My wife just called. She says that our doe gave birth to two baby goats, but by the time she found them, they were near death! It's a little below freezing outside. They have a little log cabin with a foot thick layer of straw on the bottom for shelter.

My wife has brought them inside and is trying to warm them up. She thinks they aren't going to make it.

Any suggestions?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), January 30, 2002

Answers

They need the colostrum and milk from mom or they will die. Do you by any chance have any Nutra Drench, and have they had their colustrum.If not get the mom's milk by drenching or stomach tube if they're not nursing. They are better off with mom if she and they are nursing. I raise sheep and when its really icy outside I take old sweatshirts and cut them up to where the babies can walk with them on. Make sure they have a big drink from mom and I also give them some Vit. E. and Vit. Bs which is in the nutra drench. If you do not have any I would suggest getting a Vit. B shot from your vet. I pay 5 or 6 bucks for a container of it. Pray because the first 3 days or the critical ones and I wish you all the luck. Debbie

-- debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), January 30, 2002.

If their body tempeture is below normal you can immerse them in warm water, up to their necks to gradually warm them up and dry them off real good. It is important to get their body temperature up and get colostrum in them.

-- Leslie in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), January 30, 2002.

I hope your goaties are doing OK but for future reference when I find babies like you do I wrap in a towel and put on a heating pad on low setting and I tube feed with about 30cc of pedialyte. Do not give colostrum till they are warm-Put your finger in their mouth and if feel warm go ahead. I leave them on the pad for at least 6 hours or when they get up and are looking to nurse. Give at least 60 cc of colostrum . I freeze some for problems just like you are having.I put heating pad on top and bottom till they are warm. Make sure they do not get too hot.It will kill them just as easy as being too cold. I have brought back kids that were half frozen. But do not let me mislead you, I have not always been successful. Good luck, Terry

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), January 30, 2002.

Immersing them in warm water is a good way to raise their body temp. If they are cold you will not be able to get them to nurse. I have also saved newborn baby rabbits this way; when I find any outside the nest box who appear dead I always try the warm water warm-up before I give up on them. If they still have any life in them, even though they look and feel dead, just a few minutes in the warm water often revives them.

-- Dianne Wood Woodland, WA (woodgoat@pacifier.com), January 30, 2002.

I had twins born in - 10 o 2 winters ago. one died & I raised the other in a blockedn off area of the kitchen. He's wethered now , and COMPLETELY housebroken. I'm takingnhim tomorrow for helo in trimmimg his totally deformed hooves.m His eara are halves, horn budsfroze, but has NEVER gone poTTY in the house. The Bank ladies give him dog bones All his skin & meat fell off his back legs after he thawed out. He limps, and is ugly - but happy.

-- Elizabeth Quintana (rockshelter@webtv.com), January 30, 2002.

To add to what's already been said, slowly warming them up from the outside is good, you can also get heat inside. A warm water enema 10- 15 cc's and held in will transfer over heat very well, and if one of the goat people confirm (I have sheep) you can use a warm intraperitonial injection of 30% gluecose. Not hard to do but get someone to teach it; describing it is hard. I'll try. From the navel move to the right about 3/4 of an inch (it's subjective according to size!!) and 3/4 of an inch down, push a 3/4 inch 18 guage needle in to the stomach cavity and draw back looking for blood. If it's there pull out and toss the whole thing. Start over. If you don't get blood slowly inject 10-20 cc's (again to size) of warmed 30% Gluecose (check your bottle it's probably 50% and that's too strong! Cut it with boiled water) From the description can you see why I say get someone to show you? Colostrum as soon as they can hold thier head up.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 30, 2002.

Sorry that needle should go in at a 45 degree from the belly down towards the tail. If you cradle the kid in your lap sitting it's easier. You can use subQ injections of gluecose too, but they are slower to work and draw blood to the surface the same as heating pads etc.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 31, 2002.

Here's the latest.

We warmed the babies with a warm bath. We still have them inside the house. We got milk from the mom, put it in a bottle and fed each of the babies a little bit.

Each baby weighs four pounds.

They show very little energy.

Could this have anything to do with lack of selenium? We thought that rather than injecting the goats with selenium, we would just feed them the selenium salt. We were told that the salt would not be enough, but we were skeptical. We have two more goats that are pregnant - maybe we should do the shots with them.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), January 31, 2002.

Sounds like they need more milk (colostrum) you can give them orally 2cc's of injectable 50% gluecose to brighten them up. Yes a selenium shot for the kids would be a good idea. We give a vitamin AD shot as well.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 31, 2002.

One died. And the other isn't looking too good.

Apparently some neighbor kids came by yesterday while I was at work. My wife let them pick them up and cuddle them. I'm thinking that this may have worn them out.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), February 01, 2002.

And now the other is gone.

We're going into town today to get selenium. We'll give the other goats shots - maybe this will help.

One neighbor suggested that the goats might be butting each other, causing miscarriage - cuz these babies were clearly born way too early.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), February 01, 2002.