When to give up on a runt?

[Miss mouse]

Thank you! I think he was severely dehydrated. I’ve had him in the house most of today and have tried to get him to drink formula, eat cecotropes, and just now gave him water with a bit of ACV and salt. He hasn’t gained any weight all day but he’s pooped a lot and I think I’ve basically replaced what’s been excreted. His energy was low all day but seems to be a touch more now. I hope he makes it through the night. I’ll resume babying him tomorrow if he does. He’s lucky I’m stuck at home 🙄
Send positive thoughts his way!
Thank you!

 

[Baymule]

I hope he makes it. It sure won't be for lack of love or trying.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

 

[Miss mouse]

I’m sorry to say he passed this morning.

He got out of the nest box last night and was cold and hardly moving when my BF found him. I warned him up in a bowl of warm water but he was just gasping for air. His tummy was very bloated and he passed within an hour of us finding him.

We did an autopsy and didn’t find anything on his intestine or liver to think it’s coccidioses so I’m hopeful that the others will be okay.

In all my research I read that fruit tree branches are also a preventative so the whole herd is getting apple tree sticks and ACV in their water for a few weeks just in case.

I’ve also removed the other kit I’ve been have weight issues with just in case and he’s in the house with all his own food and water etc.

i removed the nest box since all the other kits are big enough and I’m bleaching it just in case.

anything else I can do to protect the herd?

 

[Miss mouse]

This is Char, I’m considering renaming him/her Quarantine/Quarantina
Let’s hope she does better than Runt did

 

[WyoLiving]

Sorry about Runt, you did all you could do. Sometimes, they just don't thrive.
Hopefully Char responds quickly and can get back to her litter-mates.

 

[Baymule]

I had a ewe that had triplets. The smallest one was not doing good. I brought her in the house and did all I could, but she didn't make it. Move forward a year and a half. Last night, her big sister had a ewe lamb. So the sadness of loss all goes away with the joy of birth and life.

I am sorry that Runt didn't make it. Sometimes no matter what we do, it isn't enough.

 

[Miss mouse]

Thank you all for your support. I've been checking on Char regularly through the day and she seems to have full energy and is eating solids. Her poops are a little soft but nothing like runt was. Do you think it's safe to put her back or keep her quarantined overnight? Her weight line is there blueish one just a little above runt.

 

[Baymule]

If it makes you feel better, keep her overnight.

 

[Ridgetop]

Since she has caught up (almost) with the rest of the litter, it is probably safe for her to stay with them. She will not stress as badly if she remains with them. Changing her feed might also cause a problem. I would return her to the cage with mom and not worry about her.

The runt was not destined to make it so you should not feel badly about it - you certainly did everything you could to try to help him. Sometimes if the doe has a large litter and there is a particularly tiny kit that is delicate and unthrifty, I dispose of it right away since they often don't live past 2 weeks. However that was after I had a lot of experience breeding in a semi commercial way. At first, I tried hard to save all of the runts, including the "peanuts". That is the way life is.