[loggyacreslivestock]

Last night I noticed my 4 month old Boer doeling has a hard, red, swollen teat and half of her udder. It is so hard it doesn't compress at all. It is 2-3 times the size of the other side. It doesn't feel hot and she does not have a temp. I put warm compresses on it for about 20 minutes. It must be sore because she lifts her leg up when I touch it and when I put the compresses on it.

I don't think she had it the night before because we had her out brushing her and working her for 4H.

She has never been in heat that I have seen and is in with all does except two 5 week old bucklings.

Should I give penicillin or something else? I plan to keep her to breed and don't want her udder damaged, plus I don't want her in pain. She seems fine otherwise.

Thanks,

 

[enchantedgoats]

Sounds more like an injury to me. Do you have horned goats? Do you test for cl?

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

She is in a pen with her two siblings who are disbudded. I can't find any injury at all. Not even a bee sting...
No, she has not been tested, but her dam was before I got her last August and so was her sire.

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

Bump

 

[sweetgoats]

Can you post as picture of it? Poor girls it sounds like it really hurts.

 

[mjs500doo]

I would say either you have a sucker on your hands (can happen) or injury like a bite, bruise, etc. Chances are it's not mastitis, but that can happen as well. Try squeezing her teat. If you can express anything at all, I would infuse one tube of Tomorrow and leave it be. Compresses and peppermint oil would be on the agenda.

 

[happybleats]

could be a precocious udder ....A bit young but could happen...I would leave it alone...keep a close eye on her...
watch her temp
watch for uncomfortable walking
off feed
watch for it to be hot and painful
Hot compresses wont hurt but personally I wouldnt try tomilk it..you open the teat up and bacteria can enter in...

 

[pubgal83]

Agree with happybleats. I would leave it and just watch her really close. Her temp is important. Hope she's feeling better soon.

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

No, you can't compress the udder or teat at all. It is as hard as this keyboard I am typing on. She didn't have a fever last night or this morning. I will try to get a pic when I get home. It got dark on me last night before I could get one. She does seem to be in pain. When I try to touch it, she really flinches. She always liked belly rubs prior to this, so I know it must be painful.

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

The teat is definitely not open either. I couldn't even find an opening.
Would a precocious udder be one sided and so hard?

 

[happybleats]

A precocious udder can be one sided.. but with it boing so hard and painful I might be tempted to put her on Pen G...even with out fever..First I would try very warm compresses...I would make my water with epsom salt and soak a rag then hold with out messaging on the udder, do this 2 x a day at least....if she is def. in pain I would also give her bananmine to help with the pain and inflamation....see if that helps her..if this does not change things after a day or so I would go with the Pen G for 5 days...Do keep a watch on temp..twice a day at least...

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

Ok, will do another soak when I get home. I think I will give Pen G also. Just to be sure. I don't have banamine, I will give her aspirin. When the vet comes next week for my fair checkup, I will try to buy some.

Thanks Happybleats!

 

[happybleats]

Aspirin will help with discomfort but banamine will help with inflamation. maybe you vet can give you a few shots worth?

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

She will probably sell me a bottle. She is pretty good about that, you just have to already be in need of it first. She isn't real good about just letting me buy something for "just in case".

 

[happybleats]

I would keep it on hand if she will let you buy it....if you ever have a goat with high fever..it will help bring it down ...it is also good for inflamation and pain..both if which this little gal is dealing with...so I would say its needed...I wouldnt how ever give it more than three days...its hard on the liver...if she is still swollen tight and painful after three days of Banamine then your vet will need to see her any way...keep a log of all you do for her to show your vet...I found that my vet was more confortable giving me meds I needed whether to use it now ot to keep on hand once he saw that I pretty much new what I was talking about lol..

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

These are pictures of her udder tonight. It seems a bit softer in the udder, but the teat is still very hard.

 

[happybleats]

poor baby....looks painful..sure looks like a precocious udder...??? I would keep with
the epsom salt warm compresses...again..not messaging...just warming things up....hopefully she will soften all the way to the teat and be more comfortable...

Is she acting fine? no fever, eating drinking and all?? social ??

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

No fever, temp was 102.2 tonight, eating, peeing fine. Poop is clumpy, but I just wormed all three on Tuesday, so I think it is from that. Happy and running tonight. Dragging my but through the mud infact. LOL

 

[happybleats]

all sounds perfect!!
here is a bit of info on the subject

From Fiasco Farms: It possible for a doe to start filling her udder and making milk without ever being pregnant. This is what is called being "precocious" and it is not uncommon. On rare occasion, a doe may start making milk without being bred. It is best to just let it be and not milk her. She will eventually reabsorb the "milk". She will probably be a very good milker once she is bred, kids, and begins a true lactation. It will not effect her udder negatively once she kids. From our experience, every precocious doe we've had has filled up on one side more than the other, but once they kidded, they had very nice even udders.

 

[loggyacreslivestock]

Ok, I gave pennicillin last night and compresses. This morning her udder was soft and the teat was starting to be softer. Will check again when I get home.

Thanks everyone.