# Gertrude, FF is maybe in distress?



## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Her contractions are intermittent, normal stringy discharge... And she screams during the contractions. Sometimes she pushes and strains, then nothing for 5-15 minutes... Irregular gaps. The hollering began at 9am, est (5hours ago). When do I start to panic? I can easily feel one kid on her right and it moves some, the one on her left is higher and back farther and I can't tell if it is moving much.. I need perspective!


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## Jamieluvshernigis (Dec 13, 2010)

5 hrs seems like along time to me, I don't have a lot of experience but in my experiences once the screaming and straining started it wasn't to long before the kids came. If it were me I'd go in and check. I hope someone can offer more advice soon.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

go in with 2 fingers and see if you feel a nose or hoof or bag or something. Sounds like a kid is stuck positioned incorrectly. YOu may need to go in and reposition. this should help you http://www.gryphontor.com/showarticle.php?id=7


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I agree with Stacey, sounds like a stuck kid. Make sure you tkae off rings and trim finger nails.

Stay clam and keep us posted. Good Luck


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## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Thanks,

I went in. Huge mess. Have her blanketed, waiting for vet (right arm supporting her). Multiple kids, first one upside down head between legs, cord wrapped tight. Can't get it out! I kept thinking it had to be a different kids head. Fresh pod but not a lot. She got up once since, not sure if shell


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## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Hang on =(


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

While you are waiting for vet keep trying.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Oh heavens, I pray the vet gets there soon. God bless that poor girl. Keep us posted, and good luck


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## Jamieluvshernigis (Dec 13, 2010)

Hugs to you and your girl! Prayers and good vibes sent your way!


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## kristinatucker (Jan 3, 2012)

oh boy. I worry so much about situations like this!! I agree to keep trying till vet gets there - make sure you have some lube. If you can find a nose feel for front hooves and see if you can work that one out.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

How are things going?


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## StarMFarm (Jan 17, 2013)

Oh no  Poor Gertrude, I hope the Vet can get those babies out safely. I am so sorry you are having complications :hug:


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

Sending prayers:grouphug:


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## FrankSandy (Sep 14, 2011)

Hugs, and prayers coming your way, sure hope she hangs in there. Poor girl, and you too


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## IrishRoots (Jan 7, 2013)

Keep us posted! Praying for you and her!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

OH please let us know how things are going. I tell you that picture of her in your lap just tore my heart out, she looks so sweet.


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

sweetgoats said:


> OH please let us know how things are going. I tell you that picture of her in your lap just tore my heart out, she looks so sweet.


Mine too


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## ksevern (Dec 12, 2012)

Hope everythinyg turned out alright.


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## Tayet (Feb 9, 2012)

Oh no... I hope everything turns out OK. 

Nanny blessings!


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## rdmtnranch (Mar 4, 2013)

Any news yet on her? I'm biting mynails. Breaks my heart to think of herpain and distress. Praying for you guys.


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## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

It was pretty awful. 

She was calm and sweet and didn't seem to be in shock while we waited for the vet. The vet did the same thing I did, which made me feel better-in some ways he was rougher, maybe just because he is stronger and miter sure of himself. The first kid came out dead, as I expected =( beautiful black with a little white, buckling. Then the vet pulled out intestine. This explained a lot. When I first went in I felt this thick, soft sphere along with one leg, it must have been a loop of this intestine. The vet and I both just stared at it a second, and I leaned over and kissed Gerty and said, "well that's it for her" The vet said "lets get this other kid out", it was a chocolate and white buckling, also dead. The second buckling had a leg punched through her uterus, which ripped wide enough for a length of small intestine to herniated in. 

She was calm and probably feeling way better after this and I just held her and kept scratching her neck and shoulder, until the vet had retrieved the euthanasia drug from his truck. He injected it in her juggler and maybe she was in shock because she went very peacefully. 

Our other doe is Gerty's dam and as soon as Gerty died she stopped calling for her. I think that made me more upset than anything. I couldn't face her at milking time tonight, so a friend milked her for me. When Wilma jumped down from the station she went right back to the door outside and didn't even look at the pen where she and Gerty stay at night. 

The breeder is crushed, we're crushed, and I'm in shock. I really didn't see this one coming =(


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

Wow, that's awful I'm so sorry. Things like this make me never want to kid out my little doe, I'll just get another wether and be done.Im so very sorry for you loss and for the trauma you both went through.


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## Tayet (Feb 9, 2012)

I am so, so sorry. Sending good thoughts your way.


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## Used2bmimi (Oct 3, 2012)

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! What a horrific thing to go through. I just sent a prayer for comfort up for you. I hope that soon you can go out and love on your other doe and start to heal.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

As I read I just kept saying to myself "oh my gosh" "oh my gosh". My heart is broken for you :hug:


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I'm just reading this now, I'd hoped for a better outcome. I'm so sorry for you and poor Gertie. :grouphug:


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I am so sorry. There are no words to say to you. It just brought tears to me when I was reading this, I was so afraid something bad was happening.

