# False pregnancy or...?



## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

For some reason I'd never heard of false pregnancy in goats until today. I have a yearling doe who was confirmed pregnant via urine pregnancy test. She has a nice little belly and could have been due as early as August 12th or as late as September 1st due to the amount of time she was in with our buck. Although her teats have grown a *tiny* bit, she has developed no udder. I've only ever had to those that have kidded and both developed nice large udders around 4 months. I was chatting with my breeder friend tonight that I bought her from last year and she said she figured it was a false pregnancy. Have you ever had a doe not develop an udder or bag up before kidding?


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

Unfortunately, urine tests are known to be unreliable. It’s likely that the test was a false positive.


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

CountyLineAcres said:


> Unfortunately, urine tests are known to be unreliable. It's likely that the test was a false positive.


Before her, I'd only use them four times and they were accurate but you could definitely be right. Her udder has grown a tiny bit and her teats have doubled in size but I suppose that could just be age too maybe? And she's become plump, particularly on the right so up until the past couple of weeks I have just presumed she was pregnant.


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

Yes, they definitely develop more as they grow. They aren't finished growing until closer to 3-4 years old. For the plump belly, she more than likely just gained weight. We've had several does trick us that way lol.

You can learn more about false (pseudo) pregnancy here in case you're curious. There's fluid that builds inside their uterus. Some does do make milk. They tend to "give birth" but only fluid is present, no baby.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/reproductive-system/pseudopregnancy-in-goats/pseudopregnancy-in-goats


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Also known as cloud burst pregnancy. Body says yes im pregnant. Grows an empty water bag. Some developed a small udder..some nothing at all then you see she is wet all over her behind. May have aome discharge..acts in early labor but nothing progresses. Most go into a ranging heat shortly after.
Its frustrating when you plan on that kid and milk and get neither. You can rebreed 6 weeks later.

I have seeen this here 3 times in all my goat years.


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

CountyLineAcres said:


> Yes, they definitely develop more as they grow. They aren't finished growing until closer to 3-4 years old. For the plump belly, she more than likely just gained weight. We've had several does trick us that way lol.
> 
> You can learn more about false (pseudo) pregnancy here in case you're curious. There's fluid that builds inside their uterus. Some does do make milk. They tend to "give birth" but only fluid is present, no baby.
> 
> https://www.merckvetmanual.com/reproductive-system/pseudopregnancy-in-goats/pseudopregnancy-in-goats


I ended up reading a ton on it last night and I'm so bummed with the possibility. I was hoping people were going to say oh yeah, I've had a doe or two not develop an udder before kidding, LOL.


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

happybleats said:


> Also known as cloud burst pregnancy. Body says yes im pregnant. Grows an empty water bag. Some developed a small udder..some nothing at all then you see she is wet all over her behind. May have aome discharge..acts in early labor but nothing progresses. Most go into a ranging heat shortly after.
> Its frustrating when you plan on that kid and milk and get neither. You can rebreed 6 weeks later.
> 
> I have seeen this here 3 times in all my goat years.


This will be my first time seeing it out of only three births and such a disappointment. Thankfully I own both the doe and the buck but so true. I have totally been counting on the milk especially and almost fully have another doe weaned. Live and learn for sure. It's funny though because I could have sworn I felt babies in there. I did read they can be reabsorbed though.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I'll be the one that says " I had a doe that developed an udder".. 
Cassie never showed pregnancy. She was a big bodied Alpine. Never showed heat, if she was bred, labor, udder or anything. Drove me crazy. (I'd put her with a buck for when I thought she was coming into heat).

Suddenly, usually while eating, she would give a bellow, one obvious push and a kid! (4 kids born over 4 years and I saw one birth with her). No udder, seriously, teats on a little swollen area. The kid nursed from her, had a full tummy and 2-3 days later her udder grew. Darnedest thing I've seen. She was one of my best milkers. (50 or more milkers and her small udder, starting out, out performed most of them!) 

There may be hope for your doe. Good luck!


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

Goats Rock said:


> I'll be the one that says " I had a doe that developed an udder"..
> Cassie never showed pregnancy. She was a big bodied Alpine. Never showed heat, if she was bred, labor, udder or anything. Drove me crazy. (I'd put her with a buck for when I thought she was coming into heat).
> 
> Suddenly, usually while eating, she would give a bellow, one obvious push and a kid! (4 kids born over 4 years and I saw one birth with her). No udder, seriously, teats on a little swollen area. The kid nursed from her, had a full tummy and 2-3 days later her udder grew. Darnedest thing I've seen. She was one of my best milkers. (50 or more milkers and her small udder, starting out, out performed most of them!)
> ...


Oh my gosh, this is my dream scenario, I have to admit. Thank you so much for sharing your story! This girl is my favorite doe -- and the quietest doe I've ever known (I've had 11 does) so heat is always tough to detect with her. I left her in with the buck far longer than necessary, 3.5 weeks after I saw him cover her for the first time. I'm just crossing my fingers now because babies and milk are so much lovelier than no babies or no milk, especially because I'm drying up my other doe in milk right now and who wants to buy cow's milk after becoming addicted to goat milk.









I tried to get a pic of her nonexistent udder last night. This is also my doe that literally had no easily detectable teats even at a year old -- maybe a third of a tick tack. My 6 month old doelings have bigger teats, haha. So glad there's hope! ♡


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

CountyLineAcres said:


> Unfortunately, urine tests are known to be unreliable. It's likely that the test was a false positive.


