# aged doe in trouble



## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

My 9 year old doe is in trouble. She still has not had her kids. I've been giving her calcium and vitamins as per Vicki's advice and have been waiting to see what she's going to do. She slowly has quit eating again. She's been standing and staring off into nothing for a couple of days. She has matter in her eyes. And now this afternoon she's down and doesn't want to get up. She has liquid on the barn floor under her tail area. I'm getting ready to go check her and take her temp. It has been raining here for so many days I forgot how many, and is going to keep raining until at least next Monday. We're all half sick (people-wise). But the rest of the goats seem fine.

I'm thinking it's time for me to get those kids out of this poor old girl, live or dead. All the rest of my does have delivered. This doe has been on watch because she acted like she was about to deliver several times before. She will just barely push though. No hard straining. She's going to lie there and starve to death if I don't do something. All I've done for her so far is give her a shot of Exonnel and giving the Calcium and B vitamins. I'm afraid I'm going to loose her. :sniffle


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

I would get a vet out there ASAP to start an IV, she may need more Calcium, she may need Dextrose for energy.


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

I'm giving more calcium (it has dextrose in it), but you're right, she needs an I.V.

Her cervix is not open but just about 2 to3 fingertips. I feel no kid parts protruding, just a little cord-like thing. It could be part of a water bag though. Not sure. No feet, no head. That's all I feel. :help

She had a kid with head back and feet back come first last year. I had to push him back and get the feet and head turned to get him out. It took a while. It was born dead and the doeling behing him died soon after birth.


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## RadioFlyer (Sep 23, 2008)

When was she due? Had she already started labor?


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

Are you giving the Calcium orally or by SQ injection?? At any rate, she needs intervention now. Had a doe low on Calcium one time, that just couldn't go into active labor, went to vet, started a drip, and within minutes, she started dilating, and the vet delivered a huge buck kid, took all of about 45 minutes!!


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Dextro-cal, sub Q.

I don't know exactly when she is/was due. I tend to think she ought to have had them by this week at least, because I saw the buck do his duty with her around the same time all the other girls were bred and they were all cycling at about the same time in the month, just like a house ful of women. She acts like she ought to be in labor and she has been acting that way for a month. She keeps making little pushes and has been discharging something for at least 2 weeks. I have a feeling we're not going to get live kids out of this. 

I'm getting the vet. He's on the way.


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

Glad to hear that you have a vet coming, will pray that you will have a good outcome.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

AH that is good the Vet is on his way. let us know what happens


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## SherrieC (Oct 26, 2007)

Good luck with her, maybe she has a dead kid or two in there. That seems to slow their labor. My 8 year old doe did that this year. I had to Lute her , ocytocin her and manually open her cervix. She bounced Right back as soon as I got the second kid out of her.


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## Faithful Crown Nubians (Dec 5, 2007)

Hope everything turns out ok.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Glad to hear the vet is coming. Hopefully, this is a helpful vet. Personally, I'd lute and dex and hope for live kids, but mostly for the health of the doe.


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## Qvrfullmidwife (Oct 25, 2007)

Is there an update?


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## Seamus (Apr 9, 2009)

Keeping my fingers crossed and praying that all is well. Looking forward to an update.

Shawna


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Linda, sadly had to put her doe down. Vicki


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## pokyone42 (Oct 26, 2007)

awww.


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## dvm-mommy (Feb 5, 2009)

:sniffle :sniffle :sniffle :sniffle :sniffle

so sorry Linda...I feel your pain....


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## Seamus (Apr 9, 2009)

I am sorry.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Aww, I am sorry. What about the babies?


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

I am so sorry for your loss Linda HUGGS


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

So so sorry Linda, Lindsey and I are  for your loss. Tammy


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## Nancy (Oct 25, 2007)

so sorry to hear about your loss.
Nancy


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## Theresa (Oct 26, 2007)

So sorry Linda.
Theresa


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## shawhee (Jun 28, 2008)

Ah Man!! I am soooo sorry to hear that :sniffle


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## Faithful Crown Nubians (Dec 5, 2007)

I'm very sorry to hear that.


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## Guest (May 7, 2009)

Feel with you Linda, sorry you lost your old gal... 
Barb


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## laughter777 (Jun 16, 2008)

Sorry for your loss Linda. It is always hard to lose an animal.


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## Dacaree (Jan 31, 2009)

So sorry for the loss of your doe.


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## catdance62 (Mar 2, 2009)

I am very sorry to hear that you lost her. I know that is a great sadness.


