# Second opinion on pooch test



## waldeneffect (Jun 20, 2015)

I'm hoping some more experienced goatkeepers can give me a second opinion on this photo. Do you think my Mini-Nubian is pregnant?










The long story: Artemesia is currently about 15 months old and this will be her first pregnancy. This spring, I left her in with another doe's buckling kid in hopes he would mate with her, but I suspect he was too young (three months old) at the time. The buckling mounted her constantly, but I'm not so sure he ever got as far as penetration.

Artemesia _did_ definitely go into heat in May, but she hasn't yet gone into a clearly discernible heat this fall and the buckling is long gone. If she's not pregnant, I want to start lining up a driveway date, but I'm starting to wonder if perhaps that buckling did the job after all. What do you think?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

She doesn't look pregnant to me.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Doesn't look bred to me either.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I agree, she looks open


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## waldeneffect (Jun 20, 2015)

Thanks, everybody! It sounds like the consensus is that I need to set up that play date ASAP.


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## waldeneffect (Jun 20, 2015)

Sorry to ask the same question again...but does this third photo in the series make you feel any differently? The reason I keep beating this dead horse is that this doe doesn't seem to be coming into heat.

In the spring, we had a buckling around, and Artemesia's heats were really obvious. She had visible discharge and yelled like crazy. (She's a mini-Nubian --- she talks.)

This fall, our other doe (usually the quiet one) has come into obvious heats, but Artemesia hasn't. Which makes me wonder once again if she could be pregnant.










What do you think? Does she still look open?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That 3rd one looks pregnant.


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## waldeneffect (Jun 20, 2015)

ksalvagno said:


> That 3rd one looks pregnant.


That's what I'm starting to think too. That would be good news --- winter milk! Anyone else want to chime in?


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## LadySecret (Apr 20, 2013)

The 15 week picture looks bred to me too.


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## waldeneffect (Jun 20, 2015)

Thanks to both of you! I'm going to go on the assumption she is pregnant then, but keep watching for signs.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

Could somebody explain to me just what we're looking for here? It seems to me that the difference in these photos is #3 the vulva and surrounding tissues seem slightly puffier. Is that right? Thanks!


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## waldeneffect (Jun 20, 2015)

top_goat said:


> Could somebody explain to me just what we're looking for here? It seems to me that the difference in these photos is #3 the vulva and surrounding tissues seem slightly puffier. Is that right? Thanks!


Please keep in mind that if Artemesia is pregnant, I've been around two whole pregnant goats in my life. So I'm obviously still learning. But I'll take a stab at answering.

Here's the official description from this forum: http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f218/pooch-test-description-pictures-112014/

The part that really seems visible to me is the way the anus tends to poof out and the entire vulva area gets puffier (as you said). I think this is tougher to see in a first freshener like Artemesia.

For the sake of comparison, take a look at my older doe, Abigail, who kidded at the beginning of March this year:










I'm guessing here, but I think that after a goat has kidded once, her vulva flesh has expanded a bit to make way for those kids coming out. So, when she's not pregnant, the vulva looks wrinkly as the excess skin pulls back together. Then, when she's nearing birth again, the vulva puffs back up in preparation for another kid passing through.

But, as I said above, this is based on my sample size of two! A more experienced goatkeeper might chime in here.


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

Thanks! Thank link helped also. Based on this I would guess I have at least one in four bred, possibly 2 in four. #3 is at a friends on a romantic getaway, and I'm trying to hold #4 for a couple of months so I can rotate their dry times (dairy) -- so I hopefully have milk year-round! Thanks for the help!


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