# Oxytocin - how long before it works?



## Honeybee (Oct 16, 2002)

Hi,

We had a first freshener kid yesterday afternoon and she still has after birth or ? hanging from her behind. I am sure there are no more kids in there, she is on the small side and her stomach is small now. 

I gave her oxytocin this morning 1cc, no success. I just gaver her another 1.5 cc SQ. How long should it take to work? Last time I did this it worked right away, or it was a coincidence.

Fiasco F. said 1cc, but last time with my big boer I think I gave her 2cc. Should I wait a while and give more? The kids are nursing which caused the material to come out farther, but not completly. :shrug: 

Not sure what to do next except give her more in a couple hours. 

Thanks for looking


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## chma4 (Feb 27, 2005)

Do not give more oxytocin. You cause her to eject her uterus (according to my mentor who has been in the meat goat business for 30+ years). I would give it 24 hours, then call the vet.


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## Honeybee (Oct 16, 2002)

No more oxytocin needed  

I was able to reach a friend not far from here that has goats. He advised tieing a rubber glove filled with water to the afterbirth to apply a natural amount of gentle but constant pressure (sort of like a kid would during birth).

We did that, laid her on her side, tied the back of water on and let her stand up at her leisure. When she did the afterbirth slowly, gradually slipped out. Looked very natural like it would have if she had just kidded.

Do you think she might need some meds now? My friend suggested LA200. It's been about 22 hours since she kidded so ???

Thanks for taking the time to read this and reply.

Still seems kind of odd that the oxytocin never even seemed to affect her at all. :shrug:


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

1cc is really over the top. 1/2cc given over 12 hours, in about 20 minutes you can then gently and steadily pull on the placenta, not jerking, no tugging, just a gentle pull, always tie of hanging placenta because it can wick bacteria into the uterus. The weight of tieing it up will also put traction on it also. Give another shot in 4 hours, pull steadily again. A hanging placenta is not an emergency for the doe, just for our noses and eyes...so nothing agressive is needed. A vet would do nothing more than try to pull once than cut it off short. Hormones are tricky things, giving higher dosages do nothing more than to make more hormonal problems. So always use the least amount possible, and you don't give more for bigger goats, for older goats, for differeing breeds. Vicki


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

:shrug: First-timers often do not clean out quickly. But they do clean out. Mine do, all on their own. :shrug:


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