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Fawn can not open eyes

Joined Jul 2009
115 Posts | 0+
College Station, TX
Had a set of very small twins born this morning. One appears normal but tiny the other looks premature, short hair, wrinkly skin, awkward legs, white tipped hooves, and eyes that won't open. I tried to pry the eyes open but gave up in fear of damaging the eyes. I have raised over 500 fawns and this is the first time this has happened. My question: is this a birth defect or premature. The doe raised two healthy fawns last year. I am bottle feeding the one with eye problems and he is sucking fine and does well stimulating to go to the bathroom. I shined a flashlight at his eyes and he seems sensitive to the light. I gave some Vit A, Bo-Se this morning. Anyone ever have this problem and how did it turn out?
 
Ross, I had one last year. We called him McGoo. He reminded us of the old TV character that wore thick glasses & could barely see, Mr. McGoo. I rubbed a salve on him for a few days & then I was able to pry them open. Good Luck
 
A warm damp compress may help. Work that over the eyes for about 10-15 minutes a few times a day.
 
Talked to the vet and he said to pry them apart with alot of pressure. Sure enough got them open. Actually had another fawn yesterday that had the same thing happen. Not sure what's going on this year. Never had this happen in 8 years and then two back to back.
 
I had the EXACT same thing happen to my first buck fawn this year! Took him into my Vet and his eyelids were actually fused together. He had no pupilary light response and was blind as a bat. My Vet said he's seen it before....the fawn was premature and the eyes are one of the last things to develop. We put ours down because his quality of life would've been so poor, not being able to balance to walk, running into fencing. His ears were slightly curly too....that's how obvious it was he wasn't fully developed...brother is doing awesome though!!!! Mom ditched this one as soon as he was born....she knew.
 
This ones ears are bent about half way but seems to see fine now and is taking bottle really well. His twin sister seems to be doing ok with mom.
 
Sometimes, AI and natrually bred does are covered again shortly after the first conception and actually concieve again. This is when you get fawns born together with one or more not as advanced as the other(s). In this case, you appear to be doing the right stuff so far and if you continue with your efforts, will be able to successfully raise the fawn. The ones I have had like this seem to be a little behind their siblings, but at the end of year 1, also seem to have caught up.

Good Luck
 
Thanks Scott! Are you saying they can conceive on different cycles or in the same cycle. I know in the wild does are usually bred by several different bucks and can have twins with different sires. I have never heard of a doe coming into heat again after already conceiving.