# Kid won't latch or suck



## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

I had twins born this morning around 5am. One buck and one doe. When I found the doe she was severely chilled, to the point where she was barely alive. I warmed her up and tube fed her her own mothers colostrum (about 9am). I had to go so work so I brought her with me. I gave her two vitamin b injections (just gave her a third). She started to suck (weakly) this afternoon about 1pm, but now she seems to be backtracking. She won't suck on anything at all, just puts her mouth around it. I feel like I've tried everything to keep her going. I'm going to tune her again now (7pm) but I can't see keeping a kid who won't nurse on their own. I can't keep tubing her.


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## anawhitfield (Jun 9, 2013)

She is probably too weak to nurse and these little guys have such a hard time holding on to their body heat. I see you are in New York. I am guessing if she were able able to sustain her temp she would have more energy to eat. We use heat barrels for our kids.
If it were my kid, I would take her inside over nite, I would wrap her in blankets, heated bottles, and I am sure once her temperature gets up to 101 and stays there, she will eat just fine.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I agree with Ana. I've had chilled kids that won't suck, no reflex for it at all. I have a dog biscuit box that is just the perfect size for a newborn goat kid. I give the kid a few cc's of warm, strong coffee mixed with karo or maple syrup/honey. Then I wrap them up in a towel, baby blanket, tee shirt or whatever is handy. I fill a 1 liter soda bottle with hot water, wrap it in 1 layer of towel or tee and set it next to the kid. I close the top of the box, leaving a section of flap open a bit for ventilation and leave the kid for an hour or two, sometimes overnight if they were really cold. I check on them every so often by putting my finger in their mouth. If it is warm, I will offer them a bottle. If they won't take it, I will dribble colostrum into their mouth with an eyedropper or dosing syringe.


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## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

Ok, thanks for the ideas. I'll try to bring her in and put a heat lamp on her. Any ideas on how to get the doe to accept her? I tried Vicks on the nose and babies but it doesn't seem to be working


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## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

Is it common for them to go from starting to suck back to not sucking at all?


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## anawhitfield (Jun 9, 2013)

That is not a good sign. She is too lethargic to suck. 
Are you able to warm her up? Can you give her a B shot and molasses? 
She won't nurse until she has the strength and she won't have the strength if she is focusing all her energy on keeping her body heat.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Have you taken her temp?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

She needs BoSe from vet. 1 cc per 40#. 
Make sure she is 100 degrees before feeding. If mouth is toasty warm she is good to go.


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## Goatdog21 (Apr 8, 2017)

Put molasses on the nipple of the bottle.


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

I have had kids that don't want to nurse or just suck once and lose interest. Try rubbing her bum while you feed it helps!


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## Goatdog21 (Apr 8, 2017)

Rub their neck


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