Piper my ND was (hopefully) rebred (after previous didn't take) on Sept 11th and now this morning I am shocked and hoping this is okay if not normal...one of her udders was really hard (never before) and I watched her lay down and it looked like she was expressing/drinking milk from it...her lips were foamy and she licked them like yum. Please note she dried up at the end of June. What does this mean....is she okay...should I do something....PLEASE help...this is my first goat and I am feeling anxious ....Thanks Deb
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Hmm...strange. However, she would not necessarily look pregnant if she's due in February. Many people have a hard time knowing if their goats are pregnant until they're really close to kidding. Usually they'll start to get an udder in the last month though. Of course, it isn't going to be as easy to see that for you with her having this issue. I'd be prepared just in case though. I have does due beginning March 1 (I hope), and other than them not going into heat again, I wouldn't know they were pregnant. If they are...I hope. ;)
Okay so this is beyond strange...Piper now has milk in both teats (a very small amount)...and she did not have kids and she does not look like she is due (from second attempt to bred) on Feb 11th...she doesn't look pg at all....I am very frustrated and am wondering what to do....
Hi Deborah,
I'm curious how this situation is turning out for you and Piper? Did you ever figure out anything?
I can't wait to hear too! I do hope nothing is wrong. Just keep a close eye on her til you find out. I like your attitude. Instead of thinking negative you are thinking positive to say that the BEST case scenario is... I hope you are fixing to be a grandma! I sure will be glad when I get my kids! It seems like I never will. In fact, all this talk about blood collecting is making me want to go collect blood and get a bunch of test done!
:) LOL! Can't wait to hear what it all turns out to be.
thank you guys for all your insightful replies....She had been dried off for four months...there is a possibility that she got with a buck in late June or early July as I did not get her until after July fourth....The woman I bought her from said she was due on Oct 2nd...I am flummoxed...cause she hooked up on Sept 12th with Beau the buck.... her teat is no longer hard and no signs of infection when I stripped out the milk...so its a bit of a mystery and I will let you all know...the best case scenario is I am about to be a grandma...ha ha just kidding...lol...had to say it
I've seen more than one person on various forums (I think even someone here) that have had does with kids on them that nursed themselves... and even getting an udder in, and starting to nurse themselves... so pregnant or nursing wouldn't be a reason for them not to.
*If* she is a self nurser, it's also possible that she never REALLY dried off... and that now that she's pregnant, her udder is filling up.
Was the hard side the side you saw her nursing on? If not, it could be that she's favoring one side for one reason or another, and the hard side is the side she's not getting to. If that's the case, you can always milk her out on the hard side. I would try that. If she's got milk, she needs to stay even. It's OK for dams to have kids nursing when they kid again, so IMO you'd be best off to assume that she needs help, and keep her from developing mastitis on the side that's hard. Being in milk while she's pregnant won't harm her kids if she's pregnant, but developing mastitis could hurt her ability to nurse once she has them.
I'm not sure when you actually got Piper, but is there any chance she could have been bred sometime in June/July? That would make her due maybe this month. If she was, she might be getting an udder. Don't know why she'd be nursing on herself if she was pregnant and getting an udder though. One of my does was VERY full before she kidded. Not really hard, but just really full, firm and shiny udder.
Hope you find the answer soon!
I know that it's not uncommon for does to "nurse" themselves. The udder hardness can indicate mastitis... Is her udder hot?