Kidding Issues (Dystocia)
Kidding Issues or Difficult Birth is called dystocia. We will not be talking here about the causes of dystocia, we will only be presenting the specific situations and how to solve the issue.
Checking The Cervix
If the doe has been in labor for a long time with no visible progress, it is advisable that you enter the doe to see what's going on.
1. Use surgical gloves and lube to enter the doe.
2. Move slowly and carefully and push your index and middle fingers into the doe. The cervix lies approximately four inches from the vaginal opening, and slightly down towards the barrel of the doe. If you have short fingers you may have to push further than you think.
3. Sweep your fingers in a circular motion around the walls of the vagina at the depth of a cervix. You should feel the open or partially open cervix at the tip of your fingers. The opening of the cervix feels thin but strong, and circular. When the cervix is completely open, you should be able to feel the edges of it along the walls of the vagina. If it is not fully open, you will be able to feel the size of the opening.
4. If you push a little farther, you should be able to feel a kid or a bag of waters beyond the cervix, but if the cervix is not yet fully dilated then don't worry if you can't yet feel a kid behind it. Let her labor longer until her cervix is completely ready.
Incomplete Dilation of the Cervix
A rare complication that occurs is incomplete dilation of the cervix, also known as ring womb. If the cervix is partially open, you can gently encourage the dilation by very gently rimming around the opening of the cervix. Wait some time, and then check her again to see if the cervix has dilated more. You can also give lutalyse to encourage the cervix to open if she is not progressing. In some cases, the cervix will not progress or will not open normally. In this instance, you must call your vet to intervene. The vet may prescribe drugs to encourage the cervix to open, or in extreme cases, he may recommend a cesarean section. NEVER try to force the cervix to open as you will likely cause irreparable damage and scar tissue that will cause problems for later kiddings.
Presentations
When you check for presentation of a kid, go slowly and calmly into the doe with your entire hand. Don't forget the lube! The womb is positioned well below the opening of the vagina, so you are going to go inside and then immediately down towards the barrel of the doe. You might feel confused about what you are feeling. Close your eyes and try to visualize what the kid looks like and try to identify the specific parts of the kid. The muzzle can be identified by feeling for the bottom teeth of the kid. This will also tell you which way the head is positioned. Teeth should be on the bottom, since goats do not have top teeth. If you have to sort out legs, feel the feet and determine which way the pasterns are bending. That will help you identify whether you have ahold of a back or a front leg. When pulling a kid, be sure that you pull towards the doe's feet in a curved motion, and not straight out. Doing so could injure the doe and the kid. NEVER EVER PULL A KID IF THE DOE IS NOT PUSHING! ONLY PULL WITH THE DOE'S CONTRACTIONS/PUSHES!
Kidding Issues or Difficult Birth is called dystocia. We will not be talking here about the causes of dystocia, we will only be presenting the specific situations and how to solve the issue.
Checking The Cervix
If the doe has been in labor for a long time with no visible progress, it is advisable that you enter the doe to see what's going on.
1. Use surgical gloves and lube to enter the doe.
2. Move slowly and carefully and push your index and middle fingers into the doe. The cervix lies approximately four inches from the vaginal opening, and slightly down towards the barrel of the doe. If you have short fingers you may have to push further than you think.
3. Sweep your fingers in a circular motion around the walls of the vagina at the depth of a cervix. You should feel the open or partially open cervix at the tip of your fingers. The opening of the cervix feels thin but strong, and circular. When the cervix is completely open, you should be able to feel the edges of it along the walls of the vagina. If it is not fully open, you will be able to feel the size of the opening.
4. If you push a little farther, you should be able to feel a kid or a bag of waters beyond the cervix, but if the cervix is not yet fully dilated then don't worry if you can't yet feel a kid behind it. Let her labor longer until her cervix is completely ready.
