# The vet told me Today for mastitis was safe for kids



## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

nursing from their mom. He said to just separate them for a couple hours. I did that and let the kid back with his mom, but I am worried that drinking that stuff may harm him! He is 11 days old and has been on his mom the whole time. 

She is only having trouble on one side, so that is all that was treated. The teat keeps seeming to clog while milking...I'll get a few good streams, then I can feel it block off like a clump gets in the way, but I can't get it out! I have been milking it out (as much as I can) often and using Molly's herbal salve on it with massage. The teat seems to get inflamed from milking and gets to a point where I can't get any more out. This is her first freshening.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

It's really important to get the clump out... it's very difficult but believe me...If I could work out a chicken liver sized blood clot through my does teat, that clog you feel will come out. I used the Today when my does kids were 5 weeks old, I just taped the side that I infused to prevent them from sucking out the med...the oil will likely cause diarrhea but won't hurt the kid.


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## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

I was able to work out the ones she had last time, but this one comes nowhere near the orifice that I can see or tell. I can't tell for sure that it's a clot, but am suspecting it is since it will flow and then not flow. There is lumpiness in her teat, but I can't tell if it's clots or just inflamed. I will see what I can do next time I milk her. I wish the vet would have told me that....maybe she didn't even need this Today stuff. He didn't do a test, just told me to use it over the phone.


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## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

The clot came right out the next time I milked her out! I milked her one more time after that and it flowed fine. I guess the today may have helped it come out because of the oil? I gave her her second infusion and am keeping them separated for two hours again. I guess I don't quite understand if I am supposed to be leaving the meds in for any certain amount of time, or still milking her out on that side. I figured since the vet said the baby could nurse after two hours that I could milk her. I'm trying to keep that side from getting too full again.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Not that we want to contradict your vet but...the meds needs to be in there long enough to do their job. So, I'd tape the bad teat, how many kids? They can use the other one...then if you want to let them nurse the bad side instead of you milking it, then just take the tape off, let them have it, then infuse the today again and tape it. While it may not "hurt" the kids, it may not "help" them to nurse today out of an udder. 

How is she today?


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## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

She was fine. I milked her out and it didn't look like the kid (she only has one) had nursed on that side all night. I put her today in and separated them, but I guess I will tape the teat. How long should the meds stay in? The whole 12 hours? I have gotten so used to milking her out every couple hours because she was so clogged. I don't mind you contradicting the vet...lol! I know they can be pretty clueless about goats, and I have gotten bad advice from them many times! 

This case of mastitis, (if that is what it is) seemed to be pretty mild. The main problem was just that clog in the teat that I couldn't get out, which did come out last night. Her teat seemed inflamed, but not her udder. She has acted fine the whole time, but her temp was 104 yesterday morning for the first time (I have been checking it a few times per day), and went down on it's own before I started the treatment. Should I do 4 doses of the Today? I plan to do her 4th dose tonight, but wondered if 4 was enough?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

With my doe, I did get all clots stripped from her and only one side was affected. I infused the Today, massaged it up into her udder and taped that teat, it was left for 10-12 hours....I did 3 infusions like this and after 3 days of milking her out, the milk still didn't look right and she had a lump in her udder, I did another 2 infusions and she cleared up.

It is important that the med stays in her udder for no less than 10 hours to be of help....also, my doe never had a temp. Oxytet (LA200, Biomycin, Oxytetracycline) is suggested to be injected during treatment for mastitis....I didn't use it as my doe didn't show any other signs such as fever. You may need to start her on a systematic injection because her temp is high.
Normally only 3 doses of Today is needed if it is allowed to stay in the udder for 10-12 hours..... because your doe didn't have that done, I'd say another 2 infusions left in for 10-12 hours should work but watch her temp, being high concerns me and I would start her on the LA200


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## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

Her temp was only up in the morning and it came back down on it's own by a few hours later, before I even started the treatment. Her milk has been fine except for those few clumps.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If all is well with her and you are comfortable with discontinuing treatment then just moniter her and be watchful for any changes over the next few days.


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## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

She got 4 doses and seemed fine but after stopping, she had milk clots again after an overnight wait to be milked. I have started another round making sure it stays in for at least 10 hours. She has had 2 doses so far. I ordered a mastitis test kit last week and am waiting on it to arrive, along with dolomite and vitamin c powder. She still acts fine, no fever, and milk looks just fine.


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