Hi everyone,
Our doe kidded Sunday night(3 nights ago), and had triplet boys. The birth went well, but the first little guy, who seemed fine when he was born, has a rattle to his breathing. I think that he swallowed some of the birth fluid, because I missed his birth by just a few minutes, but was there for the other two, and was able to clear off their noses. The day after he was born, when I noticed his breathing, I read in Cheryl K. Smith's book, that you should hold newborns upside down, and swing them so that any fluid in their lungs would drain out. I did this several times throughout the day on Monday, and did get some mucus out, because after I swung him, he had a mouthful of it...that was the first time I did it to him. The rest of the times I didn't find any mucus. Obviously though, I wasn't able to get it all out. Has anyone else had this issue, or have any ideas on what I should do? Or should I just give the vet a call?
Replies
This is the kind I use.
https://www.amazon.com/Briggs-650-4004-0121-Syringe-Sterile-Ounce/d...
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
Swinging is not all that effective. I prefer to use a bulb syringe like they use for human babies to suck out mucus. But if you don't have it, then swinging is second best. You don't need to do it to every kid, just those that seem gurgly and mucusy at birth. I've never had to do it more than 10 or 20 minutes after birth though. The only potential issue I can think of would be that he could wind up with pneumonia if he got fluid into his lungs, but I would think that he would have gotten sick by now, if that were the case.