Miscarriage of triplets five weeks early

[Angela lesh]

One of my does miscarried triplets yesterday. Two boys and a girl. She appeared normal at morning feeding. I went out at 2 and she had dropped two babies and was working on her third. She has delivered one girl lady spring fine. All babies appeared normal but small. I haven't seen her pass the placenta yet. Could she have eaten it? I read with miscarriage that's something to look for retained placenta. I did talk to Washington state labs abort doing a abortion screen test but it's about 175$. I did look up possible causes and we got a new barn kitten that sleeps with that goat everyday and looks like toxoplasma (in cat recess) especially kittens is a likely cause. I have three more pregnant girls and I am worried. I have removed cat for the time being and working on litter training. About one week ago I gave this goat her Bo SE and cd& t shot. Any other ideas or advice?

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

Toxoplasmosis can certainly cause miscarriages, and it is usually transmitted by kittens. Once a cat has had it, they're immune for life, so older cats are usually not a problem. If I ever have a kitten here, they are locked up in the barn office until we're through kidding season. Even if you lock up the kitten now, it may be too late, but I'd still do it.

Copper deficiency is also a cause of miscarriage. There are quite a few discussions on here about copper deficiency symptoms, causes, and treatment.

[Glenna Rose]

I am so sorry for your loss, Angela. 

It was not until recently I learned about this disease and realized that might be why my senior doe did *not* want my cat around from the first night she kidded last year.  She seemed to instinctively know the cat should not be there and didn't differentiate between adult and kitten.  She had not minded her out there before she went into labor.

[Jennifer Simons]

What a loss. I am so sorry. I am attempting to breed my two four year old pet goats for the first time this year - hoping for June babies. I don't yet know if they have settled. There is so much that can go wrong. I've been reading everything related to pregnancy. My prayers are with you and the rest of your pregnant girls. Thanks for sharing your story. Again, so very sorry. 

[Myra Isaac]

Wow, glad I learned about this. My kittens will pretty much be adults by the time Cayenne is close to kidding, I may have new ones by then too. My kittens don't get in with my does because the fencing is too tight but they always follow me out there when I chore and hang out watching me. Do I need to worry about that?

[Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres]

Toxoplasmosis is transmitted by ingesting the feces of an animal that carries or has it. This is why pregnant women aren't supposed to change litter boxes. If your kittens aren't going to the bathroom in your goat's area, it's pretty unlikely that they are a danger to your goats. 

Myra Isaac said:

My kittens don't get in with my does because the fencing is too tight but they always follow me out there when I chore and hang out watching me. Do I need to worry about that?

[Karen Espalin]

My son really wants a cat. Was thinking about getting him one for Christmas but our goats are pregnant. Is it safe to rescue a cat that is a year old or more? Or should we play it safe and wait until after kidding?

Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

Toxoplasmosis can certainly cause miscarriages, and it is usually transmitted by kittens. Once a cat has had it, they're immune for life, so older cats are usually not a problem. If I ever have a kitten here, they are locked up in the barn office until we're through kidding season. Even if you lock up the kitten now, it may be too late, but I'd still do it.

Copper deficiency is also a cause of miscarriage. There are quite a few discussions on here about copper deficiency symptoms, causes, and treatment.

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

If the cat will be inside, it shouldn't be a problem. It's when cats poop in the goat bedding that they can transmit toxoplasmosis, which is why pregnant women are not supposed to change litter boxes. An older cat would be safer, but there are no guarantees.

Karen Espalin said:

My son really wants a cat. Was thinking about getting him one for Christmas but our goats are pregnant. Is it safe to rescue a cat that is a year old or more? Or should we play it safe and wait until after kidding?

[Rachel Payne]

I had a doe a couple of years ago who aborted and the screening from WADDL showed toxo. It wasn't from a kitten, but a young adult barn cat. Our main barn has a dirt floor, and although I never saw him using the bathroom in where the goat actually lived, I did see him use the bathroom in the front of the barn where the does walked through daily to graze. They could also go in the pasture as well, so it doesn't necessarily have to be the cat using the bathroom specifically in the goat's stall.

I also had a (different) cat hang out with me one night in the kidding stall while I waited on babies one time. The goat mama-talked her and licked her if she got too close. :) I think that's all based on personality/hormones, whether they want to be territorial or not. (And obviously, the cat did not go to the bathroom in the kidding stall, nor would I have let her!)

The good news is that toxoplasmosis will only cause abortion once, and after that the doe is safe. Likewise, once the cat has been infected once they become immune and stop shedding as well.