Incomplete Dilation of the Cervix
A rare complication that occurs is incomplete dilation of the cervix, also known as ring womb. If the cervix is partially open, you can gently encourage the dilation by very gently rimming around the opening of the cervix. Wait some time, and then check her again to see if the cervix has dilated more. You can also give lutalyse to encourage the cervix to open if she is not progressing. In some cases, the cervix will not progress or will not open normally. In this instance, you must call your vet to intervene. The vet may prescribe drugs to encourage the cervix to open, or in extreme cases, he may recommend a cesarean section. NEVER try to force the cervix to open as you will likely cause irreparable damage and scar tissue that will cause problems for later kiddings.
Presentations
When you check for presentation of a kid, go slowly and calmly into the doe with your entire hand. Don't forget the lube! The womb is positioned well below the opening of the vagina, so you are going to go inside and then immediately down towards the barrel of the doe. You might feel confused about what you are feeling. Close your eyes and try to visualize what the kid looks like and try to identify the specific parts of the kid. The muzzle can be identified by feeling for the bottom teeth of the kid. This will also tell you which way the head is positioned. Teeth should be on the bottom, since goats do not have top teeth. If you have to sort out legs, feel the feet and determine which way the pasterns are bending. That will help you identify whether you have ahold of a back or a front leg. When pulling a kid, be sure that you pull towards the doe's feet in a curved motion, and not straight out. Doing so could injure the doe and the kid. NEVER EVER PULL A KID IF THE DOE IS NOT PUSHING! ONLY PULL WITH THE DOE'S CONTRACTIONS/PUSHES!
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A. Four Legs and Head
A kid cannot be born in this position. You must push the back legs back down into the womb until the front legs and head only are presenting. B. Front Legs Presenting, Head Back A kid cannot be born in this position. Place your hand into the doe above the front legs and let your hand travel in a downward direction to find the head and pull it up towards the birth canal. You may have to use a snare to retrieve the head, especially if the kid is not alive. C. Normal Anterior Presentation This is the normal presentation of a kid. His front legs and head are positioned in the birth canal. A doe should not need any help with this presentation unless the kid is large. D. Posterior Presentation, Single Leg A kid cannot be born in this position. You must enter the doe and retrieve the leg that is down. Once you have both legs, you can pull them together and deliver the kid. You must pull smoothly and quickly with all posterior positions, because the umbilical cord will break before the kids head is delivered, causing the kid to take a breath inside. This presentation is similar to a full posterior presentation, with the butt only presenting. In this case, you must retrieve both rear legs before pulling. |
E. Breech Presentation
In most cases, this presentation is quite normal and the kid can be delivered in this position. You must pull smoothly and quickly with all posterior positions, because the umbilical cord will break before the kids head is delivered, causing the kid to take a breath inside.
F. Upside Down
A kid cannot be born in this position. This is one of the toughest presentations to correct, but luckily it is very rare. The kid needs to be flipped over so that the head and front feet are presenting in a normal presentation, instead of upside down. The easiest way to correct this is to bend the front legs close to the kids body, get ahold of the head, and twist 180 degrees while you bring the head up towards the birth canal. You may need a snare in this situation.
G. Spine First
A kid cannot be born in this position. This is another difficult presentation to correct. If the spine is presenting first, you need to careful enter the doe and push the kid away from the birth canal and find the head. It take quite a bit of maneuvering to get the kid into position to be delivered. Just move slowly and you can grab the head and pull and twist him up into position. Do not worry about the front legs. As long as you can find the head and pull it up into position to be born, you will be fine. It is possible that you may need to use a snare to correct this position, but you have to push the kid back down to get to the head.
H. Head Upside Down and Back
A kid cannot be born in this position. This position is similar to B but the head is actually backwards and upside down. To correct this position you need to push the kid back down into the womb to make room to flip the head over. Once you have the head flipped, the kid can be delivered normal. This position, however, is bound to have a high mortality rate, especially if the doe has been pushing for a long time with the kids head backwards and upside down.