In thinking about it, this wouldn't be the fault of the urine pregnancy test in this case. She hasn't had a heat since right before she [supposedly] got pregnant. Her body definitely thinks she's pregnant and only time will tell if she has babies or just an overabundance of fluid. Her udder has developed a bit more in the past few days though and she's starting to have discharge so that's potentially positive.


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

farmerA said:


> In thinking about it, this wouldn't be the fault of the urine pregnancy test in this case. She hasn't had a heat since right before she [supposedly] got pregnant. Her body definitely thinks she's pregnant and only time will tell if she has babies or just an overabundance of fluid. Her udder has developed a bit more in the past few days though and she's starting to have discharge so that's potentially positive.


What do you mean by more udder development? Is she lactating? In your post, she didn't have any sure signs of pregnancy. Teats getting larger is normal for growing does. Round bellies can occur from weight gain unrelated to pregnancy. You said her heat is hard to detect, so hopefully the discharge you're seeing isn't just her heat cycle.

If her last due date is tomorrow (and up to mid next week if she goes overdue) and still doesn't have any milk, then this is cause for concern. If she doesn't produce any milk for these babies, you will need to get your hands on colostrum and milk. Some does make milk the day they kid, but it isn't common and shouldn't be counted on.

Either way, I hope she's pregnant for you and everything goes well!


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

CountyLineAcres said:


> What do you mean by more udder development? Is she lactating? In your post, she didn't have any sure signs of pregnancy. Teats getting larger is normal for growing does. Round bellies can occur from weight gain unrelated to pregnancy. You said her heat is hard to detect, so hopefully the discharge you're seeing isn't just her heat cycle.
> 
> If her last due date is tomorrow (and up to mid next week if she goes overdue) and still doesn't have any milk, then this is cause for concern. If she doesn't produce any milk for these babies, you will need to get your hands on colostrum and milk. Some does make milk the day they kid, but it isn't common and shouldn't be counted on.
> 
> Either way, I hope she's pregnant for you and everything goes well!


I meant her udder is finally enlarging now -- but no, she's not lactating. Definitely should have started weeks ago. Her heats are very quiet so sometimes I don't realize it until the second day.

Yes, I have lots of colostrum, a doe in milk plus gallons in the freezer so definitely not an issue if that happens, though hope not having had 4 bottle babies last February. I've met 4 people in the past 2 days (plus one comment here) that have had does that didn't develop an udder or bag up until after kidding so thought that was hopeful. She's definitely not in heat now -- plus the bucks share a fenceline part of the day and have had zero interest in her. She doesn't look like a fat goat to me though if anyone would suddenly get fat after a potentially false positive pregnancy test and no dietary changes, it would definitely be her, haha. She definitely has me perplexed, looking entirely pregnant other than udder development (which is obviously important).


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

Gotcha! You’ll know for sure by the end of next week. I hope you do have some new additions by then. Keep us updated!


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

CountyLineAcres said:


> Gotcha! You'll know for sure by the end of next week. I hope you do have some new additions by then. Keep us updated!


Thank you so much, I will keep you posted for sure.


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

As it turns out, it was a cloud burst. I'm so grateful to those of you who mentioned it because I would have tripped out had I not known.

Incidentally, when she went back into heat yesterday she was crazy loud for the first time ever (and louder today). She's always had silent or difficult to detect heats since I got her last year.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I know it's late and a moot point now, but I have a doe who has silent heats and never shows an udder until like 5 minutes before the kid pops out. No signs at all of impending birth, no loose ligaments, no udder, kids don't drop. Then suddenly, there is a newborn to trip over! It's the oddest thing.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

farmerA said:


> Incidentally, when she went back into heat yesterday she was crazy loud for the first time ever (and louder today). She's always had silent or difficult to detect heats since I got her last year.


When my doe had a cloud burst she was super mouthy too..crazy hormonal actions. I had never seen or heard her so crazy lol.. Im hoping to rebred her next month with my other girls and get her truly settled.


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

happybleats said:


> When my doe had a cloud burst she was super mouthy too..crazy hormonal actions. I had never seen or heard her so crazy lol.. Im hoping to rebred her next month with my other girls and get her truly settled.


I actually love hearing that. I have another doe that was confirmed pregnant twice due to a buckling breakout when I had some friends over working and he got her through the fence. She was due yesterday but still has no udder. Her previous owner told me she didn't bag up until an hour before she kidded glass time so that makes me feel better as well. These girls (and boys) sure do know how to keep us on our toes!


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

lottsagoats1 said:


> I know it's late and a moot point now, but I have a doe who has silent heats and never shows an udder until like 5 minutes before the kid pops out. No signs at all of impending birth, no loose ligaments, no udder, kids don't drop. Then suddenly, there is a newborn to trip over! It's the oddest thing.


I read and responded to your reply and accidentally responded to the next comment without reading it, LOL. These goats have me sidetracked and crazy. I love hearing that because I have two girls that halfway fit that description and I was starting to think they were abnormal.


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## farmerA (Sep 4, 2019)

happybleats said:


> When my doe had a cloud burst she was super mouthy too..crazy hormonal actions. I had never seen or heard her so crazy lol.. Im hoping to rebred her next month with my other girls and get her truly settled.


Apparently I Had a brain issue yesterday. I responded to your message thinking it was the message before and didn't actually read yours. Holy cow, this girl is so mouthy now too! Or was for 3 days up until last night. I just re-bred her two days in a row. If she didn't take, I'll definitely know in three weeks if she continues this lovely screaming.


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