Our Little Kody

When he came to us on May 2nd, we had no idea that goat babies were so tiny. 

Here we are in the parking lot, with Michaele's daughters taking pictures, totally incredulous. 

And they loved their new little barn home, with it's warming light.  That step out the door was a BIG step for two five pounders. 

Grandson Chris nearly broke his back hauling boulders to make a climbing area for the two boys. 

And they grew and they grew

And along came Kelly, "brother" number three. 

Then we lost Kaycee, on August 17th, to bladder stones. 

Our dear little black, rambunctious boy. 

Friday, Kody was very quiet for him.  He is usually racketing around with Kelly, up and down the deck stairs from one doorway to another, and coming into the kitchen whenever I opened the door. 

I noticed when I lifted him out that he gave a little groan. 

This was Friday afternoon, when they followed me into the henyard for a minute while I got the hoses out.  I watched Kody and could see that he could not urinate. It struck fear into my heart. 

By noon on Saturday, our boy was like this.  Kelly never went more than 10 feet from him.  Keith and I watched for a while, then we started calling our vet.  We left message after message. 

We followed instructions to use the "pound 911" to page her after-hours. 

Then we began calling all the other large animal vets in our region, and one finally called us back and said, 

literally

"Throw him in your car and take him to K State's Vet Clinic, they are open 24/7". 

At 7 PM, our vet's "backup" on call doctor called to say that she was at her niece's wedding and would not respond.  She listened for a minute.  I asked her to please call me in the morning. 

Finally, we said a prayer and went to bed, expecting to find Kody gone when I got up, because Keith left for Maryland and training at 4 AM. 

He was alive and on his feet when I got out there... but his sides were distended.  He was able to walk very slowly, and I put him in the crate and we left for Manhattan.  Kelly was distraught, and running up and down the pen when we left. 

Kody is still at the Kansas State Vet Clinic, being tended tonight by two doctors. 

His prognosis is not good... the vet called me back at 5 to say that he was full of crystals.  (Bladder stones). 

They are unable to get part of him to extrude in order to try to snip it... but they WERE able to relieve him by aspiration with a needle.  

We cannot afford the operation that, in effect, makes him a female.  It is 2500.00 or more. 

I was impressed with the professionality of the clinic, and it's doctors. 

Tomorrow the doctor will call me in the morning and we will talk about decisions.  When I left him, after kissing and hugging him, I asked if I should take his crate... and she said yes, she thought so. 

Our poor little doll.