# Sores on teats



## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

What do you use your your does that dam raise their kids to keep there udders and teats from being dry, cracked, and getting sores? We started putting bag bal,m on Jasmine's because she was getting sores then forgot for about a week and have started again because they are rough. I feel soo bad for her and if the kids were older I would probably pull them but they will only be 5 weeks old tomorrow. She has sores on the back sides of the teats that are terrible. As soon as I pull her out and massage the bag balm in she goes back in the pen and they are already nursing and I am sure its coming off. I tried Vit. E capsules and those were nasty. HELP my poor doe please.


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## LoneStarChic (Jan 19, 2012)

I never, ever use petroleum based products on udders (bag balm ect.)

The worst case of staph on an udder I've ever seen was made that way by smearing on those thick ointmemts regularly. If the udder isn't 100% sterilized, & your ointment too (no dipping with dirty hands ect) then you can create a nice breeding ground for bacteria inbetween the udder & ointment layer.... It stays moist & the bacteria is protected from everything thanks to the ointment.

Do the sores have lil white heads or are they just red bumps? In either case, I'd clean twice a day with Chlorihexidine. For moisture, I use virgin coconut oil..... I massage in for a few minutes. Once well absorbed I clean off the excess with my udder wash (home made- 3 tablespoons of Chlorihexine, 1 1/2 tablspoons of glycerin, 1 quart of sterile water in a spray bottle so I can spray all sides of the udder), dry udder well (don't want any oil left for dirt to cling to) then I use a cotton ball to apply Nolvasan (chlorihexidine gel) directly to the sores. 

Doesn't take long to clear up.  We bought 2 does with the issue, it can be contagious if it's turned into the staph variety, so wash your hands before messing with your other goats. I now vaccinate with Lysigin & haven't had this crop up since..


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Lonestarchic, I am really really glad you posted that about the bag balm. We hae been putting on our does ALOT for chapped teats. Where do you get the coconut oil?


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## LoneStarChic (Jan 19, 2012)

Don't take that as the gospel, it's just what our vet told us.... I know some who swear by Bag Balm & never had issues.... But after the nasty, nasty case of staph we had to deal with, I'm scared to mess with it, plus I can't handle it in a sterile manner (opening gates, touching goats, no running water at my barn so I can't wash well before dipping into it).

I use coconut oil for cooking & when I raised hairless dogs it was my moisturizer of choice because it didn't make their skin break out (acne, blackheads). In a pinch I've used the cheap brand at Wal-Mart & it's worked. But since I cook with it too, I buy big tubs of the organic, virgin coconut oil from the health food store. 

I wash the udder before applying, dry well, then rub in a teaspoon or 2 until well absorbed....my girls love it & move their legs out of the way so I get every spot, lol. Once rubbed in well, I spray down with my udder wash, dry well & spray on the teat dip. 

Since I started making my own udder wash, the girls don't get dry or chapped amymore, but I still do the coconut oil once every 2 weeks or so just because my girls are rotten & love it. I also sometimes drizzle a few teaspoons on feed for extra fat & they chow down on it (my dogs too, lol) 

So, we use it a lot & I buy in tubs!  For udder moisture, I keep some in a small, sterilized glass jar (short baby food jar) & I have a bunch of those tounge depressors that are indiviually wrapped (got them free) that I use to scoop it out of the jar so I don't accidently put germs in it with my hands.... But then again, I'm a germaphobe at times so that is just my way of doing it...


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

This got me thinking....please don't think I am crazy <LOL>

What about using Lansinoh? You know the stuff for breastfeeding moms? Or would that be bad on goats? I've never had this problem but am very curious as I know that stuff is great for people and always highly recommended. I figured I'd ask out of curiosity, heh.


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

HMMMM maybe I will have to try that Candice. Crystal I am not sure where I would get all that but it sounds interesting.


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## Goat Song (May 4, 2011)

I use a homemade salve on my goats. It's just olive oil, beeswax, and some various herbs that I had infused in the oil beforehand. Roger, if you wanted, I could mail you a small container of salve (I think it's like an ounce?) for you to try on your does. If the kids are sucking the bag balm off, then they'll still suck the salve (or anything, for that matter) off, but maybe it would help a bit... Just a thought.


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## LoneStarChic (Jan 19, 2012)

Chlorihexidine is sold under the name Nolvasan..... Carried at most feed stores, TSC ect. ect. I use that for treating the sores directly (small bottle, yellow/blue label around $13 but it last a while & I used it undiluted on udder sores) as it's a gel, easy to apply.

The chlorihexidine I use in my udder wash is from Jeffers, a generic liquid, much cheaper than the Nolvasan gel....... Glycerin from Wal-Mart, in bandaid area (though I doubt you need an udder wash, so I'd just grab the Nolvasan for cleaning the sores)

I buy high quality coconut oil because we consume it & I cook with it often.... But if you're only grabbing it to moisturize a chapped udder, look for whatever coconut oil they have at Wal-Mart in the cooking oil area. In a pinch I've used it & it moisturizes just fine.... Cost about $3.

Goat Song, I bet your salve would be awesome! Sure the babies will get some of it off, but I bet it will give the same deep moisture that I get with my coconut oil.


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## keckka (Jan 17, 2015)

Thanks for the coconut tip... I use it to cook with I don't mind donating some to my doe's udder


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