# Swollen teat/water retention..?



## Blackbird (Jan 11, 2013)

I have a FF Nubian that freshened the 25th. Things were going well until yesterday morning when I brought her onto the stand to milk that morning and went to milk her.. Her right teat was swollen.
There was some considerably swollen areas on each side of the teat but the rest was alright.. The next milking (last night) was a nightmare as it was even more swollen, as well as the base, and I had a very hard time milking her, as it was very painful for her; she ended up kicking and screaming the entire time. 
I have noticed however, that each time I milk her, where I put my fingers and apply pressure, the tissue holds the form of where my fingers are, as if there is some water retention. I did cause her to bleed some trying to milk her last night and this morning.. This morning was even worse.

I had this happen with a LaMancha earlier in the month, but it wasn't this bad and eventually went away.

Does anyone know what causes this, and what I can do to remedy the issue?
She is CAE neg, the milk is normal, though I spray it on the ground.. Can't keep a pail under her with all the kicking. My barn is dry and warm at night.. Above freezing. I am worried that is the swelling does go down, that her teat with be permanent enlarged compared to the other.
Here was her udder day 2;









Here it is this morning;


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

I had a doe do this too but hers was an obvious injury. Looked like she stepped on it as she was getting up or lying down. It did take a while to heal. I pulled her kids to bottle-feed (they were only 48hrs old). I use a machine and I think that made it easier to heal since there was not much actual pulling or squeezing to get the milk out and I milked her four times a day for several days.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

She doesn't have a lot of delineation between her teat and udder...are you making sure and not grasping to high on the teat? You can force tissue down into the teat doing this. I see a lot of folks at shows, not milking correctly, hands way to high above the teat...you can only milk the teat itself.

You would see bruising if this was an injury on an udder this light, I would think.

My hands also leave indentations of where I have milked, milking machines don't do this...it is in fact the answer I give to those who say the machine must be really rough on the teat...when in fact it is better, unless you have hands like a 12 year old girl 

The swelling is also causing edema, and pain. I would give her banamine before milking. Be quick about the milking and make sure you are not causing further damage. There is no pulling down on goats, your hands don't move up and down, make sure when your pointer finger is pushing in with your thumb that it is below where the teat joins the udder floor, not above. Milk her 3 times a day so she doesn't get this full. It has to heal on it's own. Vicki


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## Blackbird (Jan 11, 2013)

Gee Vicki, if you are going to spy on me, at least be subtle about it. Pfft!

In all seriousness, this has been hell, but we're dealing. Tonight went much better. I have milked improperly, but usually it's when I'm in a rush to head somewhere, and at the end of milking - I am thinking, that while I've been told I have 'rock-picking hands', this isn't something I have done by milking - I had a doe freshen for the first time last night - have never even really touched her udder before, and she has the same edema but at the base, in the rear. I am questioning as to whether this is either genetic (by looking at some websites) or management.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I would say genetic if you have more than one doe with the same issue and they are kin.
It is possible that they have faulty structure letting reservoir tissue drop below where the sphincter should be.
FF?


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

There are folds of tissue between the teat and the udder reservior or cistern as some call it. 
These folds help hold the milk in the cistern acting as what we call a spinchter even tho it is not actually structurally one like in a uriniary system or such. These folds of tissue can give way and 'unfold' and end up moving into the teat area. 
These are cow diagrams but give you the idea.
http://agriculture.kzntl.gov.za/publications/production_guidelines/dairying_in_natal/dairy6_1.htm


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## Blackbird (Jan 11, 2013)

Yes, FF.. The one the recently had a bit of an issue is back to normal as of last night. 
This one with the teat though.. I have to dry her up, as I can't keep putting her through that. I have to catch her to drag her on the stand now. Her other teat was inflamed similarly last night. Not as bad but I assume it will get worse. Good thing she isn't a heavy producer.

If you look at the third diagram, it's that the teat wall, as pictured, that seems to be issue. 
The milk WAS flowing just fine, but yesterday was swelling was so bad that I would have to change my hand placement or rub the teat back and forth as the swelling would cut off the flow. The swelling that was on the base is no longer there, it is now just the teats.


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