# What to do with stillborn kid?



## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I have yet another question; hopefully it will be the last for a while!

Facts:
1. Doe delivered two kids, one healthy, the other weak.
2. 36 hours later, she passed the last of the afterbirth and a small, dead kid.
3. I scrubbed my hands many times with soap and scalding water. Wearing gloves, I cleaned up the dead kid and the soiled bedding, along with some blood-contaminated dirt, and triple bagged it.
4. I read that with toxoplasmosis, it is typical for triplets to be born like this - one strong, one weak, and 

one dead.

Questions:
1. Should I get a necropsy done?
2. If so, should I refrigerate dead kid and placenta material? Or freeze?
3. If I don't get a necropsy, what should I do with the dead kid and bedding - burn it?
3. Any other suggestions?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Really sorry you're dealing with this.
If the dead kid was small and not formed totally, it's a possibility that it died before her due date and could have been caused by a trauma to her from another goat. If there is chance she got hit, and this was an isolated incidence and you've had no other does deliver stillbirths, I'd be thinking more of a trauma.
I had this happen 2 years ago, stillbirth from a detached cord 2 days before she delivered then 2 days later a very small mummified doe...I burned the remains and put mama on Pen G 2x a day for 7 days. I do know that my doe was hit hard by the herd witch.
If you do choose to have a necropsy done, refrigerate the remains until you can get it to the vets office.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

If it was me, I would agree with liz. We as people always think the worse, it in our DNA LOL. But if you have another still born I would be thinking about the necropsy. I dont know how much a necropsy would cost, but I imagine it is not cheap.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Thanks for your replies. I had another look at the dead kid as I was wrapping it up to refrigerate. Ugh. It is not full-term, but pretty well developed - maybe four months? We bought the doe when she was pregnant, and introduced her to the herd after quarantine, so it's very possible she was rammed at that time, though I never saw it.
I will probably do a little more Google research and talk to my vet before making a decision. Any more input is welcome.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Just my 2 cents... I had a very difficult delivery with my last doe.. and lost one of trips. I called my son's mother in law (science teacher) and she was so excited to get the carcass for her class. She took pics of the mom and brothers cause they're studying genetics/heredity. At least it's not wasted..


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