# Goat labor or miscarriage?



## cerne (Jan 11, 2014)

About 4 hours ago I noticed my goat had a long slightly blood string hanging from her. She was walking around eating. I did a quick check of the barn area and saw no baby. She is squatting every now and then but not laying down or showing signs of hard labor. A quick inspection doesn't show any feet or feet in vaginal area with finger inserted. She's a Nigerian dwarf and gave birth to a singleton last year with no problems. 

Could this be the afterbirth and the baby was lost?

Or is it normal for this amount of time before hard labor


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Hmmmm, have you looked everywhere for a kid? Try bouncing her to feel for the baby?


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## cerne (Jan 11, 2014)

Every where in the barn. The have access to a large wooded area of several acres but I looked around and listened out there


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Try bouncing her...see if you feel a kid in there...


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

It sounds like she has already kidded. If abortion she would just have blood on her tail, no string.
Do you have LGDs?


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## cerne (Jan 11, 2014)

I read about bouncing and just tried. It's not really soft like mushy but I can't say if I feel a baby. There is some blood dripping and the stuff hanging is defiantly birth related but I wish I could tell if it was afterbirth or that first water bag that has popped. 

Don't want to spend the night in the barn waiting for a placenta to pass. 

Have you seen an extended time between first water and hard labor?


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## cerne (Jan 11, 2014)

No predators around here. I just couldn't imagine she go outside in the snow to have the baby rather than in the barn where she did last year. I was really hoping that wasn't the case


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Oh good gosh nancyd....I didn't think of that  
I have hardly any experience with birthing....but nancyd is a pro....


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You need to go in and make sure there is no kid in there. If it is not positioned correctly, it could just be sitting in there and she won't feel the need to push.


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## cerne (Jan 11, 2014)

I went in as far as I could. She's only dilated enough for like three fingers. And she's really small. I couldn't feel anything. I don't think this is going to end well. I will have the vet out in the am.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

I agree with Karen.


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