Is this normal? (first preg. doe)

havenberryfarm · #1 12/17/04, 09:20 AM

I am a total newbie with goats, so I feel like one of those first-time moms who doesn't know anything and annoys everyone with stupid questions, but here goes.
Is it normal for a pregnant doe to have a slight mucous discharge periodically throughout her pregnancy? I am talking about an inch or two hanging out of her vaginal area. It is not bloody and she is not due until the beginning of February.
I have not had her pregnancy confirmed. She only spent a weekend with a buck and it was at the end of her heat cycle too. Is there a chance that she did not "take"? There was definitely a whole lot of lovin' goin' on, but I have had this nagging worry at the back of my mind that it was too little too late.

Assuming she is pregnant, is this discharge something to worry about? what is normal at this stage? She will start showing soon, right? I hear that they start to show at about 6 weeks prior to delivery. I feel like a first-time mom all over again.

Galloping Goats · #2 12/17/04, 09:50 AM

I felt exactly the same way last year. I don't have a ton of experience but I don't think there should be discharge. Have you been watching for tail flagging? If she comes into heat again then she is not preg. It's not to late to rebreed if that is the case. Hopefully someone else will offer a more experienced opinion.

havenberryfarm · #3 12/17/04, 11:55 AM

I have not noticed any tail waving or bleating. But, then again, we don't have any bucks nearby. I wonder if I should find a nice buck nearby and have her bred?????
Let's say she is pregnant. Would rebreeding her put her at risk? And is the mucous a sign that she is in trouble? I didn't think so since she has had mucous before, but I don't want to take unneccessary risks with her.

SherrieC · #4 12/17/04, 12:09 PM

My first Nubian I had would always have ooze every 21 days even after bred, it worried me the first year she was bred, but after that I just knew thats how she was. You will learn after having your does for more than one breeding how you expect they will act, and then this helps to alert you to real problems! Of course she could also be open still(not bred)

havenberryfarm · #5 12/18/04, 09:51 AM

Thanks for the reply. I guess I won't worry about her health at least. I called the vet and left a message and she never called back, so I guess it isn't anything to worry about. She is pretty good about getting back to me, so I guess I'll quit worrying about the pregnancy.
I am thinking about having her bred in three weeks. It seems like that would be about her last heat cycle. It is getting pretty late in the season. If she is pregnant, I should be able to tell by then right? Obviously if she is showing I could cancel the appointment.
The other option I have is to give her a year off, but she is almost dry now, so I am not sure that this is a very good idea.
To tell the truth, I am almost hoping that she is not pregnant so I can breed her now instead. My husband wanted to have her bred last September but I thought it might be a little too soon after her other kidding. She will be much better off if we breed her now than if she kids in February. Besides, I am not looking forward to spending any nights in a barn in FEBRUARY. :no:

Maureen · #6 12/18/04, 10:56 AM

Thanks for your question! And the answers!
Goats are new to me as well and my ND doe did this three days ago......and I would have sworn she is pregnant-she's big as a house!! Our Buck didn't seem all that interested though...not like when she actually was in heat..and she wasn't at all interested in Him.
And I've tried not to overfeed...but maybe, I thought, she was just terribly fat when I saw the discharge.
I was ready to drag them both to the Vet! Herself for testing..Himself for a sperm count!! (Do they even do that with a goat??)
Anyway, guess I'll just sit back and see what happens...according to my count she should kid in mid-January....maybe...
Thanks again,
Maureen

Sondra Peterson · #7 12/18/04, 06:36 PM

Well I have one also that has discharge off and on all thru her pregnacy unless the discharge is discolored or smelling then I wouldn't worry re her health. Being bred is another thing. You could have an ultra sound done and find out for sure. Then if not get her bred again.

havenberryfarm · #8 12/19/04, 06:36 PM

Thanks so much for the replies, guys. I should have asked a long time ago instead of worrying and wondering. :no: If she was in heat then she should do it again in 3 weeks or so. Chances are she is pregnant. If someone else has had their goat do the same thing then maybe all is well. She doesn't act strange when she has the discharge and I haven't kept track of how often it happens, but it seems that it was every three or four weeks. (I think) I started to wonder this month when I started to quit milking her and she doesn't seem to want to quit. I had to relieve her yesterday (day 3) and she gave 2 quarts! This is my first time so I don't know what to expect and my goat friends never had any trouble drying up their milk goats when they were pregnant. My SIL said hers always just quit giving milk on their own. Maybe mine is just a great milking doe????? Anyway those two things have had me pretty suspicious. I guess I will find a local stud and wait and see. I'll go ahead and quit milking in case she is pregnant. Then I will have to keep an eye on her belly and feel her right side for movement. Hopefully I will feel a kick or a bulge to let me know that she is indeed expecting.

Sondra, does having her bred put a pregnancy in jeopardy? If so I don't want to do that.

Ohh, I have an idea. Maybe I could get a buck's scent on something and give her a good whiff next time around. If she is in heat she might react. What do you think? I don't think I can afford an ultrasound. They're $50.