I'm Not a Vet For a Reason

Like so many animal-obsessed little girls, there was a period of time when I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian. 'Sounds like a dream job, right? Working each day with fluffy kittens and cute puppies, helping old dogs feel better and making pet owners happy. Except. Except that the job really involves a whole lot of putting animals to sleep, seeing suffering and pain that cannot be fixed, helplessly recognizing pet owners that are indifferent or even cruel toward their pets. And then there is the blood. And open wounds. And oozing.

My career decision rightfully moved toward the teaching profession, and it was a good choice. After 25 years I still love my art teaching job. Yes, I deal with annoying technology, messy pottery wheels and buckets of wallpaper paste, but there is no blood. There is no crying out in pain (unless you spend any time in the faculty room - there you can hear some crying out), there are no open wounds, and there is no oozing. I'm so glad there is no oozing.

It has come to my attention that when a goat gives birth there is apparent suffering and crying out in pain. And there is definitely oozing.

What to do? Well, after my girls were bred I began Operation Desensitization. I have watched dozens and dozens of goat birthing videos over the last several weeks, and I am happy to report I can now watch with great interest. I now not only keep my eyes open the entire time, I find myself critiquing the whole operation. "Oh, that's a nice kidding pen, filled with fluffy shavings!" "Why is that poor goat giving birth in the dirt next to a lawn mower??" "Wipe the poor kid's face, already!" "Why are they pulling on the kid when everything seems to be going fine?" "I did not see them use any anti-bacterial anything!"

Along with no longer feeling horrified, I am beginning to see the magic in the births I have been watching. Each doe is a little different. Some are more vocal, some seem to take it more in stride. The circle of life is so beautiful, and watching new life appear has to top anything else that we can witness. My maternal instincts have taken over, and I cannot wait to see my little does bring new kids into the world. I am excited and honored to be part of something so primitive and so elemental.

I will definitely have my vet's cell number handy, as well as the numbers of my experienced farm friends, but I think I can do this.

And I'm confident I can handle the oozing.

This is a video from Sunflower Farm Creamery - when I grow up I want to have a farm like this :)

Great Expectations

Alternate Title: Are My Goats Really Pregnant? If So, Now What?

This morning the vet came by, and Lilly and Annabelle had ultrasounds. I'm am sooooo excited to report that they are both indeed pregnant and they are both carrying at least two kids!!!

Lilly was bred on January 31st and Annabelle was bred on February 1st. Both were in beautiful condition at the time of breeding, and they continue to be. So far I have done nothing differently as far as nutrition: I continue to give them a mix of alfalfa and grass hays, and a half cup of grain a day along with free choice minerals. Fresh, clean water (warmed twice a day and in heated buckets) is always available. Their coats are lush and they appear to me to be in great condition. I do struggle with my ability to judge if they are overweight (they are so fluffy in the winter, and their rumens make them look fat) so I asked the vet today to help me, and she did a great job demonstrating how to tell, and she determined they are in good shape right now.

Online there is a lot of technical info about goats and using ultrasound for pregnancy detection, and also many personal thoughts and stories in the forums. There is also a TON on purchasing your own ultrasound unit so you can do it yourself. I suppose really experienced people who have lots and lots of goats may wish to do that, but I really wanted my vet to come out and take care of things, including discuss upcoming vaccinations, check on my goats with fresh eyes, and to simply chat with me about what I should be looking for, feeding, and doing over the next few months.

My specific ultrasound goals for the girls included 1: confirming pregnancy (goats do not "show" much until later in the pregnancy) and 2: trying to determine if there are multiples (knowing full well that it is not always very accurate). Neither doe has been in heat since the breeding and my other two girls have been in heat a couple of times since then, so that is a good sign, but I still want to be sure. A big reason for knowing more details regarding pregnancy is the fact that nutrition for my little mammas will become increasingly important as we get closer to kidding. 

I have read many scary things regarding what can happen if you over or under feed your pregnant goats. I'm certain that there are lots of people who just hope for the best and everything turns out great.  It's like people who don't care about their dogs and let them run free - those dogs never seem to get hit by cars. The one freakin' moment my loved and pampered dog gets loose I lose him in the road. Sigh. It's been several years now but I guess I'm still bitter. But back to goats: I feel an immense sense of responsibility to have my girls stay healthy throughout this process, and to kid healthy babies. I confess to having moments of panic ("what the heck am I thinking??") contrasting with moments of great confidence ("this is a natural process that has been happening for eons"). I do believe in preparation, however, so preparing is what I've been doing.

I feel more confident after my visit with the vet. For $134 she drove to my house, examined the two does, did the ultrasound on both does, examined my old doe who seems to be having some trouble chewing (the vet found she is missing a tooth but is still in good condition, so I just have to monitor her at this point.) and stayed and discussed important things like nutrition and vaccinations with me. 'So worth every single penny.

This was the contraption the vet used - she had no problems seeing the kids. She was able to snap a still shot, and when I put on the glasses I saw the little head and front legs of a kid! It was blurry to me, but it made sense after she explained it, haha :)

Vinny and Sal are not coming near the barn as long as the vet's truck is in the driveway :)

This was taken after the vet left - Leo is sitting on the counter wondering what all the hubbub is about. You can see Vinny still won't come near the barn, despite me handing out treats. You can see some treats sitting by my checkbook - macaroni - their favorite :)

Annabelle and Lilly both did so well! They stood still (well, I held them, but they didn't really struggle) and were sweet for the vet. Here Annabelle is peeking around the corner, wondering what the heck just happened.

These vets are amazing: Maplewood, from Middleport.

Great Expectations :)