# Failure to dilate ?



## COgoatLover25 (Dec 23, 2013)

I had a goat 2 months ago that had to be put down because the vet said that her cervix had failed to dilate so the babies could not come out without seriously injuring Lily the Nigerian Dwarf goat. Wondering if anybody else has had experience with this sort of problem and how it turned out .


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Oh how pretty she was. She does not look very old, what was her age? Previous kiddings?
This is one I haven't experienced.
What is your loose mineral program?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sometimes that just happens. But I would make sure they are good on selenium and copper.


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## COgoatLover25 (Dec 23, 2013)

She was 6 and had not had any kids before so I was thinking that was maybe the reason but wanted to have everybody's opinion on it too. At the time we did not have any minerals except for the feed we gave her that was supposed to have all the minerals pregnant goats need.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Feed itself never has sufficient amounts of minerals I don't know whey they bother.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I am wondering why the vet didn't do a C-section.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

toth boer goats said:


> I am wondering why the vet didn't do a C-section.


Me too...


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I was wondering the same thing...


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## COgoatLover25 (Dec 23, 2013)

The goat was exhausted and the vet said that the chance was slim that she or the babies would make it :'(


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## COgoatLover25 (Dec 23, 2013)

The babies were already gone and I did not want to put her threw any more pain.


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

I assisted in a case of this at a friend's ranch. Long hours of pulling and the first baby came out. At the time, I thought she was the only kid, but several hours later another came out (stillborn), and then after her a third doeling was born alive. Definitely not a good thing to have happen. I'm not sure what causes it; the doe was older but I have no idea if she had previously kidded. She was a LaMancha cross. So sorry about your doe.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Mostly all I've seen, survive after a C-section, even being exhausted and still care for their kids. 
So the vet IMO is a little out there with that opinion. I would of given the Doe a chance if she were mine.

Banamine would of been given for pain and swelling, antibiotics, good feed, love and plenty of rest. Even if her babies didn't make it.

It is a sad situation you lost her, sometimes a vet can be wrong and not know about goats, I am sorry.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

COgoatLover25 said:


> I had a goat 2 months ago that had to be put down because the vet said that her cervix had failed to dilate so the babies could not come out without seriously injuring Lily the Nigerian Dwarf goat. Wondering if anybody else has had experience with this sort of problem and how it turned out .


It could be ring womb. Although I have no experience with it, I have read about it. It is a hereditary condition in which the cervix does not dilate during labor. One has to go in and manually manipulate it to get it to dilate enough for the kids to pass through. It is also very painful for the doe according to what I've read.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm sorry for your loss. She looked like a sweetie. :hug:

My older doe Beep who is 6 going on 7 has problems dilating. She has kid twice so far. Both times I have had to manually dilate her to some extent. She dilates but only so far. I think it might have something to do with being bred for the first time so late in life.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

COgoatLover25, can I ask whereabouts you live in Colorado? Specifically, I'm wondering if you live anywhere near Greeley?


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## COgoatLover25 (Dec 23, 2013)

No where near Greeley


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## COgoatLover25 (Dec 23, 2013)

I hear a lot about manually dilating a goat , what is this and how do you do it?


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

You glove up, lube up very well, and go in. Using one or two fingers, you circle the cervix applying pressure to help it to dilate. Apply too much pressure and you risk tearing it, don't apply enough and it won't dilate. I've never had to do it, thank God, but from what I've read it is very painful for the doe. Google Ring Womb for more information. Although I know there are not that many vets who are knowledgeable about goats, I would have thought being able to manipulate a cervix into dilating would be pretty standard stuff in vet school. Maybe I'm wrong, or maybe the vet just didn't think a goat was worth the effort - I don't know. I know I've ran into the thinking that a goat is expendable because they aren't worth what a cow or horse is before.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I wondered about Greely because there is a very good vet clinic there that has extensive knowledge about goats. I don't know the name of it, but someone I know did her internship for vet tech there.


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## lauraanimal1 (Sep 5, 2013)

Was just wondering that myself being that I just bred 2 does that this is there 1st breeding but they was 4-41/2 when I got them so there 1st kidding will be in there 5th year of life. So far I have gleaned from this thread that older does has a tendency to do that So I want to be prepaired! :book::whatgoat::smile:;-)


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

If you are talking about the ring womb, it has nothing to do with age as far as I can tell - it is an inherited condition and will happen regardless of the age of breeding.


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## lauraanimal1 (Sep 5, 2013)

I'm asking mainly just how to manly Dilate a doe, How do you do it?:thumbup:


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## COgoatLover25 (Dec 23, 2013)

GoatCrazy said:


> I wondered about Greely because there is a very good vet clinic there that has extensive knowledge about goats. I don't know the name of it, but someone I know did her internship for vet tech there.


Could you get me the name of that ? It might be close enough for just regular checkup a if they are really good.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Countryside Large Animal Veterinary Service
3765 West "O" Street, Greeley, CO 80631
(970) 351-7045


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

lauraanimal1 said:


> I'm asking mainly just how to manly Dilate a doe, How do you do it?:thumbup:


Go back to the previous page, towards the middle.


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## COgoatLover25 (Dec 23, 2013)

GoatCrazy said:


> Countryside Large Animal Veterinary Service
> 3765 West "O" Street, Greeley, CO 80631
> (970) 351-7045


Thanks, I will definitely check it out


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

No problem. From what I've heard - they are really good.


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