Pregnant Nubian - Have questions

[Starsmom]

I have a pregnant Nubian who breed with our Alpine buck when the were young. She is pregnant, but don't know when exactly she will freshen. The other day she appeared to be in labor. I felt contractions, she would lay down, get up and walked very slowly. Was overly affectionate but wouldn't eat or drink for days. Had to force her to drink. Her udders were hard and the size of an orange. However, ligaments still seemed hard. After 3 days, she was back to normal, eating, jumping and playing as usual. Did she have false labor? Is that possible? Or could something have happened to the kid? Her actions looked like labor, but her physical condition didn't. Now her udders are softer and about 1/2 the size they were, thats what concerns me. These are my 11 year old's goats and our first ones, just want things to go right. They are absolutely adorable, wish we would have gotten them sooner.

[mary,tx]

I can't answer your question, but let me ask a couple.
How old/big is she? Do you have an earliest possible and latest possible due date? When she appeared to be in labor, did she actually lay on her side and push?

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Was there any wetness on her tail when she was pushing? I would bet at the most you saw a very early abortion. Just like in misscarriage in humans, in goats the cervic has to open all the way up, the doe is very uncomfortable, but nothing passes but liquid, the very finest of tissue with perhaps a red streak to it. Once you see a doe actually deliver, you will then understand that just like in us, you will never confuse an early abortion with an actual delivery. In pseudo pregnancy, we call them cloudbursts it is normal labor/delivery and milking, but instead of kids it is usually copious amounts of fluid. She will come into heat this coming month, I would breed her. Vicki

[Starsmom]

She is 8 months old. I know too early, but the buck and her were hard to keep separated. She appeared to have contractions, but no pushing. She laid in a normal position, not flat out or anything. She did have some discharge, but not what I would consider to be alot. It wasn't consistent. I have no idea when she was bred, she and our buck did get together at the county fair. He wound up in her pen every morning. However, didn't notice any breeding attempts. Her ligaments never got soft, and she didn't appear to dilate, I notice some enlargement, but not much.

The strangest thing is the size of her udders. Before they were hard and the size of a large orange, now they are soft and considerably smaller. I'm leaning toward possible abortion. I guess that wouldn't be so bad since she is probably too young to be having a kid now. I'll keep a close eye on her and watch for heat.

Goats are new to me. I have horses and have had several foals, but they are so big, there is rarely a doubt. I have heard goats can be pregnant and you never know until near delivery time.

Thanks for all your help, will keep you posted.