# Need answers for kid death



## goatheaven (Oct 18, 2007)

Well we had some good and bad news yesterday. Another first freshener gave birth, not the one I was expecting of course. I was with her the whole birthing process. The first kid came out fine and I cleaned his head and mouth and gave him to mom. She was cleaning and about 10 minutes later another buckling shot out. The bubble came and the kid just slid out easy so I started cleaning his head to give him to mom and all of a sudden his arms and legs started thrashing around uncontrollably. Then his little head flung back and his eyes rolled back and his tongue went to the side of his mouth. His heart was still beating but it was like he was paralyzed, no movement except for heart beats. My husband did CPR on him for 15 minutes. The little kids heart was still beating. He finally died 30 minutes after being born. In 7 years of raising goats I've never seen this happen at a kidding. Anyone else know what might have happened. The baby was full formed and normal looking. The reaction reminded me of a seizure. The other little buckling is fine. i believe polled with blue eyes. He is a black and white pepper color. He is a nigerian dwarf/pygmy cross. Thanks for your help.


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

I wish I had answers for you but, unfortunately I dont. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I was for your loss. I wish you luck in finding the answer.


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## goatheaven (Oct 18, 2007)

*Kid death*

Thanks for your kind words. I just do not know what happened. It just was very scary watching that baby thrash while I was trying to hold it and clean it's head off. I have 8 more does to kid and it makes me nervous.


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

It seems like I've read about that somewhere, I can't quite put my finger on it though :?

I'm sorry you lost him, that is so sad


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## Sweet Gum Minis (Oct 6, 2007)

Is it possible it had sucked in some fluid and drowned and what you saw was it fighting to survive?

That is so sad Laura. I do hope you don't have anymore problems with your other kiddings.


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## goatheaven (Oct 18, 2007)

Well I do not think it happened. The sac was pretty much in tact when it was delivered. It did not make any choking sound or anything. My husband thinks something may have been wrong with the kids lungs because when he was blowing air in it's nose and mouth to stimulate breathing after the episode the air seemed not to go through to its body but came back out the mouth. Maybe the airway was shut off. I do not know. I just hope we don't go through that again. This doe was trying to mount Rose a few days ago and maybe she got hurt running around chasing Rose. Rose was in heat a few days ago and this pregnant doe was chasing her and mounting her. This always happens when no buck is around.


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## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

I have no clue.I am sorry for your loss.


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## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

Without a necropsy I can't see that it can be told what happened. I think that your idea of the blocked airway sounds reasonable. 
But under any circumstances, that is a difficult thing to have to see- everything going so well then so bad without apparent reason. It must have been a very unusual situation- and very traumatic for you. All you can take comfort in is that you did what could be done for the little fellow.


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## Sweet Gum Minis (Oct 6, 2007)

That's precisely what happens to Rose's bucklings at birth. They're born a little premature looking as in no hair, but they come out trying to breath and then suffocate. I've seen them struggle and fight to breath but can't take air in. I wonder what causes that. She's the only doe I've known who does that but its seems to be proving more common.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

boy how scary and tramatic! :hugs: I am so sorry you lost the little guy


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## goatheaven (Oct 18, 2007)

Thanks to everyone who responded. It was very scary. Hope we don't ever go through that again. I feel sorry for the one kid left behind. His mom is a first freshener and is taking care of him but she's a little rough with him and really would rather be out with everyone else than in with her kid. So he just stays in a corner all by himself. I wish he had his little brother to curl up with. Mom is being kind of a pain. She broke out of the birthing pen two times to get out with everyone else. I keep dragging her back. I finally was able to secure the gate with a metal hook through the hole to keep her from lifting the gate latch. Hopefully everyone can get out and play soon and he can bond with the other twin boys. We still have at least 10 more does due. I am retiring from breeding after this go round. Love kids but don't like the stress of birthing. You'd think after 7 years I'd be used to it by now.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

WOW, I am sorry for your loss. I could not imagine that, or what happened. I guess the Lord decided that he did his job here in earth if only for a few minutes. I guess maybe it was so we all could learn from it.
:grouphug: To you. At least you have one little guy.


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