Hi all. I have two NDGs, siblings about 9 months old. I got them at 7 months old in August, which is when I had the male castrated. They have always been housed together, since birth (aside from about a week before I got them, I had him castrated a few days after I got him).
The girl is acting a little weird today, pawing, not eating a lot, laying down then standing right back up, scratching at her belly with her foot and horns, biting at her sides. I haven't done an ultrasound or blood test yet. I talked to my vet about a blood test this week. If see was showing signs of labor that would mean they had bred at barely 4 months old.
She has an asymmetrical belly. But is that a common goat thing? It seems to usually be that way as of late. Her brother is symmetrical and he's the only comparison I have.
She's normally really laid back, so all this activity is strange for her. No discharge or udder development.
Replies
The rumen is on the left, so it is normal for the left side to be larger than the right side if a goat has just finished eating. That is not a sign of bloat.
If she is biting at her sides, I'd look her over for lice. If you don't have 20/20 vision, you might need reading glasses or a magnifying glass to see them. Pull the hair apart at the shoulders and stare at the skin for 10-15 seconds to see if anything is moving.
If she has no udder, she is not in labor. Kids would be born and die within a few hours from dehydration and low blood sugar with no colostrum. Everything you have mentioned is totally normal goat behavior. You are not the first person I've seen who thought your goat was in labor -- and the goat was not even pregnant.
HOWEVER ... if she was with him until she was 7 months old, she very well could be pregnant. Udder development is your best clue, so keep an eye on her udder. It usually develops very slowly and can start a month before the doe is due to kid. Here is my free course on getting ready for kidding season:
https://thriftyhomesteader.teachable.com/p/kidding-season
And now she's making a liar of me. She laid down in a fresh pile of hay and is happily nibbling underneath her preferred bodyguard. I did read that bloat shows up as a distended left side so I will keep an eye on that.
The top down view
Hi Asia
Thanks for sharing photos.
Keep in mind that bloat is very painful and causes lots of distress for the goat. And it does not just come and go on its own. It's expanding gas that is trapped and cannot be released, so the left side becomes taught like a tight ballon, and is no longer "doughy" when you push in on it.
She sure is cute there with her giant friend!!
Tammy