Injured udder, advice please

DroppedAtBirth · #1 10/04/12, 01:49 AM

Front left quadrant at milking time this morning has an abrasion high up on the teat, pretty well at the base of it and into the actual bag slightly on the outer rear side of that quadrant. Exact opposite side has some superficial lacerations (kind of like blackberry scratches, but no briers in the pasture). Kind of looks stepped on to me. Cow's a champ and only tries to brush my hand off while I was washing her up which was unusual for her so we got the flashlight out and observed above ouch. Stood like a rock throughout the rest of the milking, some blood from that quadrant at first but cleared up after a couple of minutes. Slathered her up with bag balm (handful to the one teat/quadrant in question).

This evening however, she has blood clots and will stand nicely to milk as long as we're not trying to pass any of those out through her poor bruised teat and causing increased pressure. I slathered her up with the bag balm again after she's all milked out.

Clots beget clots was learned in nursing school and I'm worried about her clotting off completely...can I irrigate her udder with some sterile saline solution? Should I treat her with some Today to head off mastitis? Can I milk just that quadrant every 6 hours without causing trouble with the other 3? Warm compresses, cool compresses, massage? I'm thinking about calling the livestock vet in the morning.

She has a great appetite, no fever, and alert/active. Milking doesn't seem to bother her until one of those clots stops up the works. Oh and orifice is completely unscathed, injury is higher up on the teat. Thanks so much all, I don't know what I'd do without you.

willow_girl · #2 10/04/12, 06:56 AM

Just keep milking it out completely... I don't think it would hurt to milk it more frequently. I wouldn't treat for mastitis prophylactically, but keep a close eye out for it, and if it appears, get some medicine from your vet like Amoximast or Spectramast. Today isn't bad, but there's other stuff out there that's better, IMO.

I'd say the prognosis is good since the teat end isn't damaged. I've seen cases like this resolve successfully. Will keep my fingers crossed for you!

CJBegins · #3 10/04/12, 07:25 AM

Massage that quarter up high to work those clots loose. I would probably be pretty gentle for the first day or so. You might have to tie her foot back to keep her from kicking you cause it's not going to feel good.

linn · #4 10/04/12, 08:00 AM

You might just slather her udder with an ati-inflamatory salve that will enhance circulation and as Willow Girl suggested, milk out frequently.

springvalley · #5 10/04/12, 08:36 AM

Your doing ok, milk out a few more times a day would be good. If you know what the plantian plant looks like, go get yourself a big hand full and put them between two paper towels and soak with water. Put them on a plate and warm them up prudy good in the microwave. Then put that on the affected udder quarter till it cools down. I have used this method and works very well on bruised udders. You want the towels kinda soppy with water not sitting in water. cows are pretty resilient, and will heal up pretty well if you take care of them. > Thanks Marc

DroppedAtBirth · #6 10/04/12, 09:28 AM

Looked up images of plantains and I'll be out hunting them after this morning's milking. Is there something I could give her or put on her udder for the pain? I don't normally do pain meds for my animals but...I can't imagine having had one of mine stepped on and then squeezed several times a day without clobbering someone

linn · #7 10/04/12, 09:38 AM

Comfrey is also a great herb to use for udder salves. You can grind up fresh comfey leaves with a little water in the blender and slather it on the udder.

DroppedAtBirth · #8 10/09/12, 09:33 AM

Thank you for all the great treatments. She still has some scabbing on one side of her teat but otherwise we seem to have made a full recovery and avoided mastitis