# Pregnant doe with 42 breaths per minute



## Granolamom (Feb 22, 2009)

Aisa, my pregnant Pygmy/Alpine pet doe (due date is March 15th), has had several incidents of frothy bloat since Christmas day. We think we have it under control ( drenched with vegetable oil, took away all grain for 3 days, then slowly re-introduced it, cut out all treats, and treated her with Probios). I still use Probios as top-dressing, and she has not had another incident in 2 weeks, but still seems "off". She eats, drinks, poops and urinates fine, but does not seem to have much energy. Yesterday I checked her breathing rate, and found it to be 42 breaths per minute. Her nostrils move in and out continuously as she breathes. Could this have anything to do with her pregnancy, i.e. multiple, large kids? She has a tiny amount of bloody discharge on her hindquarters (this just started yesterday). Nothing much, just a dried droplet of it, from what I can tell. Any ideas?


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## Granolamom (Feb 22, 2009)

C'mon ya'll , what can I do? I've been searching for a mobile vet who will treat goats in my area for days, but can't seem to find one. Her elevated breathing is really freaking me out, and I want to make sure I do whatever I can to not endanger her babies. Are there any cases of increased breathing rates in does, while and because they're pregnant? And could this be some sort of pregnancy complication? She's been breathing like this ever since the bloat attacks several weeks ago.


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

Gosh I wish I had an answer for you as to what it could be, but it does not sound normal, she's quite far from her kidding date, so really doubt it could be because of big/too many kids. I would also be concerned about bloody discharge.

I think she could possibly be aborting- probably due from all of the stress of the bloating.
Have you determined why she keeps bloating??? Have you tried offering baking soda fre choice??


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

I found this link which gives a bunch of different ideas on what could be wrong- some of them have abortion and shortness of breath/labored breathing as a symptom, along with digestive upset (bloat?)
do any of these fit: http://www.florida-cracker.com/abortion.htm


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Did you do her respiration rate while she was standing or laying down?


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## Granolamom (Feb 22, 2009)

I checked her breathing when she was lying down, but she is breathing very fast when she's standing up, as well (maybe not quite as fast, but still faster than normal). I checked out the above website - thank you very much, great info. So far she has not aborted - I check her belly several times a day, and can feel the babies more and more each day. I've been wondering about their size and number, because I was under the impression that I should only be able to feel movement/fluttering on her right underside, right infront of her udder (which by the way is developing nicely). Today, I checked her on both sides, and felt definite movement/kicking on either side of her. I have given birth to 2 children, myself, and there's no doubt about what I felt when I placed my palms on her sides. Is this possible, especially since she still has at least 6 weeks to go? Al that moving around inside of her is what prompted me to think that there might be more than 2 kids, and that they might be huge. 
It took me a while to find a suitable buck for her, because she's such an odd size (about 80lbs, larger than a Pygmy, but smaller than an Alpine). I ended up "borrowing" a Toggenburg billy, who- according to the breeder who owns him- was the perfect size for her. Now I'm worried that he was too big, and that her babies are too big for her to carry to term. Is this a valid concern? She is not having any other symptoms at this time. I went out and brushed her earlier, because she loves it, and she seemed fine, other than the breathing. Sorry I'm being so long-winded, and inexperienced. I've only had my goats for a year, and am still learning...


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## whatknott (Feb 22, 2008)

I would take her temp just to make sure. Sometimes they start breathing fast if they have a temperature as a way of cooling themselves down.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

This late in pregnancy, yes you can feel kid movement on either side as well as under the belly. She likely has 3 in there and even at 6 weeks away from her due date they are growing fast. Cut back on her grain and give her just half her normal amount but make sure she either gets an alfalfa hay or supplement with pellets for calcium intake. Being pygmy/alpine....does she have the "short" barrel of a pygmy? The area between her hip and shoulder.
If she has the shorter barrel, the number of kids she's carrying will influence digestion...which in her case is the bloat, and her breathing because the growing kids are taking up space.


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