Goat Kid, No Milk...

We are not out of the woods yet, it seems. Last night, Lilly's udder was large and soft. Her teats were not filling. No colostrum. No milk. They were not hard to the touch or overly warm. It seemed like her udder just needed a little time to catch up with the rest of the body. We were encouraged that Lilly was not kicking away Chloe when she attempted to nurse. Chloe latched on well and was suckling for all she was worth- she just wasn't getting anywhere. Both parties were doing their part, it seems like this should just work! Both Sean and I massaged Lilly's udder and tried to milk her to get her started. Nothing. It was late. No one seemed in immediate danger. We'd check them through the night to see if with stimulation, milk would get flowing as it should.

Last night. Udder is filled and soft, but nothing happening...

This morning, we were in the same boat. Another "first" for us to learn about, we called our trusted Veterinaries at Ridge Runner for some suggestions. And, I looked to the Internet for clues to the potential issue(s). We ruled out a couple possibilities. I read about a few folks suggesting the use of Oxytocin to get milk to let down. Thankfully, we had some on hand. We wanted to check with our Veterinary before using it, though. Dr. Arena called back with the dose and Sean administered the injection. We also gave 20 cc of the Propylene Glycol orally and an extra serving of grain. Lilly has a good appetite and is active. She had no fever or any other signs of trouble. Sean had made a previous commitment to work with a friend today, which left me home checking on Lilly and Chloe.

The Oxytocin seemed to do the trick. Within two hours, Lilly's udder has certainly filled. Her teats are not filling, though. I tried milking both sides. I tried massaging them. No success. And, my new worry is that her udder is now hot to the touch and hard as a rock. I think there most certainly is a blockage. She could also be dealing with mastitis. I suspect that Dr. Larson will run a tube up the opening in the teats to clear them. Perhaps, Lilly will need an antibiotic, too. We'll find out shortly. With Sean an hour away in Ellsworth and Cait taking my van to work with her today, I shuffled some things and called in the Calvary. My van will be here within the hour and we have an appointment with the vet at 11 am.

My main concern is Lilly's health and well-being. I am still upset about the loss of her second kid last night. It brings back painful memories for other kiddings gone awry. I don't want to lose her and I am afraid of the worst. I keep reminding myself that whatever-this-is can probably be resolved with a good outcome. But, I must confess, there is a tiny niggling voice in the back of my head counting pennies. The check we wrote on Sunday brought us to a critically low fund area. This visit might be the straw that breaks the bank. And, this is where faith comes in. We have never been without a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, nor food in our bellies. This, too, will work itself out financially. I thank God that he knows how, because right now? I haven't a clue. My job is to just do what needs doing to take the best care of this animal.

I'll fill you in as soon as I can. And, so as to not leave you dangling in worry with me, I'll share some pictures I did not have time to post yesterday. I hope they make you smile.

Benjamin and Jacob take an afternoon snooze in the sun. 

Ben was sprawled and comfortable, but the look on Jacob's face, was hilarious.
"Dude! Do you mind? Boundaries!" :)

Baby Ruthie knows where the good stuff lives. 

I love that sweet face! ♥

Ruth is going to be as snuggly as her Momma. It was so hard to take pictures when all she wanted to do was get as close as she could to me. I kept moving her away to try to snap a shot, but was only quick enough to get this one. :) It'll do.