Post Kidding Question

I HAVE KIDS!! Two doelings. They look just like their mommy!! I'll post pictures in a bit.

BACKGROUND INFO:

The first one was BIG!! I haven't weighed them yet, but she's a bruiser. I know she is. The second one is smaller, but she came out breech. No problems with either kid. I haven't seen the second one latch on, but she roots all over the place, and her tummy is full feeling. I helped the first one latch on this morning, and she ate, so now her tummy matches her sister's. I milked out my dam's right side, because her udder was VERY lopsided this morning. I'm freezing the cup+ of colostrum I got out of the one side of her udder for any emergencies in the future.

MY QUESTION:

Is it normal for does to be weak in their back end after kidding? I'm sure she's sore from pushing them out, seeing as one was big, and the other was breech. She passed the placenta in good time. She does stand, but she is wobbly. I had to help her on and off the stanchion when I milked her. She walked there on her own, but she's def. not normal in the back legs. Other than that, everyone seems to be doing good.

Baby on the left is #1 (big baby) and baby on the right is #2 (breech baby)

The vet said my doe had the same kind of thing - a pinched nerve. She is a first freshener and had a single big (4.25 lb!) kid just after midnight the night before last. Seemed OK all day yesterday, and nursed well. This morning when I went to feed and milk some colostrum, she didn't want to eat any grain, hadn't drunk any water all night and was very subdued. Her temp was 102, and she slunk down almost to the ground when I ran my hand down her back (this is a goat who normally loves to have her back and butt scratched). I gave her a Vitamin B injection, ADEB12 gel, Nutridrench and 10 ml of calcium. No improvement, and she was groaning a little with each breath. I called the vet, who said she could have another (dead) kid inside her, or it could be a pinched nerve. The vet took her temp and got 103.4 (better thermometer, maybe, but more likely better technique). She went in, but felt no other kids, but did notice that her hips seemed very sore. So, she gave her an injection of Banamine, inserted a bolus and gave me antibiotic for her, we gave her some more calcium and a shot of oxytocin. She is drinking water (she won't drink the water with molasses in it - just plain) and eating some branches and leaves I brought her, but still isn't interested in grain. She's nursing her kid, but her udder is much less full than yesterday. I hand milked her to make sure she wasn't getting lopsided and got a total of maybe a cup of colostrum between yesterday and today. The vet has me giving her a shot of Banamine each day for two days for the pain, antibiotics for 10 days and 5 ml of Vitamin B sub-q for five days. The watching and waiting is the hard part!

Replies

Diane Kennedy July 9, 2012 at 10:42am

Mama goat was much better last night, and is eating hay and green branches that I brought her, but she still won't eat grain. I can tell she is pretty strong and not at all weak in her hind end because she was able to put up a very good fight when I tried to take her temperature this morning and giver her the shots. :) She's nursing her baby and taking great care of him.
Kirsten Lowe July 9, 2012 at 9:30am

Congrats on those beautiful babies! I am sure momma needs some time to feel like herself again after those big girls. I know I wasn't exactly myself after my boys were born. LOL!
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres July 8, 2012 at 11:25pm

Diane, I hope your girl gets better! Mine didn't have a fever or any other real signs other than her back end was def. not right... she's still stiff. She can't run well, but she gets around alright otherwise. Still needs a hand getting up on the stanchion, but she waits for me now. :)
Margaret Langley July 8, 2012 at 9:23pm

Sorry Diane, Hope things go well. I no it is murder waiting it out like this.
Diane Kennedy July 8, 2012 at 3:13pm

The vet said my doe had the same kind of thing - a pinched nerve. She is a first freshener and had a single big (4.25 lb!) kid just after midnight the night before last. Seemed OK all day yesterday, and nursed well. This morning when I went to feed and milk some colostrum, she didn't want to eat any grain, hadn't drunk any water all night and was very subdued. Her temp was 102, and she slunk down almost to the ground when I ran my hand down her back (this is a goat who normally loves to have her back and butt scratched). I gave her a Vitamin B injection, ADEB12 gel, Nutridrench and 10 ml of calcium. No improvement, and she was groaning a little with each breath. I called the vet, who said she could have another (dead) kid inside her, or it could be a pinched nerve. The vet took her temp and got 103.4 (better thermometer, maybe, but more likely better technique). She went in, but felt no other kids, but did notice that her hips seemed very sore. So, she gave her an injection of Banamine, inserted a bolus and gave me antibiotic for her, we gave her some more calcium and a shot of oxytocin. She is drinking water (she won't drink the water with molasses in it - just plain) and eating some branches and leaves I brought her, but still isn't interested in grain. She's nursing her kid, but her udder is much less full than yesterday. I hand milked her to make sure she wasn't getting lopsided and got a total of maybe a cup of colostrum between yesterday and today. The vet has me giving her a shot of Banamine each day for two days for the pain, antibiotics for 10 days and 5 ml of Vitamin B sub-q for five days. The watching and waiting is the hard part!
Margaret Langley May 24, 2012 at 4:18pm

I am so happy for you. I had not read about the nerve but am glad to know because I had guessed it to be a possibility. I have taken care of more than one kid with paralysis problems due to a stressful birth so I kinda' figured that something like that could cause mom a problem like this. It does sound like you have her system boosted up good so I am sure she will do just fine. Best to you sweety, enjoy!
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres May 24, 2012 at 3:38pm

I'm also taking advantage of the close time with Ginger to make her more personable with me. She's such an awesome goat. Took care of my second goat like she was her own, and is def. turning out to be the mother I was told she was. I would love for her to come to me for more scratches and loves once she's not stuck in her kidding pen. I'll be bribing her with raisins. lol Before I got her, she was one of the "pushed around" goats on my breeder's farm. My breeder sold her to me because she IS such a sweetheart, and she thought she would make an excellent herd queen if she had the chance. I have to say, she's filled that position very well. Now that she's the first in my herd to have babies, and they'll most likely be staying, I think her position as the queen will be pretty solid. At least that's what I'm hoping.
Janel Rickey May 24, 2012 at 3:35pm

Congrats!! They are so cute. And wow those are some big babies... I'm so happy for you :0)
Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres May 24, 2012 at 3:32pm

I read about the pinched nerve when I was googling this morning, and since she did have the large one, and then the second was breech (and still pretty good size) I am thinking that's probably pretty likely. I'll be keeping an eye on her udder, and milking her out to keep her even. She is standing to let the kids nurse, and she does that without assistance. I gave her a small dose of selenium paste with the blackstrap molasses I gave her, so I feel pretty comfortable with her mineral levels right now. I'll probably put some kelp over her grain tonight, to boost her iron levels. They are all looking pretty great right now. :) Thank you so much for weighing in, Deb!! It makes me feel a lot better to hear your opinions. Especially when they confirm what my gut was telling me. :) I feel so much better about being the boss of my herd now that I have a successful kidding under my belt!
Deborah Niemann-Boehle May 24, 2012 at 3:22pm

I've had two or three does get weak in the back end after kidding, and it was usually after they had really big kids. Someone who raises sheep, and whose husband is a vet, told me that they can get something like a pinched nerve when the kids are being born. In any case, it has always resolved itself within a couple days.

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