 Just know it was not anything you did and you were a great goat mom to her, she was in heaven here on earth with you until the lord decided it was his time to take her. 

 She is pain free and with her babies.


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## ThisLittlePygmyFarm (Feb 13, 2013)

I'm so so sorry!! What an awful and traumatic experience!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I am so very sorry, what a terrible experience.


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## fezz09 (Oct 30, 2012)

Wow that is so sad! I should not have read this before having coffee and preparing myself! I'm sitting here choking back tears... I'm pretty sure my husband thinks I've lost my marbles!! Ugh what a terrible thing to happen to you and your poor goat!!


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## rdmtnranch (Mar 4, 2013)

Oh I am so sorry. To go from excited anticipation to such an empty loss is horrible. I too hope you can go love Wilma and start to heal. It would probably help her too.


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## kristinatucker (Jan 3, 2012)

Oh my I'm so sorry!!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I just read all this through, so sorry for that terrible loss.


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## ortiz1232 (Feb 3, 2013)

I am so sorry .


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## mtmom75 (May 19, 2011)

I'm so sorry.


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## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

Our breeder has offered to loan us a yearling daughter of Wilma to keep her company while we figure things out. We're all so sad.


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## StarMFarm (Jan 17, 2013)

I am so very sorry for your loss. What an awful thing you and poor Getrude had to go through. I know from experience how hard this is, to be so full of excitement and anticipation to bring that new baby into the world and then have that joy turn to sorrow. I lost my favorite doe last year to kidding complications. I was so excited for 5 months waiting for this new little angel to arrive. But unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. My sweet Eva pushed and pushed but to no avail. Then I decided it was my turn to see if I could help her get this baby out. I gloved up and went in, I could feel this baby was enormous and not even able to get his head in the birth canal. We tried for awhile but decided there was no way. We took her to the Vet and even they said the baby was just too big. So we had them C-section her. When we picked her up they said the baby didn't make it, so heartbreaking, but at least we still had our Eva. Tried our best to nurse her the rest of that day only to come out the next morning and find that she had passed away. I cried a lot that day, I even thought about not having goats anymore, except maybe one or two for pets. But as the time passed, I realized how much all the joy they bring me, all the smiles, all the laughs because of their silly antics, would be too hard to give up. To this day I get very nervous the last few weeks of my girls pregnancies. Paranoid actually! But my heart is overwhelmed the minute they deliver those sweet little babies...I hope you know that you did everything you could for Gertrude, she was lucky to have you and I am so very sorry you lost her and the babies. I will be praying for you! RIP sweet Gertrude and Kids :angelgoat:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Many hugs and prayers to you... I am so sorry for your losses :hug:

I have been there and lost my Dolly with her kids almost 6 years ago, the healing process from such a tragic loss takes time, don't rush things and please...go to your other doe, she needs comfort as much as you do :hug:


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## FlyingFeetsFarm (Nov 28, 2012)

I am so sorry. It's so hard and dramatic to loose one of your precious babies this way. It can be so discouraging, don't give up on having goats, I have been in the place your at and I know how it makes you just want to give up. Sadly this is part of breeding and raising animals, there's always a chance something can go wrong. My thoughts are with you. I am truely sorry for you.


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## HonestOmnivore (Feb 26, 2013)

I just wanted to take a second and thank each of you for responding to me :grouphug: - It's been over a month and we have a sweet little thing we bought from Walnut Creek Farms, Wilma (3 yr old dam) is happy to have a little doe to pick on (you can tell she likes her though!) and while it will take a while for me to really get over this, I am trying to catch Wilma in heat so we can have her bred for the fall. Wilma is bigger and has had two large freshonings - she's a pro. 

I am starting to have second thoughts about the adorable little doe, she's so tiny I'm already afraid to bred her although she had a perfectly adorable little buck this spring without any issues. Her milk output is fine for a first freshoner and I couldn't ask for a sweeter thing. She's a yearling and is so 'GIRLY' it's just adorable. But I want/need more milk... At the same time Wilma was the lead doe at her breeders place and I think I'm pretty lucky that she took so easily to "Half Pint". I think it's Half-Pint's "kid-like" personality that did it. Butting her must have felt like butting a kitten!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I am so glad you were able to find another goat. No way will any goat replace Gretta.


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Oh, i just now read this...I am sooo sorry for your losses. I am always afraid of things like this too. 

I am glad you have found a new love and companion. Wilma is lucky to have you and so is Half Pint. If she lives up to her nickname (Laura Ingalls Wilder), she will be a real joy and quite the handful!

Good luck and God Bless You!


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