Early Kid...mastitis?

LuckyGRanch · #1 04/07/05, 05:25 AM

Predawn I was awakened by a new baby cry - YES!!

Once I got outside (didn't take me long! :haha: ) I found a single, premature though viable doeling. She was from a doe I knew was pregnant but showed no signs of being "close". Tail tight, udder only showing signs of pregnancy - not bagging up.

Long story short, upon milking her out for colostrum, one side gave about 3 squirts normal thick colostrum - the other side I thought I'd accidentally let her uterine fluids drip in! Thick very purulent, reddish, perhaps a small clot! Both sides of her udder feel very pliable, no heat, etc. Bascially, 100% normal.

To me this is obvious mastitis but, could it be from trauma....say someone with horns hooking her. There are no outward signs of this happening.

So, I have:

1) Doe who showed no signs of being near the end of pregnancy delivering

2) small, premature single birth from a 2nd freshener

3) internal exam shows no more kids on the way

4) udder normal to palpation

5) abnormal colostrum...

6) No udder development after birth

7) slightly abnormal bleeding previous to internal exam - 1cc oxytocin given after exam

Since I did an internal exam - well scrubbed before hand. Do you give antibiotics for a couple days and if so....what?

Thanks everyone! Things were going so nice and smooth this season! Just when you think you've seen almost everything....

This is a new one to me!

LuckyGRanch · #2 04/07/05, 10:15 AM

I took some of the goop to the vet after I dropped the kids for school.

His opinion is simply bloody colostrum due to trauma.

I'm guessing that is why she delivered early as well. All the does are "hormonal" right now and have been jostling each other a bit. Nothing that would have concerned me about early births though!!

The fragile little doeling is doing better now. Up and standing, eating on her own. My daughter has dubbed her "Holly" - you know Mom...as in "Holly Hobbie"!

Still NO udder from the doe. Can I expect she'll pick up or no milk this freshening?

mpillow · #3 04/07/05, 10:21 AM

I would keep her udder well stimulated....like 4-5 times a day. Make sure she is getting a balanced ration....maybe a little probiotics or yogurt. I'd give her a good solid week of lots of "demand"" on the udder to see if she'll produce.

LuckyGRanch · #4 04/07/05, 01:38 PM

Do you suppose it will be worth the effort? She's sure enjoying (not!) the special attention!

The kid isn't as preemie as I first thought. Probably just a few days. Just quite tiny. Mom is actually a little on the heavy side - very well conditioned. Had I not done an internal exam, I'd think there was still at least one...maybe more kids in there!

mpillow · #5 04/07/05, 02:40 PM

Getting the colostrum for the baby would be worth it unless you have an alternative source for feeding her. If her milk does come in she could get a case of mastitis if she isnt milked out....I've never had any problems with no milk though! Small supply on one with mastitis and one old goat but had others to suppliment...I still milked the others eventhough it wasnt much about a quart a day from each one.

bethlaf · #6 04/07/05, 03:25 PM

i would definately be in there helping produce the prolactin the moether needs to get the milk going, i am sure baby is trying to nurse, and premie birth with no other outward signs would tell me, yes she got butted HARD, and went into labor, i assume shes a first timer, wait i think you said that, them older dams can handle a lot more seems like

but yeah keep trying to milk her, her ENTIRE future lactation curve depends on this first milking
sad but true !
the less she is allowed to produce during her first lactation the less she will produce over her entire milkign career, which can be quite a while assuming shes CAE free...
ivem entioned before i have an 8 year old doe rightnow with tremendous milking potential , just waiting for her to drop the kids ..
and it all traces back ....

get her on the stand minimum 3 times a day , jsut because you only get 3-4 squirts doesnt mean you stop , bump her lightly , keep gently milking for a few more squeezes, this is important .in case i havent mentioned

keep her up there, might want to go with a lower protien grain though since youre gonna need grain on the stand, i would cut her ration 50/50 with corn , since you said she is overconditioned, over conditioned does give less milk too....sad but true

nappy · #7 04/07/05, 10:08 PM

I have a first freshener who delivered early last Sunday morning which was a surprise finding her with her new kid. My does are carefully checked for signs of imminent delivery near their due date but this one showed not one clue of delivering soon. This doe has a nearly flat pancake udder. She did not fill out before, during or after the birth. The udder is relatively hard so along with having the one doeling nursing, I am milking her twice a day. I wash her udder with very warm water with a few drops of peppermint oil in it and gently massage in circular motions around the whole udder. Somewhere I've read that the peppermint oil would help soften the udder. This seems to get the milk flowing which should eventually make a softer udder (I hope). The kid is thriving and has a easy time reaching the teats. This doe is a real challenge as I'm not sure if her next freshening will result in such a small udder again. Somehow I think so since she is my only registered doe.

Nappy