Well I had a doe with a jammed baby head last night and I just couldn't get my hand in past my second joints. The nose was tipped sideways with no feet present. The sack was open so I knew that there was no hope for that little one (a doe). With no room to manuver the kid I had no choice but to call the vet. He was able to shove the kid a bit back and then work it out. He could never go in past his knuckles either. He was gentle and my doe is fine. The second kid is trying to live but I just don't know. Both kids were small 5lbs. or so.

The second little doe hasn't been able to stand, weak rubber leggs, I think that I got about 4-5 oz. of colostrum down her but now I haven't seen her poop. Mom is staying with her and it cleaning her all the time keeping her stimulated. The vet and I watched her for quite a while and he was a bit concerned about the fact that she really couldn't pick up her head. She got all the regular baby stuff, nutra drench and vit. & BoSe shots. Gee I feel so bad for her. Anyone have any ideas that I can try?

I'm getting depressed this year about kidding out does. 3 out of 5 births have had some sort of trouble this year. I still have 2 more first freshners to go and I'm dreading it. What happened to the excitement of kidding time approaching?

-- shari (smillers@snowcrest.net), March 28, 2002

Answers

Awww...I'm sorry.(((hugs)))

If it were me I would probably force feed her. You might also try to give her some vitamin e to help the selenium. Good luck with her.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), March 30, 2002.

Shari, I'm sorry you lost the first kid. It always dampens the usual joy of kidding time when this happens. For what it's worth, the kid doesn't start to breathe until the umbilical cord's circulation is cut off, usually this is when the kid is more than halfway out. So I don't think the sack being broken was the reason the kid died, because I've had kids born live wih the sack broken. Having the head turned can kill the kid though, due to the pressure of the contractions combined with the flexion of the neck. The good news is that most of the kids will be OK, sometimes a doe will need help, but usually it turns out for the best. So here's a hug, and hoping that the rest of your does have easier kiddings.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), March 30, 2002.

I am so sorry to hear about your midnight visit and the loss of one of those kids. Belive me, I was so scared over the start of this yrs kidding season because we didn't start out too well. But after the 2nd tragedy it turned out OK. We are in a little hiatis here until a few more weeks, then we will freshen 20 more does.

I wanted to mention if you haven't give the baby that is wobbly some BO-SE or MU-SE, whichever your vet carries to help with the weak legs, etc. You may need to feed via syringe a little at atime until she gets strength to suck. Keep working with her.

I copied and pasted this information on a delivery with a neck bent backwards. Hope this helps someone if you can't get to the vet ASAP. And many of us have that situation.

If you have a > hard kidding where you can't push the kids back , head back,head stuck, two > at once or just to far along to get them back in try this. > Find two strong people to help you. Pick up the hind legs of the doe and > extend them straight into the air. Doe will be down on her chest with her > hind feet up as high as your helpers can get them in the air. At this point > the kids will fall back down into the doe and if your helpers can hold her > there you can go in and straighten out the mess. Use LOTS of lube to keep > from tearing .Complete as much as you can before letting her down but work > quick as it will be hard on the doe. > I've had to use this twice and it worked both times. . Hope you never ever > need it but if you do go for it. Only way I've been able to save a kid with > the head back.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), March 30, 2002.

Thanks for the responses. I just burried the second kid today. We did everything possible for her. She was just too early. About 2 1/2 weeks early. Not even her teeth were present yet. Poor little thing. She was a black Oberhasli. Mom started running a temp 107 so she is on antibotics.

-- shari (smillers@snowcrest.net), March 31, 2002.

Sorry Shari, Sorry you lost the kids, it must be hard. Pray for you that the next one are good kiddings

-- Barbara (vozarbi@sensible-net.com), March 31, 2002.