# Pregnancy Toxemia



## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

Just wanted a little more information on Toxemia, I saw someone mentioned it but didn't really leave much of an explanation of symptoms and how to treat it,..
One of my does is due any day now and has spent most of her time laying down,..
I assumed it was because her feet aren't completely up to par, we have been battling with them or awhile but have got them down toshorter but they still don't sit very straight under her


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

My goats spend a lot more time laying down during the last month of pregnancy. They are fat, uncomfortable and have a bunch of babies pressing on all their organs and nerves.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Here's a quote from me, from a previous thread.



> Pregnancy toxaemia is a condition that we see with heavily pregnant does.
> 
> What happens is that, often when a doe has multiple babies in there, she has trouble getting enough nutrition to keep herself and them growing at the same time. So she starts to metabolise her body fat stores. When the fat is broken down, it gives her and the babies nutrition but a byproduct of this fat metabolism is the production of things called ketones. These ketones build up and it starts to have a toxic effect in her body - making her feel unwell. Because she feels unwell, and because she's big and heavy pregnant, she starts to lie around a bit more, she is less active and so she eats less. This compounds the problem, because then she needs to use more of her bodyfat to feed the kids, so she gets more ketones in her body, making her more unwell. As you can see its a bad cycle. It is seen often in does in the last 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy (though it can happen earlier), often in does that have multiple kids triplets or more (but again, it can happen with twins or even one big single kid) and it often in fat does (because they have more fat to metabolise therefore more ketones) and I'm assuming that given your girl is a show doe, she's carrying a little more condition (fat) than ideal.
> 
> ...


Edit to point c) the preg tox preparations are propylene glycol, which might help you find brand names where you are


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

Ok thank you!
That helps so much 
I don't think I'll need to medicate her because she's due so soon & she was a fat doe to begin with but I'll definitely Go pick up some raisins & other treats


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Pregnancy Toxemia is very serious. If your Doe is laying around a lot it could be an indicator. A drug store usually sells Ketosis strips that fro what I have read from several different sorces - these Ketone strip testers will also work on a goat's urine. We had one doe that we used these on and she ended up a little higher on the strip than the other does. You doe will need some extra pampering at this time. I would get some probios into her for now and read up on pregnancy toxemia as much as you can. By the time they have it.. it is harder to fix.. they will go down fast. It's best to work on treating and preventing it now. 
Those Ketone Strips are very expensive and they do expire after you open them in less than a year. They are about $26. for 300 strips so maybe you can find someone who just has a few of these you could use.. or ask the pharmacy for a smaller amount. 
If your doe has been de-wormed successfully- that is going to help this situation and also help keep her from getting toximia.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Also.. I think all does could use a little calcium boost before and after they deliver. It will help their milk come in.. and it will help with contractions and muscle strength. If she is low on calcium.. she will have a tougher time in delivery contractions and in her milk production. You could take and chop up an apple.. roll it in probios powder and some crushed tums. It will help even the ketosos and the low calcium. ... or a spoonful of molasses with tums is good too.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

If I have a doe that seems to be too sluggish I drench with Magic drench one time a day. It is 1 part each, mollasses, corn oil, corn syrup. I give a large adult boer doe 4 our 5 ounces a day. 
there are oral drenches for dairy cattle to help with increased calcium(I have not used these)
I do keep a bottle of Calcium gluconate 23% on hand and either give 15 cc injections under the skin or add to drench to help with increased calcium. 

Vitaim B complex
a shot of Bo-se if you are in selenium deficient area
a Vitamin E gel cap 400 unit squirted into the drench
probiotics daily

Propylene glycol is helpful for energy and a good drench for pregnancy toxemia.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I dont worry about the ketosis strips, I start to dose with propylene glycol as soon as they start to look sluggish or go off their feed. One of my does this year I started her on it a month before kidding, gave it to her every second day (50ml) for a week then until she kidded about once a week whenever she looked a bit down. She was a FF with BIG triplets and it really helped her along. Even if its not preg tox it doesnt hurt them and just gives them a boost of energy


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I have only had one doe that I belive had preg. tox., or maybe it was old age not sure which, long story short she died. There might be people who disagree with me on this but my new rule is if I think something MIGHT be going on I treat it, especialy with preg tox. It seems once a goat starts to go down hill it goes fast. I had one doe that was acting off, she was very bred, so I just started to treat her for the tox. along with a few other ideas I thought might have been going on. I think packhill and keren are right and I dont think treating for it even if its not will hurt anything


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I agree with you jess, and I came to the same conclusion the same way you did. I procrastinated too long with "is it or isnt it" and I lost her. Hard lesson well learned.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Thats right on the point what happened to my old girl keren, and was a very hard lesson


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

Well she's been a lot more active the past two days than she has been in awhile, yesterday I bought some rasins to mix with her feed and brought a few carrots for her to munch on. She was practically climbing the fence to get the carrots so I don't think she's got toxemia but I did find some Nutri-Drench with main in ingredient being propylene glycol so I plan on giving her a bit of that every day till she kids 
She does have a *huge* udder (is that what you'd call it with goats too? Seems a bit off to me. Lol)
It started filling mid-last month.she is a 3 year old doe & this is her first time kidding.
What would the Tums be for?
I plan on getting them just to have them on hand but was just wondering why she might need them.
Thank you for all the info!
I'll remember to keep this this thread on hand when my other does get closer to kidding


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Glad she is feeling better. Tums have a good amount of calcium in them and some goats love them so it can be a easy way to get extra calcium into does that are having prekidding low calcium.


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

Alright. Thank You!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

A boost of energy never hurt..I agree..B complex and what ever sugar boost you decide on, several were mentioned here..all good..I like Propylene glycol myself...: ) I give my first B complex Sub q then I make a drench..b complex and thiamine oral..Keep hay where she can get it at all times as well as clean fresh water..and do get her up every few hours or so and as Karen said..give a gentle walk : ) ...


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