# hard udder but no milk



## Crossthecreek (Feb 27, 2013)

Purchased a 10 month old ND doe (Tink) in January, already bred. She kidded with triplet doelings on Feb 27. By the 28th we had lost 2 of the girls, brought the third inside to bottle feed. In trying to milk Tink, her udder was pretty firm and we could only get a few squirts. We lost the third baby the next day.

I started thinking Tink had kidded early because she never really did bag up. I had no idea of the due date because she had been penned with a young buck for several months before I purchased her. We decided she had been through quite a bit already and we would let her dry off and hope for better circumstances next spring.

Yesterday I put her up on the stand to check and see that everything was getting back to normal and her udder was very hard. Her left side has a lemon sized hard lump up high where the udder attaches. Her right side is just completely hard. But this is just the bag, her teats are very soft. And I still can not get more than a couple squirts out of her. I massaged. I bumped. Warm compresses. Nothing. 

I put a call in to the vet after hours tonight, but he hasn't returned it yet. Any ideas here?


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You will need to keep doing the massage and warm compresses. Sometimes you need to do that several times a day. Some peppermint oil will also help break up anything. Was her udder hard before you bought her? I'm wondering if she has had mastitis for a long time or at least a previous mastitis problem. Hopefully the vet can help you.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Has she been tested for CAE? A hard udder with no milk is a classic symptom.


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I am so sorry for your loss. She was so young to have those babies 
I would do warn/hot compresses on her and the peppermint oil massages and do it several days 
Have you tried the today in her bags?


----------



## Crossthecreek (Feb 27, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> Was her udder hard before you bought her? I'm wondering if she has had mastitis for a long time or at least a previous mastitis problem. Hopefully the vet can help you.


Honestly, I didn't feel her udder when I bought her. I just took a quick peek. Newbie mistake there for sure. However, I doubt she's had mastitis before as she's definitely a first freshener at less than 1 year old.

She has not been CAE tested yet. (Newbie mistake #2). Until I started researching this hard udder thing, I had no idea that could be the problem.


----------



## Crossthecreek (Feb 27, 2013)

Lori- I haven't used Today on her yet. Was trying to hold off until I spoke with the vet.


----------



## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Could be edema. Any sudden changes to the diet? I assume she miscarried then? As a FF kidding in with a solid udder of nothing is suspicious. Can you leave handprints on the bag if you press? Check out a CMT kit. Check for mastitis. Don't treat without checking first. Unnecessary antibiotics is actually not very good to a healthy immune system. What does the milk look like? Clear? Snotty? Cottage cheese? Yellow, thick? "Normal?"


----------



## Crossthecreek (Feb 27, 2013)

The few drops of milk I can get out of her have been 'normal'. I can not leave handprints on her bag. It softened up some overnight, but still has a lot of hardness. Mainly in the center and towards the top. 

This morning her tail is yellow and pasty like she's been scouring. Still haven't heard from the vet 

I also can't find anywhere locally to buy a CMT.


----------



## Crossthecreek (Feb 27, 2013)

Sorry I missed a couple of your questions the first go round. I can't be certain that she miscarried. The babies were pretty small but she's a young ND and had triplets. They were up and nursing the first day and seemed to be doing alright. 

As far as her diet goes, she has been eating more feed than normal simply because I keep feeding her on the stand so I can check her out. We feed a mix that's about 2 parts 16% alfalfa to 1 part sweet feed. They get mixed grass hay and loose minerals free choice and browse for 10-11 hrs a day.


----------



## Crossthecreek (Feb 27, 2013)

Well the vet said it feels to him like she just has very swollen mammary glands but wants to run a course of Naxcel just in case. Also went ahead and did bloodwork for the whole herd to be CAE tested.


----------