I. Head Down
A kid cannot be born in this position. This position is fairly easy to correct. Enter the doe and sweep your fingers down and around to catch the muzzle of the kid and pull it up into the birth canal. If the kid is large, you may need to push the front legs back down to release some pressure in order to free the head enough to lift the muzzle to the birth canal. Make sure that the head is raised up enough so that it lays on top of the front legs. I once had a kid try to come out with one leg over his head and I had a very difficult time moving the leg back down to where it belonged because the kid was large.
J. Backwards, Back of Head First
A kid cannot be born in this position. This position looks pretty serious but you should be able to enter the doe and grab ahold of the head and twist slowly so that the head enters the birth canal normally. The body should follow the head in a normal presentation position. Just twist and pull slowly.
Presentation of Multiples
Multiples are common in most breeds. Sometimes, two kids try to come out at the same time. causing legs from different kids to enter the birth canal. You must move slowly but deliberately to untangle the kids. Try to identify which legs belong to which kids by following the legs to the body. Don't be afraid to gently push one kid back down into the womb so that it is out of the way of the first to be born. In extreme cases, you may have to use a snare to hold one kids head while you push the other back down into the womb.
Kid Too Large to Deliver
In the case that a kid is too large to deliver, call your vet immediately. Do not delay. The doe may need a cesarean section to deliver the kid.
Hemorrhaging
If the doe is bleeding an excess of bright red blood after she delivers, she may be hemorrhaging. Call your vet immediately, as it could be a sign of a ruptured uterus or a torn cervix, which are both extremely serious situations. Check the color of your does eye membranes and gums, and make sure they stay pink. If they are pale, you may be in a very bad situation. Sometimes you can stop the bleeding with oxytocin, as the drug causes the uterus to clamp down and stop the hemorrhaging. Other times, when the hemorrhaging is serious and cannot be stopped, your doe will bleed out and die in 24-72 hours. I lost a doe due after kidding due to uterine tear in January 2018. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I lost the doe and all three of her kids. She slowly bled out and died 28 hours after she kidded.
Torsion of the Uterus
Torsion, or twisting, of the uterus is quite rare, but it can happen. The uterus can get twisted, trapping the kids inside the womb. There are some really interesting videos on YouTube which show the process to correct torsion of the uterus. I, an experienced breeder, would not feel comfortable intervening in this matter so I recommend vet intervention in order to very careful untwist the uterus so that the kids can be born.
After Dystocia
In most cases, when you have had to enter a doe and manipulate kids to help deliver them, you should start the doe on a round of antibiotics in order to stave off any infection you may have introduced. Oxytetracycline is the preferred antibiotic for reproductive issues, and you can administer the first dose directly into the uterus with a syringe (no needle) through the cervix, after the placenta is delivered.
A doe's vulva may be swollen after dystocia, or after serious manipulation of kids. After the placenta is delivered, use warm soapy water to clean her up, and apply hemorrhoid cream to her vulva to reduce the swelling. A doe will normally have a bloody discharge for up to two weeks after delivery as her uterus is cleaned out naturally. If her discharge turns foul smelling, she likely has an infection and you should start antibiotics right away.
Now, let's explore how to take care of those adorable kids you helped bring into this world...
In most cases, this presentation is quite normal and the kid can be delivered in this position. You must pull smoothly and quickly with all posterior positions, because the umbilical cord will break before the kids head is delivered, causing the kid to take a breath inside.
F. Upside Down
A kid cannot be born in this position. This is one of the toughest presentations to correct, but luckily it is very rare. The kid needs to be flipped over so that the head and front feet are presenting in a normal presentation, instead of upside down. The easiest way to correct this is to bend the front legs close to the kids body, get ahold of the head, and twist 180 degrees while you bring the head up towards the birth canal. You may need a snare in this situation.
