Thursday, October 25, 2007
The Rest of Belle's Story
You may recall that I had made a plan about using oxytocin to try to get babies from GC The Nature Trail's Belle, who had only produced two live kits from nearly 20 breedings. If not, you can read about it here: The Nature Trail Rabbitry BLOG: Keeping Records.
On day 30, I felt there was just one kit, so I decided to give the oxytocin that day, not wanting the singleton to get any bigger. So I gave the injection waited to see whether the kit would be born dead or alive. I knew it would arrive within 15 to 20 minutes, one way or the other.
Wrongo.
While it seemed there was some activity, after 30 minutes she was resting again and nothing had happened. So then I thought maybe she had a mummy or a tumor. I had been mistaken.
The next day, day 31, I had planned to take my Convention rabbits to the vet for health certificates anyway, so I brought Belle along. (I decided to do the health certificates just to put minds at rest after the horrible summer I had.) My vet said he believed there was one kit also, and he administered oxytocin again.
Again, there was some huffing and puffing, and some clear contractions, but no baby. My vet palpated her again and said that the kit had moved forward, but that was all we got from the second dose. He said the uterus muscles were fatiqued and nothing else would happen until they were rested again.
The next day I left for Convention. As I gave Andrew final instructions, I slipped in the part about having to give Belle another dose of oxytocin. He was not thrilled, to say the least.
After I arrived in Grand Rapids, he called to get the dosage again. I thought, well since he waited all day to do it, the kit is surely dead.
Apparently I didn't emphasize the part about watching her for 20 minutes after the injection. He checked back later and found the baby on the wire.
However, it was still alive. Luckily, Andrew is well versed in reviving chilled kits. He got it warmed up and gave it to Padme, the only nursing doe in the barn.
Padme's kit was already a week old and clearly overfed. Andrew checked the kit the next day. It was alive, but not full of milk. But by the next day, it was quite chubby and I was satisfied that things would work out.
Now, when the kit is nearly two weeks old, I'm a little concerned again. The first kit looks to be three weeks older than Belle's, having gotten that huge jumpstart from overfeeding. It is on the wire and hopping in and out of the box. Sometimes it looks like Belle's baby is going to be crushed by its snuggles. I just hope that Padme continues to visit the nest box and doesn't start feeding her own on the wire. Belle's baby needs to make it a few more days before going to the wire.
I'm extremely excited to have had this little success. I want to breed Belle again as soon as I have a couple of does to breed with her, in case she fails to make a nest again (she's been a good mother in the past). It would be wonderful to have another broken senior doe in production, especially one with such nice fur and such a fabulous hindquarter.
I will try very hard not to let the use of oxytocin get out of hand. I think that overuse would eventually cost me the life of a doe. I will save the oxytocin for very special occasions and will be careful not to breed a line that is dependent on oxytocin for successful motherhood.
Laurie ¶ 9:46 AM
On day 30, I felt there was just one kit, so I decided to give the oxytocin that day, not wanting the singleton to get any bigger. So I gave the injection waited to see whether the kit would be born dead or alive. I knew it would arrive within 15 to 20 minutes, one way or the other.
Wrongo.
While it seemed there was some activity, after 30 minutes she was resting again and nothing had happened. So then I thought maybe she had a mummy or a tumor. I had been mistaken.
The next day, day 31, I had planned to take my Convention rabbits to the vet for health certificates anyway, so I brought Belle along. (I decided to do the health certificates just to put minds at rest after the horrible summer I had.) My vet said he believed there was one kit also, and he administered oxytocin again.
Again, there was some huffing and puffing, and some clear contractions, but no baby. My vet palpated her again and said that the kit had moved forward, but that was all we got from the second dose. He said the uterus muscles were fatiqued and nothing else would happen until they were rested again.
The next day I left for Convention. As I gave Andrew final instructions, I slipped in the part about having to give Belle another dose of oxytocin. He was not thrilled, to say the least.
After I arrived in Grand Rapids, he called to get the dosage again. I thought, well since he waited all day to do it, the kit is surely dead.
Apparently I didn't emphasize the part about watching her for 20 minutes after the injection. He checked back later and found the baby on the wire.
However, it was still alive. Luckily, Andrew is well versed in reviving chilled kits. He got it warmed up and gave it to Padme, the only nursing doe in the barn.
Padme's kit was already a week old and clearly overfed. Andrew checked the kit the next day. It was alive, but not full of milk. But by the next day, it was quite chubby and I was satisfied that things would work out.
Now, when the kit is nearly two weeks old, I'm a little concerned again. The first kit looks to be three weeks older than Belle's, having gotten that huge jumpstart from overfeeding. It is on the wire and hopping in and out of the box. Sometimes it looks like Belle's baby is going to be crushed by its snuggles. I just hope that Padme continues to visit the nest box and doesn't start feeding her own on the wire. Belle's baby needs to make it a few more days before going to the wire.
I'm extremely excited to have had this little success. I want to breed Belle again as soon as I have a couple of does to breed with her, in case she fails to make a nest again (she's been a good mother in the past). It would be wonderful to have another broken senior doe in production, especially one with such nice fur and such a fabulous hindquarter.
I will try very hard not to let the use of oxytocin get out of hand. I think that overuse would eventually cost me the life of a doe. I will save the oxytocin for very special occasions and will be careful not to breed a line that is dependent on oxytocin for successful motherhood.
Laurie ¶ 9:46 AM
