Over-Due Doe - an update

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Was gonna do this during halftime but the chili was soooooo good. And the Chiefs are doing all that well today anyway. Maybe missing the third quarter will bring them luck.

Here's my "problem":

Doe born Feb 19th. First litter. Bred on Nov 17th and by my count due on Dec 18th, along with some others. Everyone else kindled on schedule but she still hasn't had her babies.

Put nestbox in last Sunday - she built a wonderful nest - pulled enough fur that I'd think she'd be bald by now. She hasn't been eating past couple of days but that's not unusual just before birth. Been drinking plenty of water.

She's big - I've felt her belly and it's big and I think there are some lumps in there. Skin isn't tight - she doesn't seem to be in pain. She acts perfectly normal. No bleeding - moves around just fine. Sometimes she just lays in the nestbox but she hasn't been fouling it.

I've been blessed with good fortune regarding rabbit births so have never had any with any problems and certainly never any that have gone this long. I've read about lavender but don't know even where I'd find it. Dried or Fresh? Or does it matter?

I keep thinking I'll go out there and there will be babies or at least a big mess. Any advice you can offer will be appreciated - including go boil some water and stay out of the way and let Nature take it's course!

Thanks!

 

[MaggieJ]

Some does seem to take much longer than others. I'd hang in there for another day or two before taking action. Lavender buds, either fresh or dried, will help her expel the contents of the uterus and are helpful for retained kits, but I'd be hesitant to use it to bring on labour unless I suspected a problem. There can be problems getting does to eat lavender too.

I would offer her a couple of TUMS calcium based antacid tablets. These can sometimes be helpful around the time of birth and a couple will not hurt her.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Thanks, Maggie - I won't worry about lavender then, unless there truly is a problem. I've given her some fruit flavor tums - she just nibbled on them. (Some of the other does gobble them up when they're due.) I break them up and put them on top of their feed. Anyway, she hasn't touched most of hers. I just checked her again when I was out locking things up and she seems perfectly fine. If not for all the pulled fur and the excellent nest she made in her nestbox, I'd think she's just fooled me.

My plans are to just keep checking until the 29th. That's breeding day. If she hasn't kindled by then, I'm planning to put her back in with the buck. I'll leave the nestbox in until then. Had one Rex doe that I thought wasn't pregnant afterall and pulled the nestbox only to have her kindle the next night and lost the entire litter. Now I leave nestboxes in at least a week past the due date.

Thanks for your help.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

What is the purpose for the tums ?

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

I honestly don't remember. I think I read about it on here. There's calcium in the Tums and (I guess) some does need extra calcium when they kindle. I've given a couple of broken tables to the doe the day they're due and the day after they kindle for a long time now. Some gobble them up, some don't really care. Maybe Maggie or someone else can offer the real reason to use Tums.

 

[skysthelimit]

To provide extra calcium. Calcium is necessary for contractions. Sometimes before, lack of calcium can cause pre eclampsia, or during/after milk fever, a condition when the muscles lack calcium and they draw the calcium from the bones, causing seizures.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Thank you, Sky, I'm glad I've been giving them Tums. Some gobble them up, some don't. Still, it's worth the effort.

Update on Pebbles - she delivered one dead kit about mid-morning. She spent the rest of the day in and out of the nestbox. She looks like she might be having contractions but no additional babies yet. I'll be up early in the morning to go out and see if she had any more overnight. I don't expect any living kits but hopefully she'll be finished and she'll be okay.<br /><br />__________ Wed Dec 25, 2013 8:36 pm __________<br /><br />Well, Pebbles expelled another dead kit yesterday morning and nothing since. She's in and out of the nestbox - I'm thinking now mostly because she feels "safe" there. She's eating hay and has nibbled the Tums tablets. Kinda picking at her feed. Still drinking plenty of water. I don't know if she has any more in her or not - she acts perfectly normal.

So, today is Wednesday. My plan is to leave the nestbox in until Saturday. If she seems okay on Saturday, then I'll breed her again on Sunday. If any of y'all think that's a bad idea - or if I should be doing something different - please advise.

Thanks - and Merry Christmas!

 

[ladysown]

sounds like a good plan. I'd give her tummy a good feel before breeding her though, just to make sure it feels right.

 

[MaggieJ]

At this point, some lavender buds (fresh or dried) would help ensure she does not retain any kits. Sage is also useful for this, but not quite as strong, and should not be used if there are live kits because it can suppress milk production. But with the hope of live kits being so small, I'd be inclined to give her either or both. Most rabbits enjoy sage... Lavender, not so much.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

UPDATE: Got her some fresh Sage at the grocery store - she nibbled a little at first and then ate most of it. I'd say three or four sprigs. Hopefully, that's enough. She's eating her other food and hay and seems just fine. We'll see how she reacts to the buck on Sunday. Thanks again for your help!