Bloody discharge in a goat often occurs immediately after lambing; bleeding is especially intense in a goat prone to multiple births. The attentive attitude of the owner and the veterinarian will help to avoid serious complications for the pet’s health. During the postpartum period, a properly formulated diet, care and hygiene procedures are important for the animal.
Causes of discharge in a goat after lambing
Minor discharge in a goat after giving birth is a natural phenomenon. Within 30 minutes, the animal’s genitals return to normal. However, if bleeding continues, you should be wary.
The cause of postpartum complications can be:
- Flabbiness of the uterine muscles. Experts call this phenomenon subinvolution. The organ contracts weakly, so the bleeding does not stop. Trouble often happens to pets in cramped conditions. A sedentary lifestyle has a detrimental effect on the muscle tone of the goat. Another reason for subinvolution of the animal’s uterus is multiple pregnancy. Some record holders are able to bring 3-4 kids at a time. After such a test, it is not easy for the uterus to return to its original appearance. On the eve of childbirth, experienced owners treat their pet with supplements high in vitamin A.
- Mechanical damage to the external and internal genital organs. During the normal course of labor, the kid is born in the optimal physiological position, when the baby's forelimbs are directed forward and the head lies on outstretched legs. If at birth the baby changes position, then the goat, in most cases, receives painful injuries in the uterus and vagina. Mechanical damage is caused by crude attempts to tear off the placenta or by hanging a load from the placenta. The placenta grows closely together with the mucous membrane of the uterus, so as a result of barbaric actions, the animal’s uterus can be torn off along with the placenta.
- Infection of the birth canal resulting from improper care of the goat.
Physiological
With a successful outcome of childbirth, small bloody discharge is observed within half an hour. At first, the ichor appears reddish-brown in color, then its shade changes, acquiring a light pink color. If the bleeding stops after 30-40 minutes, it means the lambing went off without any problems.
At first, the ichor appears reddish-brown in color, then its shade changes, acquiring a light pink color. As the wounds heal, the ichor acquires a yellow tint. The discharge does not have a sharp, unpleasant odor. The pet's condition remains normal, so a doctor's help is not required.
Pathological
Inflammatory processes in the internal and external genital organs of a woman in labor pose a great danger to animals. Problems that have arisen are signaled by purulent discharge from the goat’s genital slit. If you miss time and do not see a doctor, your pet risks dying within two weeks.
An attentive owner should be wary of:
- Increased body temperature of the animal. When measuring the temperature of a healthy pet, the thermometer shows 38.5-40 degrees.
- Purulent discharge is a serious sign of acute inflammation of the internal genital organs of a goat. The admixture of pus gives the ichor a brown tint and a sharp, unpleasant odor. In some cases, the discharge consists entirely of pus. They are distinguished by their white color, thick consistency and foul odor. As a result of inflammation in the uterus and vagina of the animal, a purulent-necrotic process develops. The cause of the complication lies in the spread of infection to the vaginal and uterine areas. Incompletely released placenta leads to serious consequences. Its remnants continue to be in the animal’s body and provoke endometritis. Infection often occurs due to poor care of the goat during the postpartum period. If treatment is not started in time, the animal will die from sepsis.
- The appearance of bloody-putrefactive discharge. They occur when the natural mechanism of cleaning the animal’s uterus is disrupted. In this case, you need to urgently contact a veterinarian, otherwise the owners risk losing their pet. Sepsis or necrosis of the uterus is certain death for the animal.
- The appearance of bright scarlet blood. It can occur directly during childbirth or in the first hours after lambing. If, when the baby is born, scarlet blood flows along with mucous secretions, it means that things are bad. The complication occurs due to damage to the internal organs of the animal during lambing. The reason for the disruption of the natural course of events may be the incorrect position of the fetus or weak muscles of the uterus.
The appearance of scarlet blood from a goat's noose is a good reason to call a specialist. Bleeding often causes the death of a pet.
First aid for bleeding
If the birth went according to a bad scenario and bloody discharge appears under the goat’s tail, it’s time to take emergency measures. The best way to avoid a sad outcome is urgent veterinary help. As a rule, specialists use the drugs “Vikasol” or “Ditsinon”. These medications are designed to stop bleeding. With the help of drugs, the blood is cleansed and its coagulability increases. Use the medicine 2 times a day, in a dosage of 2 ml. The course of treatment lasts 3 days.
Treatment rules
If suspicious discharge appears under your pet's tail, you should immediately consult a specialist and begin treatment. If the animal’s situation deteriorates catastrophically, and the help of a doctor is not available, you should resort to the necessary medications.
- The drug Oxytocin will help strengthen uterine contractions. The medicine is administered over 3 days.To achieve a positive result, it is enough to inject one ampoule twice a day.
- To strengthen the body, pets use the product “Katozal”. It is administered intramuscularly for 5 days. Injections need to be given once a day, the dose of the medicine is 8 ml.
- The antibiotic Cefazolin will help prevent the development of a purulent process. It is administered 2 times a day, 1 g. Each dose is diluted with 4 ml of novocaine. The course of treatment lasts a week.
The injection is given only after treating the injection site with an alcohol solution. The drug is injected exclusively into the muscle of the hind limb, otherwise you can touch the bone of the injured animal, and the matter will end in inflammation.
Prevention
A goat weakened by pregnancy and childbirth is provided with light nutrition. Most of the diet should consist of dry leaves and well-dried hay. After birth, the animal needs additional support.
As a general tonic, the goat is treated with a sugar solution. To do this, 100 g of granulated sugar is diluted with 500 ml of warm water.
After an hour, the pet needs to be given a decoction made from onion peels. The drink enhances the contraction process of the goat's uterus. To prepare the medicine you will need: a handful of dry onion peels, 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. The ingredients are poured into 500 ml of boiling water and simmered over low heat for 20 minutes. Then the broth is removed from the heat and left to cool completely. The finished drink is given to the animal along with onion skins.
To remove the placenta as quickly as possible, the animal is given a gentle massage. With light movements, the woman in labor is stroked in the abdominal area. In this case, the hand is directed from the front legs of the pet to the hind limbs. The duration of the procedure is 2 minutes.
Frequent milking will help increase uterine contractions and remove the placenta. In the first week after giving birth, the goat is milked 5-6 times a day. After the placenta has passed, the vagina and external genitalia are thoroughly treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. The antiseptic is diluted in warm boiled water. The solution is made bright pink. The procedure helps to avoid the growth of bacteria.
To wash the vagina, use a solution of lower concentration. The manipulation is conveniently carried out using an ordinary syringe. Antiseptic treatment is carried out every day until the discharge stops. Washing the vagina is enough to do once every 2 days. The placenta department waits no more than 5 hours. If the process has stalled, you will have to resort to antibiotics.
