, regardless of her preg. status. I've read about this sort of thing happening, so I wouldn't count it out. I'd milk a little into a cup and look at it, does it look thicker or darker or anything diff. than reg. milk? if she's so full like that, maybe try milking her anyhow. I hope you keep this post updated, this is a real interesting situation, I'd love to hear the ending!

Wildwood · #3 04/05/11, 11:31 AM

Chewie just overlook my ignorance LOL.

I just went out to take another look and she just doesn't look the least bit pregnant but with a goat who knows. If she was bred, the baby/babies might be small because daddy would be a nigie plus she is big boned girl and on the large side even for a nubian.

I'll definitely upadate on the outcome.

Alice In TX/MO · #4 04/05/11, 11:42 AM

I'd figure the Nigerian Dwarf got the job done when you weren't watching.

Wildwood · #5 04/05/11, 03:31 PM

Alice that's exactly what I was thinking but as the days pass and all signs of pending labor disappear, I'm wondering. A mini nubian doe is what I always wanted and the main reason I have the nigies to begin with so it's all good :baby04:.

luvzmybabz · #6 04/05/11, 05:48 PM

Exactly how long has the new buck been with them if less then 28 days would you try sending blood into biotracking. That way you would know if she is prego from nigie if more then 28 days a pregnancy test may still help you to know if she is a precoious (sp) zoning into milk without being pregnant.

Backfourty,MI. · #7 04/05/11, 07:02 PM

How many days has it been since she was with the Nigie buck? Like Yarrow has said a couple times this season that "it sure seems like alot of does' are going over their due date." It could be she just isn't ready yet. I know I had 1 do that to me yesterday, I thought I was going to worry to death but I knew she was preggo.

Sure hope your girl kids soon for you, that would be great!

Wildwood · #8 04/05/11, 11:43 PM

The new buck has been with them a little over a month.

Unfortunately I've lost the date she was with the nigie. It just never looked like anything happened and she did appear/act like she was in heat on a regular basis after that including at the time the new buck showed up.

Last Wednesday she looked just like she was in early labor minus any mucus or discharge and it lasted a couple days and now, except for the well filled udder, she doesn't show any signs of labor.

She will probably surprise me with a tiny mini nubian any day now since I've given up her being pregnant.

I need to educate myself on the fine art of drawing blood but at this point I don't know how.

Thanks for the replies!

pracmag · #9 04/07/11, 11:35 PM

Have you tried feeling her belly while shes on the milk stand to see if you feel a kick? I always feel my goats to see if they are pregnant and always feel the kids kicking. Just a thought?

Wildwood · #10 05/12/11, 10:39 AM

I wanted to update everyone on my doe's progress.

She's still slightly bagged up but does not look pregnant at all. She never kidded so apparently it was a false pregnancy. She's shown no signs of being in heat since then either. Her sister on the other hand, looks like she is bred. She would be about half way through her pregnancy if she is. Since they are almost identical in size and build, it's becoming more obvious that one is getting bigger and one is not.

She showed definite signs of impending labor and birth except that she didn't look pregnant at all. After a few days, all signs disappeared except for the fuller udder. She is no longer squirting milk when she runs.

My life has been so chaotic and hectic lately that I never ended up trying to milk her. I knew that it was not a good time to be on a daily milking routine. She is the picture of health...she's a beautiful girl any way. I guess I'll just wait and see but I'm watching her for signs of heat and she is still in with the buck.

Thank you all so much for the feedback.