# Grrr.....pulling my hair out!



## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Sooo frustrated! Had to pull a 2 week old kid of mama as she has sore mouth in her teats and will not let the kid nurse. It's been 5 days and the stubborn little brat won't take a bottle and won't nurse on the milk goat! He's nibbling at hay and will drink water if I put it in his pen. I've been tubing him once a day to keep him going, and keep him hungry at the same time. Hoping being hungry will encourage him to eat. No luck! 

Any suggestions? I'm at my wits end!


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Oh no! I hope he starts sucking soon! Will he drink from a pan?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If he is drinking water from a pan then I would give his milk from a pan.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

groovyoldlady said:


> Oh no! I hope he starts sucking soon! Will he drink from a pan?





ksalvagno said:


> If he is drinking water from a pan then I would give his milk from a pan.


That's what I thought, but no such luck. He sniffs it a walks away. 

He's so sad to be away from his mama. I thought maybe he didn't feel good and that's why he wouldn't eat, so I brought mom to him to see. He lit up like a firecracker and voraciously tried to nurse. The doe wants nothing to do with him now and tried to smash him into the wall. Poor little guy.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What are you giving him for milk?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Goats milk from the milk goats


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Poor little bugger! :-(


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Could you tie the mom up and then bottle feed him near the mom?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Dayna said:


> Could you tie the mom up and then bottle feed him near the mom?


I can try that. Kind of think he will just fight me harder though.

I'm wondering if I should move him to a location where he can't hear the other goats (inclusive his mama) taking to each other. When mama's start calling their kids he starts crying but still won't nurse.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I was just wondering if smelling and seeing his momma might help his suckle reflex to get going on that bottle. Or have someone pin her down and "trick" him with the bottle while he thinks he's nursing off her.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Dayna said:


> I was just wondering if smelling and seeing his momma might help his suckle reflex to get going on that bottle. Or have someone pin her down and "trick" him with the bottle while he thinks he's nursing off her.


Brought her in and he totally freaked like you expect a hungry kid to do. No luck with the bottle yet. It takes a while, about 10 minute, and is a bit of a fight, but I can get 4 oz down him with the drench gun. He's just so depressed and seems to have no will


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

Boy, that stinks. I hope the lil' guy perks up and takes the bottle. Have you tried some molasses on the end of the bottle?


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Sorry your having such problems 
Maybe try adding a bit of milk to the pan and eventually the bs y will get used to the milk and hopefull he will be drinking pure milk very soon. 
Poor little one


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

That's so sad, I am sorry I am sure this can't be easy on you seeing him so depressed, heartbreaking ♥
Hopefully he will adjust, and start learning how to drink from a bottle without a fight. Is he with your other bottle babies? Maybe move him where he can't see other moms & babies, and hear them calling <like you'd mentioned>.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is there another kid you can put him with?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Trickyroo said:


> Sorry your having such problems
> Maybe try adding a bit of milk to the pan and eventually the bs y will get used to the milk and hopefull he will be drinking pure milk very soon.
> Poor little one


good idea. I'm going to try that along with keep force feeding I guess.



ksalvagno said:


> Is there another kid you can put him with?


I put his triplet sister in with him. She's been a bottle baby from day one.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Well he still had no interest in sucking on anything. Not even mama now. He's still nibbling at hay and a little grain. Not interested in drinking water with a little milk in it. Maybe he's not thirsty since I'm drenching him with 4oz milk every 4 hours. Keep hoping he's going to decide that milk is good and get going. It's like he's so depressed that he has lost his will to live. Very sad.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Poor boy  . You might need to skip a drenching, to see if hunger will encourage him to suckle. A hungry goat is a desperate goat, it might "force" him to nurse. B complex will perk him up, and a little molasses...


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

I've been letting him go 10 hours at night without feeding as well as giving him thiamin injections 2-3x a day, and he's still not interested. Starting to think there is something wrong with him.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Darn  . Well the thiamine should help brain function, I hope he isn't an oddball...


