Palpation

[macksmom98]

I have watched some YouTube videos on palpitating a Doe and the proper way to do it. I can't get my girl to allow me to reach up under her. She's very protective of that area and growls and nips if I try. I have attempted to get her on her back and feel around. Her teats are protruding a little, but I couldn't feel anything. My question with that is, because she was flipped over would gravity cause the kits (if any) to moved towards her back making it more difficult to detect them or should I be able to feel something this way? We are day 17.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hi Macksmom,

first off, I wanted to let you know that I edited your title for clarity, I hope... although maybe I made things worse, because the term is so commonly misspelled, lol! :roll:

:explanation: "Palpitations" are abnormal heart beats; hard, fast, irregular beats, and/or pauses. When feeling for kits, we are "palpating" the abdomen.

Now, to your question- you are kind of past the window of easy palpation. It is normally done between the 9th and 16th day. At this stage, the kits are not as well protected by amniotic fluid, and I have found that somehow they tend to "hide" in the abdomen. I have been fooled more than once when trying to feel kits at this stage.

As for her behavior, you want to place her on your lap or a table, and gently press her head down. Then you will reach under her and gently squeeze up high under her loin muscle. Your fingers should nearly touch through the walls of the abdomen. You then slide your fingers down until you feel something (or not). In the earlier stages, the kits feel like firm but squishy grapes. Now they will probably be more elongated.

If she tenses her abdomen, take a break and just pet her until she relaxes and then try again.

 

[macksmom98]

Thank you for clarifying the spelling. And for your advice. She doesn't feel heavier and while I am anxious to learn I think I am being a bit obsessive about all of this, so I may just wait it out and see.
I don't want to harm be babies by being too rough but I also don't want to miss them because I am not firm enough, lol. She's nesting like crazy and pulling fur now. If she isn't pregnant I almost feel bad that she's going to so much trouble! Seems a little early for all of that but some have said their Does nest early......I think I became more interested to find out what's going on today after seeing all the changes she's making!