Boy Trouble

My Blue Boy gave me the same problems last year. This morning Matt brought Prince William inside and said you better work on him, he's cold and stiff. Oh, Joy, I thought. Just what I need when I'm rushing off to work. I put him in a basket and quickly prepared a bottle of milk replacer, thinking I might have to tube him. Luckily he took to the Pritchard's teat and sucked down a huge amount. I felt confident enough to put him back with mom for the day. She clearly adores him, he has a warm sweater on, and, when I reached under her a gave it a squeeze, her teat gave me a good strong squirt of milk. Hmmmm, I would have to ponder this. He must not be getting on the teat properly. Once home from work and doing chores I decided not to mix more milk replacer but to get it right from mom, who has one good working udder. I got in the pen and with baby right in front of her I leaned against her and, working blind, put the soda pop bottle right under the teat and milked out a good amount. When I pulled it up and looked at it I had half a 12 ounce bottle. Prince W. sucked it down in a flash. I put him under mom and, while holding him with one hand, I slipped the teat in his mouth. He started to suck but mom pulled away. Hmmmmmm. I felt inside his mouth and there was a razor sharp tooth which was likely hurting mom when he sucks on her teat. I called Matt at work to ask him for a flat bastard file which he brought home with him. A few quick swipes in the tiny mouth and the burr was gone. Unfortunately, that did not completely do the trick, as PW is a rather clutzy nurser. He latches on and slips off, unable to latch on again. Hopefully, in a day or two, with me making sure his belly gets full so he has the strength to keep trying, he will learn how to get his meals. It would be a big help to the local shepherd - moi.