Doe getting ready for first freshening with hard udder.

[DownHome]

This doe has never freshened before and has a developing udder that is getting larger and is hard. It is now a little larger than a softball and I expect her to freshen in the next month. What is wrong and how can I help? or is this sometimes normal?

downhome

[betsy h.]

Test for CAE NOW!

Consider treating for mastitis as soon as you find out whether or not it is CAE! She should have some fluid in her udder that can be cultured now.

[DownHome]

Everyone tested negative for CAE last year. I still plan on testing again this year, just haven't done it yet. Can I use "Today" or "Tomorrow" even though she has never freshened? Is it possible to be mastitis having never freshened? Both sides seem to be even and equally hard. Neither feels hot.

[betsy h.]

It is not a good thing to put antibiotics in an udder without culturing the milk/fluid in the udder first- it messes with the pathogen and you do not know what you have.

Tomorrow is the better choice for udder infusions.

You could also do compresses or doses by mouth of Milk of Magnesia ('the blue bottle'), or Epsom Salt, which could also be the cause of hardness.

[DairyGoatSlave]

is it hard or firm?

[DownHome]

I would say hard. Firm to me means feels full and is firm. When I squeeze it there is very little give, it is not liquid and I can even feel where it is hard where the teats go down too.

downhome

[susanne]

you might want to test again for cae.
is this a doe that was dam raised? some mastitis forms are transferred this way.

[powderhooves]

I don't have dairy goats but when I had a hard udder on a goat I massaged peppermint oil on the udder and it seemed to help a lot.

[saanengirl]

It could be mycoplasma. A lot of people mistake mycoplasma mastitis for a result of CAE because pasteurization kills mycoplasma as well as CAE so kids raised on CAE prevention rarely grow up to have hard udders from mycoplasma. Is the udder relatively cold? If it is cold and there is no fluid coming out, there could be edema.

[DownHome]

If it is mastitis, what can be done at this point. Will "Today" or "Tomorrow" help? Will that vaccine help, I can't remember the name of it. I will be retesting for CAE shortly. Can anything be done in the mean time.

help please

downhome

[DownHome]

It doesn't feel cold either, just regular temperature.

[susanne]

when is her due date?

[DownHome]

She ran with the buck for about 8 weeks. She should kid no later than mid Sept.

downhome

[susanne]

is she still eating good? did you take her temperature?
i have not had hard udders this long before kidding. hard udders came on just before or right after kidding.
i have no idea how mycoplasma infection works with mastitis?
can you get any fluid out for testing?
under no circumstances would i let this doe kid alone. be there and take kids right away before she can nurse or lick them. don't take a chance if you want to raise healthy kids.

[DownHome]

I could only get a couple of drops of fluid. I'm guessing that isn't enough to test. Now what?

downhome

[susanne]

leave it alone, test for cae, catch the kids right away when they are born.

[DownHome]

Okay We got everyone tested for CAE and they were all negative, so that is not it. Her udder is slightly smaller and still hard and I'm pretty sure she isn't bred. Other than the udder development, there are no other signs, and she seemed to be in heat this last week.

Does anyone have any ideas on what to do to help her. I don't want her udder to be totally ruined.

downhome

[susanne]

this udder is already ruined.
i have no idea how mycoplasma testing is doen but this would be my next bet.
which lab did the cae testing?

[Briza]

Susanne~
Can you explain what you are suspecting and why you say the udder is already ruined?
Thank you
B~

[hoofinitnorth]

Have you run a pregnancy test?