G. Spine First
A kid cannot be born in this position. This is another difficult presentation to correct. If the spine is presenting first, you need to careful enter the doe and push the kid away from the birth canal and find the head. It take quite a bit of maneuvering to get the kid into position to be delivered. Just move slowly and you can grab the head and pull and twist him up into position. Do not worry about the front legs. As long as you can find the head and pull it up into position to be born, you will be fine. It is possible that you may need to use a snare to correct this position, but you have to push the kid back down to get to the head.
H. Head Upside Down and Back
A kid cannot be born in this position. This position is similar to B but the head is actually backwards and upside down. To correct this position you need to push the kid back down into the womb to make room to flip the head over. Once you have the head flipped, the kid can be delivered normal. This position, however, is bound to have a high mortality rate, especially if the doe has been pushing for a long time with the kids head backwards and upside down.
I. Head Down
A kid cannot be born in this position. This position is fairly easy to correct. Enter the doe and sweep your fingers down and around to catch the muzzle of the kid and pull it up into the birth canal. If the kid is large, you may need to push the front legs back down to release some pressure in order to free the head enough to lift the muzzle to the birth canal. Make sure that the head is raised up enough so that it lays on top of the front legs. I once had a kid try to come out with one leg over his head and I had a very difficult time moving the leg back down to where it belonged because the kid was large.
J. Backwards, Back of Head First
A kid cannot be born in this position. This position looks pretty serious but you should be able to enter the doe and grab ahold of the head and twist slowly so that the head enters the birth canal normally. The body should follow the head in a normal presentation position. Just twist and pull slowly.
Presentation of Multiples
Multiples are common in most breeds. Sometimes, two kids try to come out at the same time. causing legs from different kids to enter the birth canal. You must move slowly but deliberately to untangle the kids. Try to identify which legs belong to which kids by following the legs to the body. Don't be afraid to gently push one kid back down into the womb so that it is out of the way of the first to be born. In extreme cases, you may have to use a snare to hold one kids head while you push the other back down into the womb.
Kid Too Large to Deliver
In the case that a kid is too large to deliver, call your vet immediately. Do not delay. The doe may need a cesarean section to deliver the kid.
Hemorrhaging
If the doe is bleeding an excess of bright red blood after she delivers, she may be hemorrhaging. Call your vet immediately, as it could be a sign of a ruptured uterus or a torn cervix, which are both extremely serious situations. Check the color of your does eye membranes and gums, and make sure they stay pink. If they are pale, you may be in a very bad situation. Sometimes you can stop the bleeding with oxytocin, as the drug causes the uterus to clamp down and stop the hemorrhaging. Other times, when the hemorrhaging is serious and cannot be stopped, your doe will bleed out and die in 24-72 hours. I lost a doe due after kidding due to uterine tear in January 2018. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I lost the doe and all three of her kids. She slowly bled out and died 28 hours after she kidded.
Torsion of the Uterus
Torsion, or twisting, of the uterus is quite rare, but it can happen. The uterus can get twisted, trapping the kids inside the womb. There are some really interesting videos on YouTube which show the process to correct torsion of the uterus. I, an experienced breeder, would not feel comfortable intervening in this matter so I recommend vet intervention in order to very careful untwist the uterus so that the kids can be born.
After Dystocia
In most cases, when you have had to enter a doe and manipulate kids to help deliver them, you should start the doe on a round of antibiotics in order to stave off any infection you may have introduced. Oxytetracycline is the preferred antibiotic for reproductive issues, and you can administer the first dose directly into the uterus with a syringe (no needle) through the cervix, after the placenta is delivered.
A doe's vulva may be swollen after dystocia, or after serious manipulation of kids. After the placenta is delivered, use warm soapy water to clean her up, and apply hemorrhoid cream to her vulva to reduce the swelling. A doe will normally have a bloody discharge for up to two weeks after delivery as her uterus is cleaned out naturally. If her discharge turns foul smelling, she likely has an infection and you should start antibiotics right away.
Now, let's explore how to take care of those adorable kids you helped bring into this world...
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