The suck just keeps on getting suckier

This morning / afternoon sucked.  Royally.

Yesterday late afternoon, Nettie was looking more perky.  She was even jonesing to get out of the kidding pen.  But I left her in there figuring it would be less stressful for her and she wouldn't have to worry about other goats getting in her way or annoying her.

Before I gave her the antibiotic (Oxytetracyclene) on day before, I took her temperature.  It was 103.something (I forgot).  Normal goat temperature is 101.5 - 103.5 degrees.

Last night she slept in the kidding pen again, and nothing seemed amiss other than her grunting a little when she was laying down.  I attributed this to being really big and pregnant as she and Annette both have a grunting breathing when laying on that huge belly.

This morning I went out just as dawn approached and Nettie was laying down in the corner, but her breathing was labored.  She didn't get up after some light coaxing so I went inside to grab the thermometer, took her temperature and it was 105.8!  I almost crapped myself!  I ran inside to crush up a baby aspirin (to help with the fever) and mixed it with some water and drenched her with it.  I got her up, walked her around a bit and offered her some more cool water.  She just licked the cold water from my hands, but didn't want to drink so I kept dipping my hand in the cool water and let her lick.  I ended up drenching her with several ounces of cold water to hopefully get her insides cooled down a bit.  I took her temperature about a half hour later and it was now 106.  Shitshitshitshitshitshit!!

The kidding pen was warmer than it was outside so I tried getting her to walk outside but she wouldn't and I didn't want to drag her out.  I wasn't sure if I should have put ice on her head and udder or other area so I just put a cool, wet towel and my cool, wet hands on her head, neck & udder.  She was panting now.  Shit x 20.

I finally got a hold of one of the local vets, told them the situation and asked if I could get some Banamine.  Of course, they wanted me to bring her in.  Not so much going to happen.  I suppose I could have somehow managed to hook up the trailer to the truck, push/pull/heft Nettie into the trailer and then try to drive the truck into town (I've never pulled the trailer more than around the house, and maybe only once), but it would have taken at least an hour and a half after all was said and done.  I convinced the vet to let my Mom come pick up a two day regime of Banamine and Mom rushed it to me within a half hour.  I gave Nettie the Banamine shot (1.5ml, IM)and also a shot of Penicillin (the vet said Penn. was a better antibiotic for puncture wounds) and let her rest for about a half hour before I made her get up.  I took her to a pen outside since it was cooler and the high winds we're having probably helped cool her off.  Of course, on the day I need it to be cooler outside, it's already 65 degrees.

I drenched her with some more cool water, some electrolytes and Nutridrench.  Poor gal shies away from me now when she sees the drenching syringe in my hand.  I gave the Banamine shot to Nettie just before 10 am and her temperature lowered to 104.2 by 11am.  I let her out of the pen to walk around and she wanted to go back to the main goat yard.  I let her in and she wanted to go under the barn.  I didn't really want her under there, but it is much, much cooler down there so figured she knew best.  Another half hour later I found her standing under a shade tarp on the outside of the barn.  Since she was up I took her temperature again and it was 103.8 at 12:30 this afternoon.

I just looked out the window and see she's no longer under the tarp so I'm off to find out where she is.

********

She's back under the barn.  Took her temp again (1:25pm) and it was 102.8.  At least she's not fighting a fever anymore.

Now I just have to worry about her unborn kid and her going into labor after such an ordeal.  Her first potential kidding date being tomorrow.  Her udder has gotten larger in the past three days, but I'm still hoping that she'll kid on the second date, which is a week from today.

Up to 75 degrees outside now.  But of course, when the kids are supposed to be popping, we'll be back down to mid-40's during the day and below freezing at night.