# Lump in udder, due on Thursday



## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

My 4th freshener Nubian/Saanen cross has a golf ball sized lump in her udder. I noticed it yesterday and she's due Thursday the 21st. It's only on one side and is in the udder, not on the skin. It's not hard as a rock but it's very firm and circular. She's not bagged up hardly at all so it's very noticeable. She's tested negative for Cae, CL, and Johnes. To my knowledge she's never had mastitis. Last year she dam raised triplets and it was very hard on her. I couldn't keep her in good condition and milk her. So I let her dry up prebreeding and gave her lots off time off. Should I test and treat her now for possible mastitis? Or wait for her to kid? Anyone want to look in their crystal ball and tell me what this might be? I'd use mine but it broke from overuse. 

I have pictures I'll try to get them uploaded. Thanks in advance.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

Photos...I hope.


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Michelle, it's hard to see with all that hair.  Is it on the left hand side? Are you sure she's due Thursday? She doesn't seem to be bagged up at all, but maybe that is normal for her.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Yep doesn't look like she is due anytime soon.

And there is anything you can do about the lump. If aspirated by a vet it usually will make it much much worse although you will know if it is harbored staph, does can wall of staph into cysts in their udder. Just let he come into milk, test the milk. Lots of massage, maybe heat, but you can't do any of that with a dry doe. And really until the staph or cyst breaks loose either outside the body or inside, you really have nothing to treat. So much with goats is doing nothing but waiting and watching, infusing can bring in bad bacteria if not done ultraclean. If you have clippers clip her udder so you can watch what is going on much better. It's not a place for CL, they are higher up around the rear udder attachment. It can also be nothing more than old mastitis scar tissue or an injury you didn't see since she was dry.

One of my does got slashed by a bobcat nearly in this same place, the first several months after it healed it was a large abscess hardness feeling thing, by leaving it alone she worked it out herself and although she did loose some blood supply in her side, so she doesn't milk as well on that side, the side is soft, the abscess absorbed. So there are times where you don't want to be as aggressive, where if she had heat, was sick, inflammation than yes, get it cultured get meds going on it now to save her production.


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## Tracer (Mar 7, 2013)

My grandpa had a doe with a lump about that size but a little close to the teat in a boer cross but when she came to her milk that half wouldn't milk. The udder acted like it filled up but the teat stayed flat. The vet said that it was scar tissue that had settled in that place and that she should reabsorb it. That was 2 years ago and now both side are milking again. So don't know if this helps but that's my experience


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

MF-Alpines said:


> Michelle, it's hard to see with all that hair.  Is it on the left hand side? Are you sure she's due Thursday? She doesn't seem to be bagged up at all, but maybe that is normal for her.


Yes, it is her left side. It's very possible she has a later due date. I brought in a buck for 4 weeks. I hand bred her for a 3/21 due date. But we had some horrible weather 3 weeks later. So instead of running the risk of missing a heat I moved the buck in with the does. Whoever doesn't kid this week is due 4/11. I got results from BIotracking so I know all 3 of my does are pregnant. A healthy dose of wishful thinking had me hoping this was the week.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

Vicki- always a fountain of information. All these options crossed my mind. Whatever it is seems to be very encapsulated for the time being. I'll monitor it's size while I wait for her to freshen and reevaluate at that time.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

Tracer said:


> My grandpa had a doe with a lump about that size but a little close to the teat in a boer cross but when she came to her milk that half wouldn't milk. The udder acted like it filled up but the teat stayed flat. The vet said that it was scar tissue that had settled in that place and that she should reabsorb it. That was 2 years ago and now both side are milking again. So don't know if this helps but that's my experience


One side has always milked a little less. Just can't remember which one now. She's my first milk goat so I never knew any different. Just thought it was normal. Thank you for sharing your experience.


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

She could possibly be due this week. Colette did not look pregnant and was not bagged up at all. She kidded at day 157 and didn't fill her udder until the day she kidded. It can vary form goat to goat.


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## Texasgirl (Feb 28, 2013)

I am new to all this but as for when she is due... My dairy goat was just starting to show and had not bagged up yet. We were 100% possitive our Boer would kid first. The Boer was huge and fully bagged. Well, the diary goat surprised us all with a baby girl 2 weeks ago tomorrow. The Boer is still pregnant. She is huge and looks very uncomfortable but showing no signs of wanting to pop anything out. The Boer started bagging around Feb. 10 and we are still waiting on her. So I don't put much stock in how big their udder is or other clues anymore.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Kiri~ we too had a predator attack that resulted in udder scar tissue. If they have sustained an injury in the udder it can take years for the scar tissue to move out. She could also have a milk duct that was blocked and collected milk behind it and then the milk calcifies when she dries off and so you have hard crystals of calcium piled up in front of a duct. 
Like mentioned before you will not know how to proceed until she is freshened. Once the udder is functional you will see that it has caused issues or that it will resolve by itself. I would keep her immunity boosted to help her with any challenges after freshening. Good source of chelated minerals and extra zinc if you can. Give us an update when she kids!
Lee


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

Well, she freshened today. Twin doelings I'm shaving and evaluating her udder tomorrow. I'll keep everyone posted.


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Congrats on those doelings!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

See how much we know!!! Congrats, I even wrote down this thread on a list to check, to see when she kidded. Vicki


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

How is her udder looking, Michelle? Congrats on the twin doelings!


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## Texasgirl (Feb 28, 2013)

My Boer doe kidded on March 21, finally. Gave us 2 cute bucks. Unfortunately she is having problems with one of her teats. First it was blocked. Now yellow goo is coming out after I apply warm compresses. She won't let kid#2 nurse so we are having to supplement him, but he has learned that when we chain momma to the fence it is time to get a meal. I am also trying to get some of my dairy doe's milk down him but he is not found of the bottle at all. Hopefully with some treatments my Boer will be well in no time.

p.s.--both my Boer doe and my dairy doe are ff.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

Well it took much longer then I hoped to get her shaved. Finally did today and got some new pictures. The twins strongly prefer nursing on her right side, the side with out the lump. So I've been milking out the left side once a day. Looking at her pictures I took today made me realize I should probably be milking her twice a day. She was very full. She freshened 10 days ago.

But once empty I can feel the lump really well. It's not growing in size but has softened slightly. I can feel that it runs deeper then I thought. More of a cylinder shape then sphere. 

I called the local extension diagnostics lab and they can run a mastitis test for $5 plus $8 accession fee. I'm taking samples from both sides by tomorrow. Takes 2-3 days to run. I'll post again when I've heard back. 

The picture are all from today. Pre and post milking (only left side milked out) and close up of the lump.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

The kids will be pulled at night starting this week. If her test comes back clean I'll use her milk as normal. Continuing to watch for changes and recheck as needed. If positive I'll treat. That's the plan for now.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

Oops. Pictures attached now...hopefully.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Nov 1, 2012)

Good news. Just heard back from the Dr at the diagnostic lab. She said absolutely nothing grew. I had submitted samples from both sides. No mastitis! Looks like it's an old injury or something encapsulated. I'll keep watching it. But what I'm really excited about is drinking her milk. It's the best tasting milk I've had and it was killing me to feed it to the pigs. Thanks again every one.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Good news indeed! Enjoy your milk.


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