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Still no luck getting this mule to eat. :/ I've done everything imaginable without any luck. I guess it's up to him now. He has grain, hay, and watered down milk in a bucket. We'll see if survival instinct kicks in. Sad to get to this point, but after 10 days of getting nowhere, I have to put this one in God's hands.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Hope he starts eating for you.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

That is so strange…. Isn't there something , a supplement sort of that helps develop their sucking muscles……I don't think that came out right , but i do remember reading a thread on here , maybe not quite a year ago , that something was given to the baby and it helped with its sucking mechanism….sheesh…..my memory is just shot , lol..
But , I'm not giving up on this , i'll see if i can find this conversation…

Maybe try vitamin E gel caps , along with the selenium ? Idk…
Has Jill (Goathiker) seen this thread ? I would love to read what she suggests to try if anything.


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## GCKRanch (May 27, 2014)

We had one like this. He hated the bottle feeding so we used a syringe-like thing to push it into his mouth. Still wasn't too happy about that. In the end, we gave up and started forcing one of the single-kid mothers to feed him (we had to hold her still so he could nurse). He was perfectly happy feeding off of them. Maybe try that? Good luck!


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

GCKRanch said:


> We had one like this. He hated the bottle feeding so we used a syringe-like thing to push it into his mouth. Still wasn't too happy about that. In the end, we gave up and started forcing one of the single-kid mothers to feed him (we had to hold her still so he could nurse). He was perfectly happy feeding off of them. Maybe try that? Good luck!


He refused to suckle on the milk goats as well. Stubborn as a mule!

However. .....I have an incredible story to tell tonight!

Last night I posted that I was putting this matter into God's hands. I turned the little guy out with the herd and at 11 pm he had rediscovered him mama and was relentless chasing her. Talking to her and trying to nurse when she would stop. He was never successful that I saw, as she did not want anything to do with him.

This morning he was curled up in a corner crying every time any of the does cried, and it was feeding time, so there was a lot of talking going on. I brought in one of the milk does to milk and decided to bring him in too. When I set him down, he immediately ran to the doe and started to nurse! Well he was more like chewing on her teats at first, I think he forgot how to suckle, but figured it out after a bit. After 11 days, he finally gave in and adopted a new mommy!

Praise the Lord! I put it in His hands and He showed me great favor! God is good!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Yay. Glad he got the sucking down and you have a patient mama for him to nurse off of. 

Sounds like you have a way now to get some milk into him and him to not be depressed. 

How's the mamas teats doing? You said she has sore mouth on them? Or just sore from his mouth?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

His real mama had sore mouth on her teats and wouldn't feed him. That's how this whole thing happened. He is now adopted by the milk goat. He chewed on her teats a little trying to relearn to nurse and made them bleed a little. She seems OK though and is letting him nurse as if he was her own.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Oh I am so glad it has all turned out well. God really is good!


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

So awesome to have good natured, nurse maid saanen does that are happy to feed babies and/or be milked. They are worth their weight! "Jack" (because he's stubborn as a *******), has completely accepted his new mommy and seems happy.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

That is a amazing ! So happy to hear this !


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

God is indeed GOOD! I am rejoicing for you. And I needed this reminder of His goodness right now. Thank you for sharing!!!!


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

That's awesome that he is eating now!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

How's he been doing ?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

He's doing pretty well. A bit scoured, but eating well. He getting thiamin and pro biotic to help get his tummy working right. 

New problem. ...the milk doe who adopted him is now off feed and favoring her right hind leg. No fever, but she really isn't feeling well. Wants to lay down and I have to force her to stand. Any ideas?


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Hopefully the probiotics kick in….if he continues with it , might be a good idea to pull him off the milk for a while , plain probios and water for that time , idk…..see what others say.

As for the milk doe , how sad  Maybe she got hit by one of the others ? Im guessing i would start her on probios and B complex. Any heat in the leg at all , swollen areas ? Maybe its her hoof ? How does her udder feel to you , any hard places or lumps or bumps ? Just tossing things out there to you . Could she have stepped off the milk stand badly ? I hope you find out what it could be so she can feel better soon.
Poor baby


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You may want to look into getting rumen boluses. Not the ones with medication but the ones strictly for getting good bacteria in it. The ones I got from my vet really did the trick when my girl was doing bad. The other option is dark beer.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

So this morning she has not improved. Her temp is slightly elevated and her right utter appears to be purple. I can't feel any heat in the utter and the kid has nursed her dry on that side. His feces is dark and tarry today. I'm at a loss on this one. Mastitis, staph infection? Wouldn't her bag be hot and the milk be making the kid sick?


