# Congested Udder



## REKKgoats (Jan 22, 2012)

I have a Boer doe who kidded ~7 am Friday am with triplets... this am her udder is hard, but the milk is ok. I don' think it is mastitis coming on this quickly. We had a case 4 yrs ago and helped a neighbor last yr with it and this is nothing like that. 

I found "congested udder" online. In an old chat, they were talking about using warm compresses and tea tree oil, but it doesn't really say HOW to apply compresses or dilution of the oil. I improvised by soaking hand towels in (1 QT) hot water with 10 drops of tea tree oil my neighbor happened to have. I then put a towel on her udder and massaged. The doe did seem to like the warm towels, I thought I felt some softening, and I did get some milk out. The kids didn't like/know the smell of the udder and did not help me . They did suckle later. 
I plan to rub her again tonight and 2-3-4 times tomorrow depending on other farm demands. She is eating, drinking water, urinating and mothering, but I am afraid the milk production may be stunted, which I can't afford since she has 3 kids.

Can you give me insight to this condition...more suggestions for alleviating her discomfort?

Thank you so much,

Eileen


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Peppermint oil is good, too, and I've seen an udder balm at feed stores that has peppermint in it, so it's already diluted for you. Here's a link to what I've seen: http://www.shanestack.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-48813 You will want to massage and milk as frequently as you can, but you will need to bottle the kids if it's too hard for them to nurse or they are unwilling because of the smell.

Has she been tested for CAE?


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

I have heard that the pepermint preparations help some. I have some congestion in the new freshening does and I think that the massage does as much as anything to help. I will milk her 3 times a day even, if it helps. I bet your girl is a good producer of milk. I would massage her udder several times a day and let the kids onto her to nurse during or immediately after the massage so they can drain the udder if she will let down for you. It make take them being present to make her let down if she's nursing her kids. When she has let down I would massage and let the kids nurse. If I were milking her I would massage, milk, massage, milk, massage, milk for a good 20 minutes, if her udder is really large. Be gentle, but not too gentle. Really massage it.


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## lonestrchic23 (Jan 7, 2011)

When I had this problem last year I did hot compresses as often as I could. I nuked wet towels in the microwave until REALLY hot. Put several in small cooler & held it on the udder while I massaged. When the towel cooled, I got a fresh warm one from the cooler.

Gave vitamin C tablets & raspberry leaf capsules from the health food store & by the morning of day 3, all congestion was gone.


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## REKKgoats (Jan 22, 2012)

Thanks everyone! feeling a little better about things. Just got in from the barn. did hot towel massage (I also had several hot wet towels in a lunch cooler) and two of the kids were right there trying to nurse...they went right to it, so they must've gotten used to the smell. I think I have some of the peppermint udder cream.. i will find in the morning...she kind of has a hairy udder though, not sure how the cream make work... these Boers are so different from the Saanens i had as a kid! I will also try the Vitamin C. after the rub and the kids going after her i did supplement the kids. I have one stubborn one who wont take the bottle... she may be the one nursing most often though; I will watch her closely.

Next question: I saw a post somewhere that if a doe has a congested udder, but was not treated, she would dry up... how long would it take for the udder to go down on its own? is there any permanent injury? would that be a cull factor?

Thanks!

Eileen
Shiloh OH
Boers, Nubians


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## [email protected] (Sep 18, 2008)

Also, be careful using oils/balms when massaging. You only want to massage them into the udder and not the teat. It is the perfect environment to grow bacteria--warm, moist, sealed in by the oils. I would wash and teat dip her to remove any after massaging.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

I would not leave it untreated. It is often related to diet, as well...high protein grain mixes/pellets in large quantities during gestation can make goats more prone to congestion. (Alfalfa, though high in protein, is not a problem.)


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

The tautness in the udder signlas the hormones to reduce milk production. That is why it is crucial to get the massaging done and keep the udder drained as much as possible. Don't just ignore it. It is relatively normal for a few days after freshening for the udder to be congested. Just like it is normal for human mothers to be engorged around the 2nd or 3rd day when their true milk is coming in. It's essentially the same thing. On human we use warm compresses and massage to ease the discomfort and help the congestion to go down....and nurse our babies as often as we can at first, before the engorgement subsides and we get into a routine. Same with the goat. A bit of engorgement is normal and nothing to really panic about. Just follow through with the warm towels and massage for several days und have the kids on hand to keep the milk drained and her udder will soften up in a few days. If not, then we'll have to think about that when the time comes to worry about it. You're doing great. Hope it subsides soon for her. As long as her udder is not noticeable red and hot, it is doubtful that she has mastitis. I would not put any sort of udder balm on her teats, as mentioned below. It can trap bacteria and cause trouble. Something about kid spittle on the teat seems to help keep mothers from getting mastitis. If you are worried about it you can always use a dairy teat dip However, I doubt that this is necessary right now.


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