# Teat injury



## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

:/ An adult doe I purchased earlier this year has suddenly decided (or suddenly gotten caught, one of the two) to nurse on another doe who is in milk. She scraped the doe's teat pretty badly in the process. I cleansed her udder and the afflicted teat thoroughly with an iodine solution. This is our first udder injury. My thoughts are to keep it clean and dry- beyond that does anyone have any specific recommendations? I've separated her into a fresh stall. She's happy to have the deluxe accommodations. Thank goodness my husband witnessed it so we can deal with the culprit.


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

This situation got a heckuva lot worse before it got better and thank you Vicki for the help. We're on the upswing now- the external portion of the injury is healing so quickly you wouldn't think it was anything serious by looking at it now. Her orifice and milk stream are also basically back to normal. 

The only issue we're having is that the bottom 1" of the teat is still hard. No signs of infection whatsoever. There is no heat as when the inflammation was bad. Does anyone have any experience with teat injuries? During the worst part of this ordeal the end of her teat was actually cold, which had me convinced we would be seeing tissue necrosis. There are certainly no external signs and obviously the teat isn't cold at this point. Perhaps there is scar tissue forming, but it can't be the only explanation as this started just a couple days in and has persisted.

It's very clear this injury is in the process of healing... but when can I stop stressing about tissue necrosis? I would think that I'd have seen it by now if I was going to see it at all, but this is our first experience with this kind of thing.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

I think I would keep an eye on it for a long time. Sometimes the infection can flare back up even after it appears to be healed.
Not sure about the hardened teat. Have you tried a cayenne based salve on it? It is warming to the skin and improves circulation. If you used something like that, you would have to clean it afterwards, of course, so dirt doesn't stick to it.


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

She gets thoroughly checked and cleaned twice daily at milking.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

That is good since you will be able to notice any change quickly. Perhaps the hormonal changes ( increased blood flow) at her next freshening will help it heal even more completely.


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Sorry you're dealing with this, Nicki.

I have to say, Nicki posted this on June 29th and NOW we're seeing some action? Obviously Vicki helped her, but why not help her on the forum so we all can learn from it? With details!

Thanks for posting, Nicki.


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

Thanks Cindy and Michelle for the feedback. There wasn't a gap in treatment- I posted right after the injury occurred and then things just went downhill from there. I contacted Vicki and then brought my vet on board right after. It's amazing how quickly she is healing once we got beyond the worst of it, so I feel like her immune system is going strong. I already had her on banamine and was cleaning her religiously with chlorhexidine. I'd also given BoSe for immune support. My vet had me add penicillin (still his go-to antibiotic for wounds) and hot soaks (in a chlorhexidine and epsom salt solution) 3 times daily. The purpose was of course to increase blood flow to the teat. I really think the hot soaks made a difference.

Her mammary gland was never affected, thank goodness. Her flow is basically back to normal which makes me hopeful there's no scar tissue forming to block it. The scabs on the outside of the teat seem like they're disappearing overnight. I'll keep everyone posted about the hard spot. We are just so thankful it didn't get worse than it did. This is the doe in my avatar photo. I'd sell the rest of the herd for her if I had to- she is my best girl and will live out here years here as a pet. And it's only her first freshening! She's normally as healthy as a horse, but inevitably it would be THAT goat that would have an issue...


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Nicki wouldn't use leaches like I would have, so I didn't think the forum..............teasing. 

Keeping her in milk is your best course of action, that way she is milked twice a day, no scar tissue can form on the bottom of this teat so that milking her becomes a problem next year. I would bet she will have some permanent thickness at the bottom of her teat, but as long as the orifice heals open, I would not worry.

One thing you might do is find someone who will share some teat sealant with you, it literally forms a seal in the orifice, like the old wax cannula they have for cows to keep the orifice open during healing. I do not know if teat sealant comes in a small enough amount that you could use it on a small herd. I had never heard of it until I met a cow dairy guy who uses it at dry off. Vicki


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

I'd have used leeches, a shaman, or anything else that might have helped... even one of those uniquely Southern characters who "talk" warts off of people here if I thought it would've worked! :lol

I can deal with a little thickness- as it is everything looks super. As long as that thickness doesn't indicate necrosis, which at this point I'd imagine we'd be seeing overt signs. I'll be keeping her in milk at least a few more months, so plenty of time to heal before dry off. The cannula wax is a good idea. I have Quartermaster to infuse that side when I do dry her off, but the mammary gland doesn't appear to have been affected- whew!

I should have taken a picture of it so everyone could see the process. If I posted a picture now you'd all think it couldn't have possibly been that bad... she is healing beautifully! dance:


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

Just an update- the thickness is much reduced. It seems to be the slowest part of the healing process, but the difference is notable!


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## Twillingate Farm (Oct 26, 2007)

So happy to hear that Nicki... it really is always the one doe you want to base the rest of your herd upon that gets hurt or develops some adverse condition! I truly hope she continues to heal and can avoid further injury. What are you going to do with the culprit?


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Woohoo! Hope it continues healing !


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Thanks for the update, glad she is doing better! Vicki


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

The culprit was sold with a warning to her buyer. She's nicely bred, has a sweet temperament aside from this new (?) habit of nursing, and will surely be an asset to someone's program. But, as I told her new owner, it's a deal breaker for me and not at all worth it. My milkers come first. In the meantime I've increased her dietary calcium (she's dry/open) based on the suggestion of a friend that her trying to nurse may be a calcium issue.


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

All of the thickness at the bottom of the teat is G-O-N-E.  She still has the external scars, but they're just pale indentations and are fading. I am counting my lucky stars on this one!


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

I thought yesterday while I was milking that I should update on this. The teat that was injured has a scar on the outside if you look closely while milking, but there is no difference in the texture. It's just slightly indented there, but just as soft and supple as the rest of the skin. There is no scar tissue blocking the orifice whatsoever. Also, she's 9 months into lactation and the injury never did result in mastitis. I regret not getting pictures of how all this progressed- if something like this ever happens again (knock on wood it doesn't) I will document it with photos. That teat is still larger than the other, but I could care less about that considering what could have happened. I just wanted to let everyone know this turned out absolutely fine! For as severe an injury as it was I was just sure her udder or teat was going to suffer permanent damage and it didn't. I'm thrilled to see they can bounce back from some pretty nasty stuff!


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

That's great, Nicki. Thanks for the update.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

That is good to hear!


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

I LOVE happy endings!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Nice! I know when Panzy slit her eye open, it was shocking how bad it looked even after my fixing job. Amazing how good it looked when it healed.


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

It goes to show how important good immune support is, as well. Slitting an eye open... how awful. Glad it healed nicely! I think good supportive care is everything in cases like this.


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## Qadosh Adamah Lamanchas (Nov 2, 2012)

Vicki, I had a similar thing happen last year. I had a doe that must have run into an exposed nail or something in the barn wall, because her lower eyelid was ripped off almost entirely. That was quite the patch job! I used superglue, but as it healed, it itched, so she wanted to scratch. I didn't have a "cone", so I wrapped that side of her head in bandages. She looked like quite the pirate! I kept up on penicillin and and such and she healed nicely. She just has a tiny little divit there now and that injury was about 8 months ago.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

My doe cut her teat open on an exposed nail last fall. I couldn't believe how well it healed. I used superglue according to the suggestions given here and I didn't even use an antibiotic. What would I do without you guys?


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