HUGE abscess on udder

[cjb]

My Jersey has two quarters that are dead - both on the same side. On that same side, I just noticed that she has an abscess that is literally the size of a baseball.

What to do? Do I have to call a vet? Lance it? Clean it? It might be worth calling the vet because I have not had her preg checked yet.

[francismilker]

How long have the two quarters been dead? (just trying to get some ideas on why this abcess might be there) Does the animal have a fever? How's she breathing?
As far as lancing it, unless you've done it or seen it done, I'd make a call. This might be one of those things an experienced dairyman can do but shouldn't be attempted by inexperience. I've seen it done a few times when a quarter would get grossly infected due to extreme mastities or gangreen. The lancing was then followed by a 100ml IV dose of antibiotics. ( I think I remember the fellow I worked for giving them Albon but I'm not sure)

[Jay]

Have the vet look at it--ASAP.
It could be somthing simple, or something very complex and nasty.
When dealing with an udder issue like that, I leave it up to the professionals.
Better safe than sorry!!

[cjb]

Ok, thanks guys. Cow seems fine - no fever and eating, walking etc. fine. The quarter has been dead for a year so not sure why she would have an abscess. Its pretty shrunk up.

I will call the Cow Doc in the am. On the positive side - I can get her preg checked

[cjb]

Talked to the vet and he can't come out until Saturday. However, he said that he didn't think that it was an emergency and that waiting is fine.

He did also say that I could stick a 12 gauge needle in it, draw back and if there's pus, lance it myself. On the other hand, he cautioned me that its possible to have a situation where I couldn't stop the bleeding.

All in all, I felt it was best to have him come out on Saturday, take care of the abscess AND check to see if she is pregnant.

I hope to heck that the abscess turns out to be minor and that she IS pregnant.

If she gets a shot of antibiotics, I have to dump her milk for awhile, huh?

[Dodgegal79]

Yeah there is a lot of large blood vessels running in that area, that why you should use the needle to see what it contains. Yes you would have to dump the milk, or if you have something to feed it too, calves, pigs, thats ok. We always fed the tainted milk to the calves on the dairy I worked on.

[matt_man]

You will have to dump the milk for 4 days (96 hours) after the last dose of antibiotics are given.