Vinnie, ketone strips, feet, contractions

mammabooh · #1 02/25/13, 05:51 AM

I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with Vinnie. I finally was able to catch her in the act of peeing this morning, and here is a picture of the ketone strip result. Would you consider that negative or trace? If so, what does that mean, exactly? Also, I realized this morning why her feet look so weird...it looks like the two sides of her hooves are squeezed together...like they are contracted or something. They didn't look like that a few weeks ago. One more thing...what do contractions look like? I missed the fact that Mudge was in labor last year, so I've never seen them. This morning, Vinnie looked like her sides were being inflated by a bellows...like puff, puff, puff. It was on both sides equally. She was just standing there eating while it was happening. She didn't act like it hurt or felt odd. What do you all think of this?

Clovers_Clan · #2 02/25/13, 06:13 AM

That looks like trace to me.

Contractions vary from goat to goat. But this is what I see most often before serious second stage labor in my goats. A significant amount of hollowing out everywhere, hips and along backbone. If you can imagine a balloon full of rocks: pre-contractions the balloon has air in it you can see some lumps but they are smooth. With contractions all the air has been sucked out. Rumen, backbone, kid's hips are all pretty well defined bulges. If you touch her sides they feel taut. She may pause during contractions, baby talk. Mine don't display much discomfort at this stage. If she is arching her back, laying down, pawing, curling her lip, stretching her neck back... those are signs of impending birth. For mine that means minutes to half hour. I know others labor longer.

mammabooh · #3 02/25/13, 08:46 AM

I just saw her get up from napping in the sunshine in the pasture. When she got up, she did a big stretch and turned around and sort of bit at her side...haven't heard any baby talk yet. Her vulva looks swollen and elongated, but her udder is not at all big. I certainly hope she gets bigger than she is now if she's going to kid soon.

Hollowdweller · #4 02/25/13, 10:25 AM

When was she bred?

mammabooh · #5 02/25/13, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollowdweller

When was she bred?

Not sure. I thought she didn't settle until November 5th, but I put her in with the buck for the first time on September 28th (and I just remembed that date this morning because that is my birthday and I thought at the time that it would be easy to remember!), so she could be due today, or April 4th, or half way between those two dates. Arg!

Minelson · #6 02/25/13, 04:32 PM

Gretta hardly had any udder until she gave birth. I sure hope your Vinnie is ok. That strip looks like trace to me but I don't know what that means.
I know how frustrating it is to not have a due date. ugh. In the meantime you will be over analyzing everything she does and then you start pulling your hair out and then all your friends and family abandon you cuz you are NUTS!
(((((HUGS))))))

mammabooh · #7 02/25/13, 07:35 PM

Yes, my hubby is already mocking me. He just said this evening that I really need to up the worrying and try to lose more sleep.

Goat Servant · #8 02/25/13, 09:09 PM

Mammabooh not all does talk to their babies. It was a dead give away last year cause one did.

mammabooh · #9 02/26/13, 09:01 AM

Ligaments feel like rubber bands today and her sides look sunken. She looks much more dairy all of a sudden. Her mom (Mudge) was the same way. The picture that was posted on the breeder's website before I bought her showed her as very smooth and round...then, when I got there to pick her up after she had kidded, she looked like a scrawny holstein.

Minelson · #10 02/26/13, 09:29 AM

I think it could still be awhile. Hang in there!