Hard udder in 4 day fresh doe

[MamaDee]

Hey, all

I have a friend concerned about her doe. The doe is a FF and had twins Monday morning. They missed the birth, but the kids were dried off and fine. They didn't see her pass the afterbirth, but did witness the mom eating part of it.

They called me that afternoon concerned that her udder was too hard and they couldn't get much milk out. I advised them to make sure they actually saw the kids nurse (and keep nursing) and try to massage and milk her out a few times a day. I figured that on day one the doe's milk would not have come in so there wasn't any major concern for engorgement yet. My friend hasn't had any goat babies for awhile and just didn't know if her doe's udder was normal or not. Not having felt it myself, I didn't know if it was really hard or just firm.

Yesterday (day four) she called again saying she just wasn't sure if the udder was normal or not. The kids are nursing and seem fine, but they couldn't milk much out of her and her udder seemed hard still. I told her to use warm compresses, massage and try to milk her again. Well, last night they brought her over for me to have a look. Her udder looked normal, but when I felt it, it was hard as a rock--most all of it. The whole udder is hard with two little teats hanging down that you can't really get ahold of to milk. The kids were actively trying to nurse the whole time she was here, but they would suck for a bit, then try the other, etc. Like they weren't getting much. Their bellies weren't overly full, but they seemed like they were getting some and seemed active and healthy. They hadn't gotten a temp. on the doe yet, but said they would. The doe seemed stressed a bit and was breathing a bit fast, I thought. Also, her poop had starting clumping together that morning.

So....here's what I told them. Get a bucket of really hot water to take to the barn with washclothes. Put warm compresses on her udder, alternating with massage. Try to milk her and let the babies nurse all they can. Do this at least several times a day. Watch her temp. Watch the babies bellies and overall activity/health. I told them they could bottle feed the babies if they felt they were in danger, but it would be best to let them try to nurse all they can to help the mom.

As for the clumpy poop....at first I thought it was from her overall stress level, but I thought this morning to tell them to worm her if they didn't after birth. It makes sense the mom could get worm overload with all that's going on with her.

So....did I miss anything? Can you think of anything else I should have told them?

Dee

[DQ]

one of my does freshened with a hard side. I gave her vit c (as some have suggested here. I actually put 1/2 packet of Emergen-C mix on her breakfast every morning)it was normal in two weeks when I started milking. that side started off REALLY hard just as you describe with hardly anything to grab on to and hardly any milk. I think the kids constantly bumping on it and nursing all day probably was the biggest help.

[goatsareus]

no, you didn't miss anything; hot compresses, massages and kids nursing, keep this up until the problem is resolved. Don't bottle feed the kids, they need to devote all their attention to mom's udder.

[cjb]

Could it be CAE?