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Maybe she was hit on the side (or fell), which hurt her leg and in turn bruised her udder? Since both issues are on the right...does her milk look normal? Banamine reduces the pain and swelling, in case of injury. 

If it's related to mastitis, the kid will need a different milk source until she's better. Probios will settle his tummy, and electrolytes for 24hrs if he gets the runs...


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

So I just inspected a little closer. The utter is cool and the teat is cold. I felt some fluid in the teat and milked out blood. No odor. Sound like a injury? I'm leaning that way, but it would have been a really serious hit.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh no poor thing . Do you see any punctures or bruising ?


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

No puncture wounds visable. Her whole utter on the right side is colored like a bruise. Starting to discolor left side slightly. I'm worried about internal bleeding. She's not doing well. Won't eat, won't drink, and can barely stand. 

This really stinks. Not only am I loosing a great nurse maid, the little kid has completely adopted her and won't nurse off the other nurse maid does. :/ Oh my goodness! It will be back to square one with this little guy. So frustrating!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Staph. Sounds like a staph infection. You will need to do something quickly. So sorry you are having more problems.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I'm guessing a vet is needed at this point. I'm sorry you're having such trouble


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh gosh , how is she doing ? I would start penicillin and banamine for pain and the fever. Pen isn't going to hurt any right now , it could only help IMO. But i would do the banamine to give her some pain relief and help with the fever. Im praying she can fight this with your help


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

She's not doing well. I'm giving her high doses of penn, banamine, and Today treatments. I'm not sure she'll make it through the night though.  

This has been a terrible year for health issues. My vet blames the unusual weather this winter.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Give lots of Vit C (as in handfuls of the chewable), and an acv/water drench. You need to keep the udder warm and well circulated. Massage with tea tree oil and heat packs will accomplish this.

Prayers sent that she gets better!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh gosh I'm so sorry . Prayers she turns the corner and recovers from this . Poor baby


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Well she's still hanging in there.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

What Have you done for her so far?


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

I would say it's most likely mastitis. Are you using the Today on her? This is totally anecdotal, and I'm sure there are others with way more experience with masitis, but I had a dairy doe get mastitis and she was going down hill with Pen G and Today. She was having to be supported by drenching etc and had a fever that wouldn't go away. She was dying. I switched to Nuflor and she was better 12 hours later and completely recovered. Just thought I would mention this in case you are grasping at straws.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

^^ oh yeah, penecillin won't reach the udder unless you directly infuse it. I mean it's a good support med, but it's not targeting the mastitis. Switching antibiotics may be the key, or like I said squeezing it right into her udder. I'm not sure which method is better...


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## dnchck (Mar 24, 2014)

following this thread..prayers for your girl!!


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

Hope she is doing better


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

canyontrailgoats said:


> What Have you done for her so far?


She's getting Today morning and night, started her on high doses of pen, but vet suggested that la200 would be better. He said if no improvement in 2 days to switch to baytril. She's also getting thiamin, and sugar water drench.

There has been no improvements but she's not getting worse either. Definatly an acute case of mastitis, most likely from the kid chewing on her teat the first day he nursed her. :/ Seemed strange that she had no symptoms until she was down. Other than being a little tender when I milked her the day before.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Well crap! Milk doe is doing a little better, but Jack (the kid who started this whole thread ) has died. 15 days of hell for nothing and plus another issue. I'm going to have to start drinking!


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## Younger (Oct 6, 2013)

Oh! I am so sorry for your loss. What a struggle you had.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Oh no. I'm so sorry.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

It was certainly an emotional roller coaster. It's just one of those years.


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## dnchck (Mar 24, 2014)

So sorry for your loss!!:tear:


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

Oh no. I'm so sorry for your loss. Heartbreaking.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Jeez, what a bummer  . I hope your milk doe recovers nicely :hug:


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

Oh that's such a bummer! Sorry for losing him but so glad your milk doe is a,bit better


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