Mastits - STILL!

[Creamers]

Ok - after a failed attempt to send off milk for a culture, I am at a loss.

Here is the story:

about 3 weeks ago:

Noticed a few warm lumps in the udder of two of the does.
Did a CMT test - positives in the 1 range

Didn't think of testing the milk - went on and treated with what worked
for their dam because I assumed they likely contracted it from her because they nursed her last year until I pulled them when we realized there was mastitis present.

We used Biomycin injections and Pen G infusions. . 7 days.

The lumps improved greatly. . . though one lump remained in the udder of the one doe, the another one tested neg. on the CMT test.

I stopped the antibiotics for two reasons: I wanted to get a clean sample of milk to test on the doe that the Biomycin hadn't cleared it up on, and obviously, if it was going to work, it would have.

Until this time - neither doe seemed down, depressed, ate normally, played, up and all over the property - but production was quite down -
It has started to pick back up near the end of the 7 days of infusions and injections.

But I stopped and waited 7 days to get a clean milk sample. . .LSU said that should be fine.

During those 7 days of getting no treatment - the one doe's condition got much worse - worse than it ever was before - the CMT tests were showing a much greater infection, the udder was hot and FULL of hard lumps and she went off feed. I was afraid to mess around with giving her nothing anymore - the condition was going down hill too fast, so I froze a sample in the red topped tube and started Pen G injections (gave banamine, too, Vit B complex, probios) - the Naxcel I ordered and the Pirsue arrived. . .I started those, too. . .(well, tried the Pirsue - can't figure what the deal is with it - I've wasted 4 of them - they just spray back out - will not inject in the orafice, where the Today and Tomorrow I have no trouble infusing)

Her demeanor improved in 24 hours and she was back to her same old self in a day - within a few days, the udder felt much better and she was acting normal, eating normal. . .

This is the 5th day of the Naxcel and 7th of the Pen G -

Now - I never mailed the sample of milk off because the day I went to mail it 5 days ago. . . I got a quote of $77 to ship it. The man at LSU said a lot of their samples are coming in warm and get dumped out - he said use at least 5 ice packs - well, that makes for a heavy box, but he said even then, when I asked should that mean it should arrive cool enough - he said it was hard to say - my husband Would NOT consent to spending that, esp. when we can't be sure it will get there cool.

So I called the State WV lab - they don't test. The vet charges $180 to mail off the milk. Ohio State will not return my emails or calls. . .

THEN (put the milk back in the freezer at home) - I read you can't use the red/black top tubes with the anti coagulent inside - which I did - so I CAN'T EVEN test this milk -

BUT there is no way to take her off any antibiotics safely again even if I find a place to test the milk, not really. . .at least, I'm afraid to.

BTW: This doe was vaccinated with Lysign, as was her sister (who was back to testing positive this morning on one side - mild positive). . .

SOOOO. . .

What else do I try?

Gent? Nuflor?

[Alice In TX/MO]

If you use Gentamycin, then her milk is out of use for the rest of this lactation.

There's a thread on dairygoatinfo.com about this. Do you read that board?

http://www.dairygoatinfo.com/index.php?topic=19433.0

[Creamers]

I planned to dry her and another doe up because they were hit hard with the barberpole worm issues on the farm, and so I don't mind the milking being out this lactation. . .

It is looking like the Gent is what I need to go with -

I'm on DGI, too

[Jennifer L.]

From the cow board, so my advice is from the cow end of things.

Won't your local vet do the cultures themselves? Or aren't they capable of it? If there are any dairy herds (cows) in your area, I would think there is a local vet who would do it.

I guess I don't have any other advice, as you seem really on top of things. It's obvious you've got a tough strain of something in these does, though, and at this point you might not be finding out the information to help these two, but it sure will be money in the bank to know what you are dealing with when the next doe comes down with it.

Good luck with it. Mastitis can be frustrating to deal with.

Jennifer

[Creamers]

Thanks, Jennifer. My vet doesn't culture - he doesn't know anyone who does around here.

[Alice In TX/MO]

That's our problem with getting mastitis testing, too. NOBODY does it around here. Very frustrating.

[grandmajo]

My gosh, that has got to be so frustrating for you.

Try contacting somebody at Dairy One and see if they can help you?
http://www.dairyone.com/MilkLaboratories/default.htm

I understand that you want to dry them off, but if you do that and they still have mastitis in their udders, then that crap will sit there and brew while they're in their dry period. And then they'll freshen with mastitis and you'll be right back to where you started. You really need to get a sample tested, if at all possible. That way you can dry-treat them with the appropriate dry cow treatment when you dry them off.

Is it possible for you to milk them out more frequently? That helps to keep the bacteria laden milk out of their udder. My best guess is that the strain that you have isn't one that would react to Pirsue.

Sending you a PM

[Creamers]

They are producing soooo little - I literally would get 1/4 cup mid day milking - so I'm doing 2 times a day at the moment. I won't dry them off until the mastitis is cleared up, for sure. I'll look up Dairyone.

I am thinking about ordering Amoximast - amoxicillin infusions - maybe?

[grandmajo]

I would still try milking 3 times a day, it might even increase their production a bit.

Personally, I wouldn't try anymore infusions until you get a sample tested to find out what you're dealing with.

I did find a state-run testing lab in West Virginia:

OFFICE OF LABORATORY SERVICES
167 11th Avenue
South Charleston, WV 25303
Phone (304) 558-3530 / Fax (304) 558-2006
http://www.wvdhhr.org/labservices
Office Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

[Creamers]

I emailed the local Biology department at Marshall University per a friend's suggestion
just incase they might be able to test it. . .who knows.

[motdaugrnds]

OMG I do feel for you. I don't understand the reaction you're getting with Pirsue as that product works miracles.

Hope Marshall University can be of help to you.

[Creamers]

They said they can't do a test there and told me to contact WVU - which I've done. Ohio State said they'd test even with the Anti Coag in the tubes, but they only accept submissions through the vet and my vet will not be around until potentially MONDAY!

Pirsue - where it is like water - it just runs out - where the Today and Tomorrow actually go in - the Pirsue shoots out - it is very odd.

[grandmajo]

I didn't know that about Ohio State? The guy that I communicated with never even mentioned it.

There is a vet in Michigan that does his own in-house testing, would you like me to try and find his info?

[Creamers]

Yes, thanks!