Surrey had twin bucklings last night! Both good size (3.8 and 3.6) and both breach! It was a difficult birth, each one took about 30 minutes of pushing and with me a newbie trying to get the heads out quickly (without pulling!). They are all doing fine (see photos) but my question is about afterbirth. Surrey has "labored" all night to expel it and different sections have come out. She is so exhausted but I did give her some warm water with molasses in it last night and she gratefully drank it down. She ate a little this morning. She seems so uncomfortable and still acts like she's in labor trying to expel this thing. No real bleeding so I guess that's good right? Is this normal for it to go on like this? It's been almost 11 hours since the second one was born.
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So sorry I wasn't around on Saturday. We had our annual open farm day, so I was outside all day long talking to visitors, and then I fell asleep right after dinner, which is highly unusual for me! I felt terrible when I first saw your post, but then when I saw Patty's response, I felt a little better because she said exactly the same thing I would have. It can be such a challenge to find someone to help with goats in so many parts of the country. Even though this didn't have our idea of an ideal ending, you did wind up learning a lot and finding a vet that seems to be very knowledgeable about kidding. And I am so glad to hear that you are not deterred! :)
Surrey is such a trooper! She is mothering her kids wonderfully. Thank you for your story, Patty. I was so very frustrated when no one else answered my plea for help but yours really helped because it made me think seriously that something was probably wrong. I just wish it hadn't taken so long to get help out here for her. I can tell you now that just before I "found" the help I needed, I went into the stall where Surrey was laboring and prayed with all my heart, out loud, for help to save her. And I'm telling you it wasn't 15 minutes and suddenly someone was available and on his way. I'm grateful for the lessons learned and even though this was my very first birth, I am not deterred and I know it'll be okay the next time because I learned so much from this experience.
I am so sorry I wasn't able to get back to you when you needed to hear from someone. I had to go somewhere and was away until today. I'm so glad it seems that mama will make it. I had a doe with a kid positioned that way, and it was very hard to get out. The vet had to remove a front leg at the shoulder to make room to get it. Very hard on the doe, and I was worried about her for a month at least. She's her normal self now though. Hopefully Surrey will be as strong getting back to normal as she was trying to push that kid out! :)
So glad you found a vet to come out and see her! I have never heard of a goat pushing for 18 hours, but I'm so glad she did! You've got quite a tough doe there! Most does give up in exhaustion after a few hours, in which case, she would have died from septicemia in a few days as the kid started to decompose. You may have missed the kid when you checked her because she was still in the amniotic sac, so instead of feeling a nose or legs, you would have simply felt a "water balloon."
For any lurkers reading this, as Patty said, does do not push to expel the placenta. I never say never, but they never "labor" to expel the placenta because there is nothing to push against. It is just membranes.
Here is a picture of a goat placenta: http://nigeriandwarfgoats.ning.com/photo/placenta?context=user
Patty, you were right. She did have another one in there. I spent all morning looking for a vet and for information as I knew this wasn't right. After 18 hours of pushing a vet came out and he found it way up in there with the head turned back. It was traumatic for all of us but especially Surrey. I think she's going to make it (God willing). She's on antibiotics and pain killers and electrolytes. An hour after the ordeal, she was eating everything in sight and drank a bucket of water. I feel like she's going to make it. Thank you GOD!
Patty Meyer said:
The twins had colostrum pretty soon after birth and both had some this morning, but Surrey still won't get up and they can't seem to figure out how to nurse her laying down (plus the teats are hard to get to). I haven't seen anyone get anything since early this morning. Surrey is still expelling her afterbirth. Should I be concerned? I tried giving them some warm goats milk in a bottle but they refuse it. How long is too long before they eat?
They are adorable, congratulations!
She has afterbirth hanging out in a long strand (several feet long). I have been texting with a local goat farm/vet tech woman who said she is working at expelling the afterbirth (I sent her pictures). I think Surrey is okay but it's scary to see her work so hard at this.
She's definitely pushing every few minutes. Some has come out but I did "go in" last night to see if I felt another baby and didn't find one. I'm really scared now. What should I do?
First of all, congratulations on the lovely babies! :)
Goats don't "labor" at all to expel the afterbirth. It just happens while they're unaware, for the most part. It doesn't cause them any pain or stress at all. From what you describe, I'd be concerned that there's still a kid in there or something. I'm sorry to scare you, and I hope I'm wrong, but that doesn't sound at all right to me. My prayers for you and Surrey. Hugs and best wishes.