tube feeding fawn ?

We had twin piebald does born this past Friday evening. The first fawn was born fine, but the second fawn got stuck. I ended up pulling the fawn out because its front legs were bent back at the knees and she was stuck. I thought the fawn was dead, but she ended up being alive. She was breathing fine and the mother cleaned her up. She did nurse and seemed perfectly normal. The next two days everything seemed normal.



This morning (monday) we found the fawn with a dirty butt. She had passed a glob of yellow/white paste (normal) but had streaks of blood throughout the feces and blood smeared on her butt. We have seen her with the mother, but she doesn't seem to be eating. She does seem to be getting weaker. We have offered her a bottle, but she refuses. The other fawn seems to be having no problems.



I have contemplated tube feeding this fawn, but I can't recall the proper procedures. Since she doesn't have the runs I have ruled out e-coli and coccidiossis.



Can anyone give me some suggestions?

Hey BillieJo,



Thanks for the information. We seem to be improving.



I had called BJ and she suggested trying a 12.5% solution of SULMET. It is a sulfamethazine solution that helps fight bacterial infections. I had administered 2.5CC in the evening. Shortly after that the fawn had the runs. i took a sample to vet for testing. The vet was not on duty, and the vet tech could not identify the bacteria that were present. She asked me to bring another sample the next morning to retest, because that sample would be too degraded at that time. I agreed to bring a new sample.



We attempted to bottle feed the fawn but she refused. We did get about 2 ounces of formula in her with a syringe. we decided to take the fawn to mom the next morning at daylight to see if she would eat. That worked great, she ate great from the mother, and then we took her back to the house to keep the flies off her. At about 10am, we need a fecal sample to take to the vet. She had not messed ALL night, but perhaps had been cleaned by the mother. We stood her and stimulated her, and she passed perfect stool. We took the sample in and had it tested anyways...NO BACTERIA present.



Not sure what the problem was, but it seem we are winning this battle. I hate to say too much and jinks it, but so far so good.



Thank BJ for your help.

I just thought I would give everyone an update on the piebald doe fawn that was sick a couple weeks ago.



She seems to be doing fine. She has grown and gained weight and has developed quite an attitude lately. She runs and plays like a normal fawn now. Thanks to Billie Jo for her advice and Our Almight GOD for answering our prayers.

BJ,



His fawn is doing well also. The next day they went to the vet and got some bloat ease or something like that. Anyways, he said she was back to normal now.



Thanks for your help !!