Doe won't milk on one side...help!

KimM · #1 05/08/06, 01:19 PM

This is a first-timer, she kidded Saturday morning. The kid is only nursing from one side so I started milking the other side right away (saved some colostrum too) I got the kid nursing from that side as much as I could but the one side was staying bigger so I checked and it's getting quite a bit firmer. Not hot ....yet. I tried to milk it out but all I can get is small squirts. I put warm/hot towels on her udder and tried milking again, only very small squirts until I could only get a few drops. Tiny teats don't help either. What the heck else can I do??? The other side milks just fine so I know the kid is getting something anyway.
Please help!! Is she already getting mastitis?

TexCountryWoman · #2 05/08/06, 02:14 PM

It is common for a single kid to just want to nurse from one side. I would keep doing like you are doing. Milk that one big side out at least twice a day as difficult as it is. It will relive the pressure and the kid may eventually start nursing from there when the kid gets bigger. Otherwise that side may just dry up (supply and demand). In some cases mastitis may develope in a real heavy milker. Perhaps someone will come along and give you more help. Good luck. I have had the same thing happen to me but it was with a Boer that didn't have all that much milk to begin with so it was not a huge problem. With my dairy goats i am able to put them on a milkstand and milk them all the way out.

debitaber · #3 05/08/06, 07:56 PM

you must milk it out 2 times a day, or she will get mastitis, in it. just tie her, and have some one hold her, if you have to and milk her.

rootsandwings · #4 05/08/06, 08:50 PM

my little guy is nursing mostly one sde - today I had my dd hold him in front of momma goat's nose while I milked the difficult side. she sniffed him over and let down for me!

KimM · #5 05/08/06, 09:59 PM

I've been milking her 4-8 times a day but the problem is that she only gives a few small squirts and nothing more will come out. Tonight I took her temp and it was 104.4. Earlier I was told to give her 3 cc pen so glad I did that. I am gettinf just a little more milk out at a time now, I think the hotpacks are helping. If she isn't much better by morning, I was told to put 1/2 rube of "Today" in her teat.

Laura Workman · #6 05/09/06, 12:13 AM

You know, if you're milking 4 to 8 times a day, why not milk out both sides? That way, the little guy will have to use both to get enough milk. Of course, if she really does have mastitis in one side, this is not a good plan. Do you have a mastitis test? It could just be a congested udder.

KimM · #7 05/09/06, 12:53 AM

A congested udder?? Hmmm. People I've talked to have assumed it's mastitis but the little bit of milk that does come out is white, not clumpy or bloody or anything. The doeling is now trying to nurse from both sides but barely gets enough to swallow and so is keeping right up with the other side. Anyway, I couldn't hardly believe that it was mastitis within 2 days of kidding (although I don't know for sure) and wondered if it could just be 'clogged up' a little. Is that what a congested udder is? Where can you get a mastitis test?
I wonder why would she's running a temp?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laura Jensen

You know, if you're milking 4 to 8 times a day, why not milk out both sides? That way, the little guy will have to use both to get enough milk. Of course, if she really does have mastitis in one side, this is not a good plan. Do you have a mastitis test? It could just be a congested udder.

TexCountryWoman · #8 05/09/06, 11:59 AM

Even is she does have mastitis, which i don't think she does (I could be wrong) she still should be milked out and the baby should nurse. Don't let the milk back up in a udder that has mastitis, keep it flowing.

wooly1s · #9 05/10/06, 12:22 AM

Our doe did the same thing!~ The teat was so big the babies couldn't even get their little mouths around the teat. We did what you are doing, milked her out. It was painful for her, and she wouldn't let down, but we bumped her like a baby. Oddly enough, when I just massaged the udder and put pressure on the udder itself, the teat would spray. As the teat would soften during the milkings, I would introduce the kids to it, and encourage them to nurse. It did resolve itself this way after a couple of days, though no fever. Our girls teat did start to crack from swelling, so we massaged it with Bag Balm a few times a day, to disinfect and soften the skin...
Sounds like you are doing all of the right things.

dkdairygoats · #10 05/10/06, 08:04 PM

Congestion of the udder can be caused by CAE. Has this doe been tested? If it is caused by that, there isn't a whole lot you can do about it.

I milk all of my does twice a day, and the kids still get plenty in between. I think you'll find that with one kid, they get very attached to one side and won't nurse both sides. That's what my singles did. If I were you, I would milk her all the way out, as best you can, twice daily.

The "Today" is worth a try. Go ahead and use a whole tube. It more than likely would do no harm.

KimM · #11 05/11/06, 12:19 AM

Gosh I really appreciate everyone's replies, thank you so much!
I have good news....I kept applying the hot packs, massaging with Bag Balm and milking the one side out as much as I could and she is milking normally now and both sides are the same now. The doeling is nursing from both sides and the milk is great so I think that in a few days I can stop milking her altogether. I'm SO THANKFUL!!!