# Dipping umbilical cords



## Zyphlat (Sep 5, 2014)

Hi all. I have a doe that should be kidding within the week. I keep seeing that umbilical cords need to be dipped in iodine. Is this the same as the iodine teat dip or am I supposed to dip in straight iodine?
Thanks!


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## marusempai (Sep 16, 2007)

Dip in straight vet-strength iodine.


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## Zyphlat (Sep 5, 2014)

Will do. Thank you very much!  I'm so excited for these babies, this will be a very first for me.


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## SJSFarm (Jun 13, 2012)

Sorry to hyjack, but it seems follow up questions fit on this post 

I've not dipped before and I've had no problems. Ive also never cut the cord, just let it harden and fall of naturally. Please let me know what I'm risking

Could I use teat dip? If that's meant to kill what's on the teat , wouldn't it work for the cord? I've not found iodine, only betadine- I can't confirm this , but I was told one can't purchase iodine unless via prescription.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

In my experience it is much easier to get the iodine in a spray bottle and spritz the cord.

Iodine should be available in any feed store, pharmacy or grocery store in the land.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Don't cut the cord, always pull/rip it somewhere in the middle between doe and kid. Normally the doe standing or the kid falling will rip the cord naturally. I usually just pick up the kid to dry it or set it on a towel to start drying it off of the bedding. This is best, as it stretches the arteries/veins which cause them to seal off when they break. Cutting opens them, and rarely do we use sterile equipment. 

Oftentimes, you can get away without dipping especially if you're very sanitary... but its both cheap and easy, so why risk navel ill which is pretty much impossible to cure (or at least way more work than I want to have to do). 
Some people dip the feet and I have yet to figure out why...


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## farmmaid (Jan 13, 2003)

......7% iodine. I put it in a shot glass hold the kid with the cord in the glass and bump it up to the kids skin.


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## Zyphlat (Sep 5, 2014)

Does the cord rip easily? Should it be ripped as close as possible to the belly or is it better to leave an inch or 2?


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

You can cause internal injuries if you just yank on it, both for mom and baby.
Better to just tie it off and then cut it.

But I've never dipped nor messed with cords. Never had an issue. If you have a healthy flock, living in healthy conditions, it shouldn't be needed. Wild animals never dip their cords and they turn out fine.


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

Animals in the wild don't get lots of things.:lookout:
We dip in an old film canister of 7% iodine. 
Most of the time the cord is either broken or mama chews it off. If it is really long, say below kid hock level, I do trim to about 3" then dip.


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## Zyphlat (Sep 5, 2014)

I don't think anyone means to yank on the cord. At least, I hope not...I think I'd personally feel better about dipping the cords. If it works for you though, that's great. 
Goat Servant- Do you trim with scissors or rip it with your fingers? I'm getting my kit together for this doe and I'd like to know if I need sterile scissors or not.


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## kbwinter (Jan 23, 2015)

I use betadine and a shot glass. I couldn't get iodine in Oregon with out a script. I haven't needed to cut the cords yet they all broke off at a good length.


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## Wonderland (May 26, 2009)

By tear she doesn't mean just yank. You can hold both sides, to prevent pulling on the stomach, and tear with your fingernails. Or you can clamp or tie with floss and cut. I used clamps once and didn't like them, as they were hard to get off. Other than that cords have broken an okay length on their own. Oftentimes the mother will chew them, too. (And I have seen them yank!) You don't want it too close to the body, but not dragging the ground.

Animals in the wild don't get dipped, but they also aren't domesticated animals that we spend $$ and time on. And as was already pointed out, they don't have lots of things that our goats need to thrive.

I know a woman who lost two foals last spring to navel ill. They died within days of each other. Not a risk I'm willing to take when it's such a cheap and easy precaution.


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## copperpennykids (Sep 6, 2004)

Animals in the wild don't hang out at the feeder....with lots of manure and other goodies to get wicked up by the umbilical cord. A teeny tiny ounce of prevention (dipping) is worth a pound (course of antibiotics) of cure. 

Folks will dip feet as they are very rubbery and porous to absorb whatever is in their environment as well. 

Goats (or other animals) that birth out at the North 40 are in a better spot than the ones kidding in the barn or lean-to.


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## Zyphlat (Sep 5, 2014)

So the cord is easily rippable with your fingers? What is the advantage of tying with floss and cutting the cord? If I tie with floss and cut, what kind of floss do I get and do I leave it on? Do I cut between floss and belly or floss and ground? I'm assuming floss and ground. 
Thanks.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

By far I usually just pick up the kid and the gentle traction will rip the cord. This is the normal method of detaching... kid is born, doe stands and turns to tend the kid and as she moves, the cord is torn... it's more rare for them to be able to reach it and chew it, IMO, but I've seen it happen a couple times maybe. More common for puppies/kittens for the cord to be chewed as they can more easily reach reach their rear end during birth. I'm not YANKING as in a sudden rapid movement, but these things are meant to be stretched and ripped and that is what causes the vessels to seal off. (This tug-and-seal is also used in other veterinary procedures too). You can grab either side and pull to rip between your hands if you don't want to just pick up the kid, as well. When kids are born to a standing doe, they usually rip as they reach the end of their tether, and it can be quite a yank. 

You do not need to tie umbilicals unless you are cutting, which you don't have to do at all.  If you were to tie it, you'd place a tie and then cut below it. Unflavored dental floss works good I hear.


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## Zyphlat (Sep 5, 2014)

Ok. Thanks so much for clarifying mygoat.


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