Udder Problem

us4davis · #1 09/15/07, 08:13 AM

Hey yall I have a friend who has a polled boer doe and is really really nice.She kidded around March 30 about 6-8 weeks after she kidded she had this problem, they don't know what is wrong and have almost given up on trying to find out what it is. Someone told me that it could be mastitis. The doe is perfectly healthy everywhere else. So when this problem all started her right udder became hard and it started sagging, eventually it spread to the other side and now it is like golf balls, on her left side she is still giving milk not enough for anything, but her right side all that comes out is a clear fluid. She doesn't want you to touch it but once you start to feel it she calms down like a massage that soothes her. The pics. arent the best but maybe you can help with the diagnosis. I hope it is not to late to help her udder! Because as I said she is a very very nice doe. So all of the info that you have would be greatly appreciated.

this is pic of the rear. and now for the front. Udder Problem - Goats

Chris' wonderful daughter,
Abbi and her wonderful alpine Truly

DocM · #2 09/15/07, 10:16 AM

Get a mastitis test. If it's mastitis, you want to treat it immediately. Hard to say if it has ruined the udder or not. You should never let a sudden onset udder problem go. An udder that conjests upon kidding (not 6-8 weeks later) is indicative of other problems, CAE for example. The goat should probably be tested to rule that out. Boers are not like dairy goats, they aren't bred to be milked for months at a time, which is why the can be bred more than once a year.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #3 09/15/07, 12:17 PM

Like Doc said you really have to jump on udder problems or the side/sides will blind and you will have a nice doe with no milk. Pull fluid cleanly from both sides and send it in...LSU still has free screening for mastitis, the info is up on the goatkeeping 101 site of dairygoatinfo.com

If you want to guess and not test and can get gentamycin from your vet, than email me vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com Vicki

us4davis · #4 09/15/07, 11:37 PM

Thanks yall!!! I think that I will check on the mastitis test and see what exactly I have to do to get that checked out. And then I will go from there. I think that testing her for that will give us a direction one way or another to figure something out. But the family who owns her like I said has just about given up on what to do. I just feel basd for the poor doe!!!! So thank yall soooooo much for all of the advice!!! I will let you know more as soon as more happens.

Chris' Wonderful daughter,
Abbi and her wonderful goat Truly

us4davis · #5 09/16/07, 07:11 AM

Thank you DocM and Vicki,
I don't know if this has any bearing on this issue but Abbi forgot to mention that this was the does 2nd kidding in 1 1/2 yrs. The first kidding she only had a single doe and the second kidding she had tripplets. The second kidding is the one where she started having problems about six weeks out. She had a huge hard mass in her left (Abbi was looking at her from her head) udder. The kids continued to nurse and when we were out there a couple of days ago we asked about her udder because it was still hanging low(kids are now 5 monthes old and not nursing), they said she now had in addition to the big mass, small golf ball size tumors. (I felt of them and they felt spongie not hard). Would she still give milk on her left side(where large mass is) if it is mastitis. The side with the smaller tumors, is only a clear fluid. Why would she still have milk now??? The doe seems to be healthy otherwise, eats great(she is solid all over), runs and plays with the others. They did give her antibiotics when they first noticed the huge mass. Not for sure how long they gave it though. Thanks for any help.

chris (Wife to a Wonderful & Thoughtful Man, Jeff, and Mom to two GREAT & Wonderful Daughters, Abbi & Hannah)

us4davis · #6 09/16/07, 08:58 AM

Hey Mama, umm, there is a picture of the rear of her udder if you look!!!! And you spell months like that and not with an e. Well at least that's how you taught me and then you go and spell it wrong!!!LOL!!!! So ummm, did you teach me wrong or right?!?!?!?!?!??!

Love yas,
~Abs~

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #7 09/16/07, 12:06 PM

A doe who is dry would normally have clear fluid, she absorbs the milk solids, then the fluid until there is nothing.

The large mass in the udder can be old mastitis scarring, it can be a walled off staph mastitis, or it can be acidomides. In the later two, her daughters likely will have the same as they freshen. I never dry up a doe with udder problems because it will get really ugly during the dry period, she isn't dried until 100% and then dry cow infused with the same meds. She needs systemic anitibiotics, infused antibiotics and frequent milking, and still then you likely will never get rid of the mass.

It would be better with a complete history, antibiotics? How long, which ones, infused also? Obviously they need to have other does fresh before this doe kids in case she has no colostrum or milk, certainly don't let her nurse herd replacements foster them or bottle them...let her nurse a single buckling for meat. V