Doe, 105.2 F, (Mastitis) Updated photos

[babsbag]

Personally I wouldn't let the dogs lick it, if you can stop it. I would worry that they would introduce some other bacteria into it.

My doe raised her kid just fine on her good half while the udder sloughed off. I left her kid on her as I figured it gave her a reason to live. Once the antibiotics were done I didn't do anything at all other than fly control. It took a few months to fall off, but it did it without my help. Mine lost the entire half. She had triplets this year, I grafted one onto another doe and she is raising the other two.

 

[dejavoodoo114]

I bottle feed so I am not worried about her raising kids. She is still producing a fair amount of milk on the one side so I am sure she won't have a problem next year. I had hoped to sell her but with one udder she will continue on our farm.

I will have to see if I can stop the dogs... That means once again rearranging everything, goats and dogs and such.

 

[Baymule]

This must be more common in goats and sheep than I thought. I am sorry that your doe is going through this, but she sure has a good goat Mommy to care for her.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Part of it is that generally dairy goat people pay more attention because we are up close and personal with our goats several times a day. Those who have a bunch of sheep that are only handled a few times a year won't notice (not saying you are like this).

My vet said it is very common for people to realize when they shear their sheep and discover she only has 1/2 an udder.

She's had a bunch of calls from panicked, mortified shepards when the ewe has half an udder, after it's all healed over.

Sheep are also in milk for a much shorter time. Dairy goats are in milk for 8-12 months, 10 being the average. We had a doe in milk for 18 months.

 

[Baymule]

There was an ad on Craigslist recently for a bunch of sheep, mostly 5 year olds with half an udder. Dumping culls. And they still wanted a couple hundred dollars for cull ewes with one teat.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Sometimes you can get a good brood animal, if its the right doe (or ewe) it might be worth it.

I know some folks in SC that bought a very, very, very nice Lucy Star lamancha doe for very little (well… considering the price of their goats) because the doe had mastitis and was probably going to loose half the uddder. They had her shipped down from WA and worked on her. The doe lost the use of half the udder but made it through and they got themselves a heck of a brood doe. She was their foundation doe and really did a lot for their herd.

 

[Green Acres Farm]

Sometimes you can get a good brood animal, if its the right doe (or ewe) it might be worth it.

I know some folks in SC that bought a very, very, very nice Lucy Star lamancha doe for very little (well… considering the price of their goats) because the doe had mastitis and was probably going to loose half the uddder. They had her shipped down from WA and worked on her. The doe lost the use of half the udder but made it through and they got themselves a heck of a brood doe. She was their foundation doe and really did a lot for their herd.

Do you mean Lucky Star?

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Yes.
Have a dog named Lucy
Her name is spelled a lot on the "smart" phone.

Phone is so smart it changes Lucky to Lucy sometimes

 

[dejavoodoo114]

@Baymule, What GW said is spot on. 5+ years and I have never seen signs of mastitis. I was with you thinking that it wasn't that common until I started going back to school and taking all my animal science classes. They confused me though, while I was always (until just recently for a very short time) careful and attentive to cleanliness when milking, I was still doing it in a dusty, dirty old barn! Well, just goes to show what happens when you slack off your milking protocol even for 4-5 days. NOT WORTH IT! I know my udder wipes are full since I just bought them but I still find myself picking up the bucket and seeing how much it weighs...

On another note, Chloe seemed to be in less pain today, her udder seemed to have reduced its size so the swelling has gone down. I actually put her in the nasty, steep goat pasture with the rest of the herd... I know I shouldn't have but I can't refuse her when she asks so sweetly! I think the movement has helped her a lot. Perhaps I was trying to baby her too much and was being counterproductive? I will continue to monitor her carefully and am ready to put her in a smaller pen whenever necessary.

Also, the necrotic area lost the ugly blister about to pop area. When I saw it this evening I was shocked! I have not been the one milking for the last two milk sessions because of school and it was a BIG change. Silly me, I was wondering if she might not just slough off dead tissue and be fine... Until I applied the iodine.. Oh yeah, the whole area around the teat is solid, dry and just wrong. The tissue is starting to separate from the larger healthy area of the udder. I think she will be fine, she will just have one teat.

 

[Baymule]

The good news is, you will still have Chloe. I hope she feels better soon. I think letting her out with the others probably did her some good. Hang in there.