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## RadioFlyer (Sep 23, 2008)

I'm sorry for your loss Linda. :down


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

:sniffle so very sorry. :down

Sheryl


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

You all are so nice. Thanks Vicki, for all your help. You have kept me going forward this day. You're good people. We did lute and dex. Kristen was septic, the kids were macerated. It was very hard to endure her suffering. I'm glad she is not suffering anymore and I got to hug her goodbye. She was just a plain old doe but she was also my friend. Now I see that all we have goat friends in common. And you are friends. I wasn't going to come back I felt so awful at loosing her. I felt it had to be my fault for not doing something right. I'm still not sure it isn't my fault. I do know that, her womb was not opening, and even with I.V. support that she was too sick by the time I got the vet, she didn't have a chance. She had probably been sick since she lost her kids last year. She really wasn't ever as perky as before and her milk production was cut by 4 lb. a day last Summer.

But you know what? She lived long enough to go to show last year. She came in last in a class of 4 old does, but the judge felt inclined to compliment her nice feet and legs and the nice forward extention of her udder. Last year I showed a goat for the very first tme. My other doe balked. It was horrid. But I knew Kristen would do anything I asked of her. So I put her in at the last minute, night before the next day's show. And she did do everything I asked of her. Faithful old girl. It felt good to show the goat who behaved instead of the goat taking off or refusing to move. This is the sole reason I showed her. I wanted to know what it felt like. I didn't even care if we stood up there and showed against an aged doe of Price O The Field. I did not feel silly in the least. She behaved and that's all I wanted was to know what it is like to enjoy showing a cooperative animal. She gave that to me and so much more. I hope I have made her life with me of the past four years pleasant for her. Yes, I got her at a sale barn 4 years ago. I saw her and I saw milk, and milk she did, even if she wasn't a show girl. She was my girl and I will miss her. I will miss her luscious milk. I will miss how she was the most quiet Nubian I ever saw, yet was still the herd queen. I will miss how she rearranged my hair when I milked her and had to nuzzle me a while before getting off the milking stanchion. She had to take care of her biggest kid. Me. 

Thanks everybody for caring. I'm glad I came back. I was just going to look for dosage information and read and keep my mouth shut. I've been reading and keeping my mouth shut for quite a while. I felt so dumb and guilt ridden this morning. I was about to give up keeping goats at all. Then I thought I'd peek in here and now to have seen all of you understanding and caring... :sniffle Thanks.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Aww Linda we care deeply. We can all understand where you are coming from. These lovely animals get into the soul. And most of them just want to make us happy I am sure she had a good life with you. And I am certain you did all could do. I am so glad you got to show Kristen-what a good old girl! And you gave her love, the most important tool in being a goat keeper. You loved her enough to know when she had had enough. 
I am really happy you came back :biggrin. Tammy


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## Bella Star (Oct 27, 2007)

:sniffle sorry for your loss


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## Sheryls Brat (Mar 28, 2009)

I know a hug from across states isn't much but *HUGS* I am so sorry for your loss and I feel your pain I felt the same way when we lost an old alpine 6yrs ago that we'd bought at the sale barn... I was so attached to her and losing her wasn't easy and I felt very dumb and stupid for not recognizing the signs sooner...


*GREAT BIG HUGS* and you are very worthy of keeping your goaties besides who else could spoil them as good as you :biggrin

remember your the sheriff in town!!!


Brandi


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

Linda, don't beat yourself up over what you did or didn't do - all things come about for a reason. We've all had our share of heartaches with these creatures, but it's part of raising livestock. I am so very sorry you lost your favorite doe, but you will always have fond memories that you can cherish.


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

So sorry to hear you lost her.


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## donna (Oct 26, 2007)

Oh, my. You have my deepest, heartfelt sympathies for your loss. :sniffle


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## Terry (Oct 27, 2007)

Sorry for your loss.


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

I'm sorry you lost your doe. I'm glad you came back. Don't beat yourself up. We've all had our share of hard times. I lost one of my best milkers a few years ago to what I believe to be milk fever. She was off a bit, but had a normal temp, so I gave oral MFO, but not the injectable. By the time I got home from work, her temp was in the 90's and the Norcalciphos didn't save her. She was my DH favorite girl. Hang in there. Kathie


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## goatmom (Oct 26, 2007)

Linda - I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sure you gave her a quality of life that she wouldn't have had somewhere else -it's obvious that you loved her and she loved you back.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

I am sorry, it is easy to feel like it's your fault or like you could have done something different, but these things happen.  It wasn't your fault.


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

So sorry for your loss. In all your grief, I'm glad you decided to come back. We all feel for you as some of us have been in your shoes. I know it isn't easy but you gave her yourself while she was with you as she gave herself to you. That's what true friends do....they are here for the bad times as well as the good.

