# Goat seemed to continue laboring after twins - she needed a Caesarian!



## minnecolts (Feb 11, 2013)

Hi! What a wonderful forum! I found thegoatspot yesterday after my best milking doe (LaMancha, btw) birthed 2 healthy twins, but continued to have contractions - she passed the first placenta, had her 2nd kid, and that placenta did not pass ... I started getting nervous and wondering how long it takes...this was too long. I've been through over a hundred goat kiddings and something just didn't seem right.

I checked on her every hour for the past 24 hours to see if the placenta had finally been eliminated - and if she was nursing her babies, up and about, eating and drinking - everything seemed okay. This morning at hour 28 I gave a gentle pressure to the placental strings hanging from her and they fell out. I must stress though that the placenta and afterbirth should never ever be pulled or tugged on, they should pass normally. The pressure I applied was no more than a super light pressure. 

I didn't like the look or smell of the fluid or afterbirth that came out - so I scrubbed and put on a glove - nothing in the birth canal and her cervix had closed! oh no .... I came to the goatspot to investigate the forums and learn more about 'bumping.' When I did this, I indeed felt a baby! I wasn't positive, but coupled with her continued squatting, occasional contractions - I suspected there was a stillborn there.

There was! My suspicions were proved in an x-ray showing a stillborn kid. The 3 most important things that clued me in (and this is why I'm posting this story to help others) was her temperature elevation of several degrees, her dopey/depressed/oddly focused eyes, and the squatting/signs of internal pressure every 10 or 15 minutes. Coupled with the 'off' smell of the afterbirth. Usually it smells like internal organic matter - this smelled like day old liver.

I called my local vet and the vet very much doubted there was still a kid or even afterbirth, but I just sensed that something wasn't right - even her belly was still full, round and big on the bottom - not like after goats kid when it gets the gaunt hollows. But being the wonderful and caring vet that she is, she opened her office on a late, cold, rainy Sunday afternoon to check my goat. She called in her xray tech, too, and both experts determined in a matter of minutes that there was a stillborn - EMERGENCY SURGERY - it had been 36 hours after the onset of labor and decomposition was beginning - once the c-section was under way, it was determined that the kid had become enfolded in the uterus - not stuck near the pelvis (this, I was told, would have kept the cervix open - if there is nothing in the pelvis, the cervix will close), not stuck at all - just literally enfolded in a pocket of the uterus which itself had folded over. A very rare and odd event, to be sure.

The entire process took 1 hour and my beautiful doe is home post-surgery with some pain killer (Benamine) and some follow up antibiotics to be administered in 2 days. Her uterus was drenched with antibiotics and carefully sewed and returned to her inside. She was stitched up and stapled, and is on her feet eating hay, feeling much better, and LOOKING much better - eating hay, nursing her babies and bright eyed. 

What a miracle - with all my heart I cannot tell you all how happy I am that she has this second chance to live, and that I went with my intuition. I'm so cash strapped all the time, a phone bill hurts, but when it comes to this responsibility, I'm so glad I took good care of her. My vet told me to pay her when I could, can you imagine how that kindness changed my life and my goat's life? If I hadn't brought her, she'd have been dead tomorrow morning, and even worse, would have suffered terribly. 

I've been told she can nurse her young, kid normally next year and years to come, and wow, goats are resilient! I thought if she made it through I'd retire her, but not so. Despite this, she'll be having next year off to wander around in the buttercups in the field. Everyone deserves a good break now and then.  Can I help anyone in this situation with some information? I'd be glad to!


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

Wow..I'm so happy to hear you went with your own instinct..good for you, your doe is alive because of you and you should be proud of yourself..thanks for sharing.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Wow that is some story. Glad you brought her in.


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## pierceingstarr (Nov 13, 2012)

I shed a tear at reading about your girl. I am sorry you had to go threw it and I am glad she is much better. I hope know body has to go threw that. Hope to see some pictures of the new baby's.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm glad you had a good outcome. It is a great reminder to trust your instincts and don't hesitate to call the vet. You are better off being wrong with a vet bill than right with a dead goat.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Wow what a touching story. Vets may be good in what they know but only we know our goats. I'm glad you went with your instinct and got her in. Your vet sounds like a Godsend to the goat world.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I went through a similar thing last year -- my mom was able to work the kid out, gladly, and we had two beautiful kids  I'm glad momma and kids are okay!! Welcome to the goat spot


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## JenVise (Dec 7, 2012)

Nice catch!!! Congrats on the newest additions and the good health of your doe!!!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

So happy that you used your gut....and heart! Great that you have a vet close too, your girl is very lucky to be with you :hug:


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

ksalvagno said:


> I'm glad you had a good outcome. It is a great reminder to trust your instincts and don't hesitate to call the vet. You are better off being wrong with a vet bill than right with a dead goat.


 I love love love that..better off being wrong with a vet bill than right with a dead goat..


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Thanks! That came with lessons learned.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Thank you for sharing!! awesome and touching story and so happy on the ending : )


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Wonderful outcome....nice intuition


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