# Goat Sides



## Shanesgoats (Sep 1, 2013)

My goats sides are like, look like they are caving in. What do I do? Is this normal?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Oops didn't mean to hit the like button. (it's late for me) 
Is your doe about ready to kid? 
A pic would sure help.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

My old ladies have that I think gravity has just done its toll on them. Are yours older?


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

I would think a few things:

Normal rumen 
Breed of animal (dairy animals naturally look this way)
Worm load
Hay belly
Pregnancy
Old age

Depends. Need a pic.


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## Shanesgoats (Sep 1, 2013)

This one is only 3 years old. But I had her with a buck for about 1 month. So is it that she could be pregnant?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is certainly a possibility. How long ago was the buck in with her?


Can you post a picture?


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Shanesgoats said:


> My goats sides are like, look like they are caving in. What do I do? Is this normal?


Generally speaking, it is only normal if they are getting ready to kid. What are you feeding, how much and how often? Sunk in in front of the hip bones usually means they are not getting enough to eat, or the plane of nutrition is not high enough. A lack of clean, fresh water can also cause it, as can stress if they were recently purchased and not acclimated to their new surroundings yet. A heavy worm load can also cause this as the nutrition is going to the worms, not the doe. The first thing I would do is get a fecal done to check for worms - wouldn't hurt to check for coccidia, too.


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## Shanesgoats (Sep 1, 2013)




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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Doesn't look to have the spring of rib that I'd like to see. Are you producing enough forage to fill up with? Nice hay, alfalfa pellets? 

What exactly do you feed in a normal day? Let's first address feeding and see if we can find a hole in your rations.

Any grain supplements? 

On the right side it's not as alarming to me as if she'd be empty on her left side. She also appears to be muscled out like a Boer, a meat goat, not a dairy goat I assume.


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