Never had this happen yet, help please?

[Backfourty,MI.]

I have a FF due the 12th of this month(150 days on the 12th) & I notice this morning when I went to do chores one teat is leaking, not a stream just a drip once in awhile, she is not engorged or what I would consider tight either.

My question is should I put her on the milk stand & milk her out or at least a little from that side? Never had one leak any milk before kidding & not a tight udder even although she is getting big.

[coso]

May have a weak orifice. I had one that did that a while back. I finally culled her. Makes them susceptible to mastitis.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I would just tie her to a fence and wash the teat to remove external bacteria as if you were going to milk. Then, I'd milk VERY SLOWLY and gently, so as not to stimulate the let down reflex. Take out a 1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on how full she is. Then dip or spray as you would post milking.

[Backfourty,MI.]

OK, Thanks to you both! I am deathly worried about mastitis & so far never had it here & don't want to start now.
I was worried it was a weak orifice but didn't know what to do, sure hope I don't have to cull her cause she's such a sweetie.
I'm going out now Alice, Thanks!

[coso]

Backfourty, I tried Dr. Naylors Stop-a-Leak http://www.drnaylor.com/index.php?pa...mart&Itemid=30 and it helped some. But she would still leak. Guess you could try it, if you wanted. Might work for you. .

[Alice In TX/MO]

LOL. While I was posting the original form of this, Chris posted the treatment I was looking for. I've never used it.

Being a curious sort of person, I looked at the ingredients. It's primarily iodine and alcohol with a dash of tannic acid. I wonder how it's supposed to cause the orifice to close?

Unfortunately, what I have found so far about the condition is in line with what Chris said about leaking orifices. This is from the cattle section, but it cross applies.

From the Merck Manual:
Teat Sphincter Inadequacy (“Leakers” or Incontinentia Lactis)
High levels of intramammary pressure in high-producing dairy cows may result in milk dripping from teats in cows. Risk factors for milk leakage include high peak milk flow rates, short teats, and inverted teat ends. Shorter intervals or more frequent milking may be recommended when a large proportion of the herd is affected. Occasionally, cows are observed to leak milk continuously. These cows usually have sustained a severe teat injury or have an abnormal streak canal. In general, little can be done to correct this condition, and most of these cows will develop mastitis; it is recommended that persistent leakers be designated for removal from the herd.

[Backfourty,MI.]

Thanks again to you both. I keep checking on her & so far so good. Maybe it was just that she was too full or had laid on it, etc. I don't know but I just came in again & she is not leaking still.
I did take out the Triodine 7 & sprayed her with that Alice so I'm glad that's the ingredient in the Dr. Naylors stuff.
Hopefully this won't continue, keeping my fingers crossed.

[wintrrwolf]

after washing can you not use some teat tape especially since she isn't nursing right now?

[Backfourty,MI.]

I checked her off & on all night, was down there before bed again & she is still not leaking.
I'll check this morning.

[motdaugrnds]

There is a type of spray I use after milking that is "cold" and helps close up a teat. I got it at Hoeggers and it is called "Fight Bac" (containing 0.4% chlorhexidine). Spraying that up into the teat helps deter infection from weak orifices.

[Backfourty,MI.]

Well I don't know if I just caught her when she got up & she was laying on her udder & squishing it maybe or what but she is still not leaking or dripping today but I am going to watch her like a hawk anyways.

[Goats4Life]

I have one that "leaks" when she lays down. I followed her everywhere for days. I even started milking three times a day because I didn't like her being so full that she would leak. Then one day, when she laid down she "squirted" milk. I watched and figured out that if she laid just right it would push milk out. I too worried about mastitis. Sure enough, she got it too. I don't have a great answer, I just understand where your at!