Day 26? What the heck?!?

[GBov]

I was walking past my junior doe - Sugar Cube - and saw something hanging from the cage floor wire. A teensy tiny kit! On day TWENTY SIX!!!

She had another one a few min. later.

Put them on a heating pad but neither of them lasted more than an hour.

What would make a doe kindle on day 26? And if she only had two, is there a chance of more kits at the proper time or should I breed her again?

Rabbits eh? They sure keep me hoppin!

 

[ladysown]

miscarriage. Wait out the remaining days, sometimes they kindle the rest of the kits later on (had that once). Other times it's just done and just sad to lose kits early. My assumption always is that there was a genetic fault and I try not to rebreed the same pairing.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I wonder if something could have spooked her?

Sorry about the lost little ones. Hopefully she still has some kits in her and will deliver them in a few days. :clover:

 

[Miss M]

So sorry about the little popples that came too early! I hope she has more, and they wait a few more days! :clover:

 

[Comet007]

I'm sorry to hear about the lost babies!

If you think there might be more babies that are stuck (and if you think it was a miscarriage and no healthy babies will be born) you can give the doe Blue Cohosh - it can help with labor and any stuck babies, since it will dilate the birth canal. It can also help with healing after the birth.

 

[GBov]

I'm sorry to hear about the lost babies!

If you think there might be more babies that are stuck (and if you think it was a miscarriage and no healthy babies will be born) you can give the doe Blue Cohosh - it can help with labor and any stuck babies, since it will dilate the birth canal. It can also help with healing after the birth.

I cant imagine any being stuck, they were soooooo small. Blue Cohosh sounds a useful kind of thing to have around!

Its strange, but loosing little kits like this is more upsetting than loosing older kits.

Never mind, this was her first try and there might be more later on, if not, mid week she will go again with the other does due to breed then.

As my mum was there when I checked them in the heating pad nest and found them dead, they got a burial instead of being dog snacks. :roll:

 

[Comet007]

LOL! So nice of you to be considerate of your mom! I can imagine that it would be sad having the new ones die like that, though I'm sure any loss is always a little sad.

Yes, I am definitely going to keep some Blue Cohosh on hand - as well as lavender (which is also a mild tranquilizer and pain reliever) and fenugreek (also a good convalescent herb), which also help with delivery and inducing labor. From what I've read, it seems like if the doe really goes past her due date the kits are usually born dead (though I know there are always exceptions), so I'm thinking that I will have a blend of the three on hand and start giving some to the doe once she's a couple days late with delivery. Of course, that wouldn't apply in your situation, but hopefully still something useful to ponder.

 

[skysthelimit]

ketosis will cause miscarriage as well. watch her closely next time.

 

[GBov]

ketosis will cause miscarriage as well. watch her closely next time.

What is ketosis in this situation? Causes and avoidance?

It broke my heart this morning, she had made a lovely nest and had 6 more kits, all dead.

She is due to be rebred and shall see what happens. It took her almost an entire YEAR to reach senior weight but she is a cracking doe to look at now. Fingers crossed she does better next time.

 

[michaels4gardens]

have you changed feed or got a new batch of feed lately?? sometimes ,--a little mold in the feed ingredients, will cause some abortions.

 

[GBov]

have you changed feed or got a new batch of feed lately?? sometimes ,--a little mold in the feed ingredients, will cause some abortions.

We get through three bags a week and buy it once a week so we don't have feed stored in the barn for long.

Mold is always a possibility though, its been raining almost non stop for weeks now. :roll:

 

[skysthelimit]

ketosis will cause miscarriage as well. watch her closely next time.

What is ketosis in this situation? Causes and avoidance?

It broke my heart this morning, she had made a lovely nest and had 6 more kits, all dead.

She is due to be rebred and shall see what happens. It took her almost an entire YEAR to reach senior weight but she is a cracking doe to look at now. Fingers crossed she does better next time.

This is just a piece from the Merck Vet manual. There is also something about it in the ARBA manual
KETOSIS
(Pregnancy toxemia)

Ketosis is a rare disorder that may result in death of does at or 1–2 days before kindling. The disease is more common in first-litter does. Predisposing factors include obesity and lack of exercise. The probable cause is starvation. For some reason not well understood, there is anorexia. Other signs are dullness of eyes, sluggishness, respiratory distress, prostration, and death. The most significant lesions are fatty liver and kidneys. The body mobilizes fat and transports it to the liver to be broken down for energy, thus the fatty liver. Diagnosis depends on clinical signs and necropsy lesions. Injection of fluids that contain glucose may be helpful in correcting the disease. Breeding junior does early, before they become too fat, is also helpful. Hairballs in the stomach are often a factor in ketosis

Basically some imbalance causes the body to need to break down the fat, it goes tot he liver and causes a toximia. I've lost two does shortly before they were due to kindle. They went off the feed, not all my does do this but I thought it was normal, then tehy died shortly. I had one abort the litter, days before it was due, but I was able to save her. But she never really recovered, she had litters half the size of the first, missed a lot. It's just something I look for now.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I'm sorry to hear about the lost babies!

If you think there might be more babies that are stuck (and if you think it was a miscarriage and no healthy babies will be born) you can give the doe Blue Cohosh - it can help with labor and any stuck babies, since it will dilate the birth canal. It can also help with healing after the birth.

I cant imagine any being stuck, they were soooooo small. Blue Cohosh sounds a useful kind of thing to have around!

Its strange, but loosing little kits like this is more upsetting than loosing older kits.

Never mind, this was her first try and there might be more later on, if not, mid week she will go again with the other does due to breed then.

As my mum was there when I checked them in the heating pad nest and found them dead, they got a burial instead of being dog snacks. :roll:

You want to be careful with herbals....Blue Cohosh can be quite strong and can cause complications of it's own. Also, it has to be prepared in a tincture to work. The active ingredients are not water soluble. Lavender is effective but I don't use it lightly, as it causes the uterus to empty itself rather strongly, so I only use it on does that are past day 35. Fenugreek is a great galactogogue...helps with milk production.

 

[GBov]

Thankfully the doe looks in great health, eating and drinking and moving like normal. Ketosis sounds a nasty way to loose them.