Vicki in NC


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## D Bar J Acres (Nov 5, 2007)

So sorry about your Kristen, she sounds really special. :sniffle


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## Qvrfullmidwife (Oct 25, 2007)

I am so sorry.

When you are done kicking yourself, you take what you can from it to make a difference in the future and thank God that you had her for the time that you did. I have had to give myself that peptalk a lot over the last year.


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Yes. I will retain the lessons learned. I wish I didn't have to learn the hard way, but we all do from the sound of it. 

OK. I got it now y'all. Just try to keep doing better and keep loving them and it will all be ok in time. I'll still miss her, but she has merely "walked on" in the animal way. I really am glad she's not suffering anymore.

I was so worried last night I didn't sleep. The coyotes came in so close last night. They were in the bucks' pen. I couldn't find my flashlight to shine at them. I have a mag-lite I can shine on them from 100 yards and it scares them away. I can shine it on anything down at our pond S. of the house. That usually scares most things away, except the cougar I caught in the light one time. It didn't move. I ran at those coyotes last night, hollering at them to "shut up." They did and slunk back over the hill for a while. I heard them later in the night and just hoped my babies would all be safe. I know they smell the fresh grave. It's so muddy we couldn't do a really proper grave. We hit water really quick in our digging. 

But now I'm just being macabre. :ugh

Thanks everybody for the warm thoughts. It really did help Vicki.......everybody. Thanks. But we can move on now. Life is going on in my barn with those cute little guys I have to take care of and their pretty mommas and their HANDSOME daddy, Aragorn.


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## SherrieC (Oct 26, 2007)

Linda, I'm sorry for your loss, and boy do you have me crying. She sounded like a grand old doe. We've all been there, or will be there if you have goats long enough.


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## Bella Star (Oct 27, 2007)

Oh gosh, I cried :down .... to me it's all about personality of the goat as there are just some goats that we understand and they understand us too, it doesn't matter about goat type or even looks as, a few of them I just love and they are my friend . My brown LM doe is now 7 and I dread the day when something happens.


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

You know, I think this is part of the pleasure we dairy goat owners enjoy. We have a useful animal in our goat but also a very intelligent and "personable" one as well. Each one of them has their own personality. And each breed has it's own unique traits for their personalities so that, there really is a goat out there that fits perfectly with anyone wanting to own a dairy goat. Myself, I like to feel as if I am needed. My "needy" Nubians need me. :yes 

Oh, I do hope your doe has many good years left. I have told Vicki so many times that Kristen just seemed so old for her age. I really was hoping for a doeling out of her this year, especially since I made this same mating last year and lost that doeling. I liked her spots, but it was her udder that I liked more. I had mated her to a different buck year before last and was not very happy with the udders I got from that cross. I ended up selling both daughters and their father. And I think I could relate to Kristen more because I am getting to be sort of an "old girl" myself. I called Kristen my OG. (old girl). :lol I learned how to milk a goat on her, and that I enjoyed milking a goat. I may have enjoyed milking a cow, but I don't know. We own cattle and they just aren't the same. We have lost 2 steers this Spring to pneumonia and I didn't cry a single tear except maybe about how much money was spent on them. I think I may have paid about 80 dollars at auction for Kristen. That's only because she was PB and registered and had a full udder at the sale and there were several persons bidding besides me.


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## dvm-mommy (Feb 5, 2009)

Oh man.... :sniffle :sniffle :sniffle...I am reliving Sophie and her loss all over again in your story/experience. It is still too fresh for me. Your doe and our Sophie seemed *so* very much alike (well, I never showed her but otherwise...)..right down to the doing whatever you wanted them to do and being the herd matriarch.

So sorry Linda....


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Linda,
I only just read this thread today. So sorry for your loss.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

I am only just now reading this thread too. When I saw that this thread was on page number 3, I did not realized she had died. I am so sorry.

I am so glad you cam back and that you are taking it as a learning experience in this very sad time. I lost my first LaMancha doe, "Perceverance", in 2005 and it was the folks on this forum (well it was when we were all over at the dg-plus forum) that got me through the whole thing. My entire LaMancha doe herd descends from that one doe...she has had tons of descendants. So although she is gone, I still "see" her out there.

Also, it is hard for me to come back to the forum here sometimes because of illness I have (BiPolar). I get in my weird funk and can't interact with people or society. I force myself, and I mean FORCE myself to log on here or anywhere and then I remember that dairygoatinfo is where my friends hang out...and I do mean FRIENDS!


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