# Thick yellow mucus



## badgercreekfarm (Nov 17, 2011)

Hello, 

This is my first post, 
I have three Alpine does, about 3-4 years old. They all kidded around July and I purchased them in September. 
The other day I noticed one of the does had yellow crusty spots around the base of her tail, and a small spot around her vulva. Some of them had started to fall off with raw red spots underneath. I did some searching, it seems like staph is the most likely thing? I sprayed her with some tea tree oil mix, and it doesn't seem to be getting worse, or better. 
Last night when I brought her in to milk, I noticed a couple of large clear/white/yellow mucus gobs. There was a thick ball about 1in in diameter on her side, and a couple of strings around the tail and down the udder. I could see white/yellow goo coming from her vulva. I penned her seperately in a buck pen I just finished, and came back to find her escaped and back in the doe barn (other does are outside eating hay!). I found some new but clearer strings of mucus. I decided to leave her be, since it was late.
I did a search, and all I could find that would cause a discharge like that is being in heat or about to kid. She has been acting different for some time (lowest ranking of the three, bleats loudly for me, stargazing, tail wagging etc.). I also thought she might have been in heat about 4-5 days ago, with some clear discharge and swelling, flagging, and her behavior (I did see another doe try to mount her then). She seems more swollen now, and has more discharge than I would think would be normal for being in heat. Also, the discharge does not have a offensive smell, although it does smell like goat.
So, I'm trying to decide if she is in heat, about to kid, or if I should call a vet because she is not well. Have you seen anything like this before? Please let me know and thanks for your response.

I'm feeding free choice grass/mix hay, some kitchen scraps (lettuce mostly) and about 1qt alfalfa pellets and 1lb organic diary grain mix, with a couple handfuls of BOSS twice daily when milking. 

I will post pictures later today.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

welcome to TGS ... :wave: glad to have you with us.... :thumb: 

Sounds to be in heat...some stay in longer.... they do get real messy...

usually when you see a white creamy discharge it is indicating that the Doe is going out of season... all the symptoms point to heat...

You say stargazing? Does she respond to you or are her eyes just fixed on one spot? Does she have her head tilted or turned to one side all the time?


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Sounds like you have been doing your research. I would guess about to kid or in season. Photos will really help. Are they with a buck? If yes then it may just be that she was recently bred.


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## Breezy-Trail (Sep 16, 2011)

She can't possibly be kidding any time soon if she kidded in July.
Thus 5 months from July is December (if she was bred after kidding...not likely). If bred in sept. she would kid in feb.
Other than that it would be totally impossible to kid at all unless she was with a buck at some point.

Sounds like she is in heat.


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## badgercreekfarm (Nov 17, 2011)

Thanks for the quick replies. I have not seen more quantity of this mucus today, but her vulva is still wet with the yellow.

I'm not sure when she kidded, I got them around the end of August and was told the kids were 2 months old. She looks at me and looks around, she just seems to be looking far or deep for something. Haven't noticed her tilting her head, she will stand with her front legs up on something and look 'off in the distance', although my other does like to stand like that too.

If she is going 'out of season' would this be her last heat for the year?

I couldn't get photos to attach here, so here's a link to flickr, probably won't leave them on there for long though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/badgercree ... 027946435/


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome.... :thumb:

With the way you are describing that She looks at you and around and all...seems to me she is looking for a buck to breed her... Standing up on things is normal for alot of Does and buck gives them a better area to see... :wink:



> If she is going 'out of season' would this be her last heat for the year?


 Not sure with Alpines... I have boers so I am unsure of the heat patterns... I know some breeds don't breed year around...

Clicked on the link ... says...You must be signed in to see this content from Badger Creek Farm....I am not signed up for that


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

If she were bred June 20th today would be day 150. Some does go right into heat days after kidding. Hopefully that is not what is going on here but if the July kidding date was a approximate it is possible.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

The link wont allow me to see the photos. It says I must be signed in. 

I believe that even seasonal breeders would continue to come in season for the next few months. Usually Oct-Jan or so.


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## badgercreekfarm (Nov 17, 2011)

I didn't realize you had to log in to see the photos. I figured out how to resize them and upload.
[attachment=1:mdq6fmxx]6354548723_27778b4985_m.jpg[/attachment:mdq6fmxx][attachment=2:mdq6fmxx]6354554835_b5360a0011_m.jpg[/attachment:mdq6fmxx][attachment=0:mdq6fmxx]6354537887_87bf10c134_m.jpg[/attachment:mdq6fmxx]

The first photo is what I saw the other day. These are from last night.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Huh that does look very yellow. Not sure what that is my does in heat have never had yellow. If you can get a photo of the whole back end including the udder that can help us guess to pregnancy.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

That is very odd indeed... never seen anything that thick and really yellow before...I suggest taking her to the vet or have a vet come out to you...maybe the vet can test it to verify... what is going on there...I have never seen that in a goat that was ready to kid or in season.... :scratch:


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## badgercreekfarm (Nov 17, 2011)

I talked with the previous owner, she is not bred. I will try to take another photo tonight at some point. I think I will be calling the vet tomorrow. The light and camera may have made it look more yellow than it was, but there was a large amount in my opinion. 
Should I worry about trying to pen her up separate from the rest of the herd for tonight? I guess that might be a good idea, until I figure out what's going on.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes separate her from the herd in case....let us know what the vet says.... :hug:


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

yes I am interested to see what the vet says.


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## badgercreekfarm (Nov 17, 2011)

Here are photos from tonight. I only saw a small bit of mucus on her tail. Her other spots?? are scabbing over and I don't see more raw skin. I've penned her in a stall in the barn for the night.
The left side of her udder is dry from a previous teat injury.


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## badgercreekfarm (Nov 17, 2011)

I called the vet this morning. They asked if she was in heat and suggested that it is probably from that. Especially if it is her first heat of the year. 
I did not notice any more discharge today, she seems to be acting normal, so I think she is fine, and I will return her to the others later tonight. 
Thank you all for your help. It's really nice to be able to talk to other goat owners. There is alot more practical knowledge here than in most books I have read.
The bucks will be here next week. 
Anyone have any ideas of where in the last 5 or so days her 'standing heat' would have been? When she was allowing herself to be mounted (about 5 days ago), or when there was thick copious discharge?


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Are you milking her? Her udder looks like it has milk.


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## badgercreekfarm (Nov 17, 2011)

Yes I am milking her. She only milks on the one side, and gives about 1qt per milking. She is 4-5 months fresh. Her left teat was injured before I got her, probably nothing can be done about that now. I'm keeping her around to get a few does to build my herd from. She keeps up with one of my other does milk production, so I'm happy with that.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

:thumb:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I am glad she is OK.... :thumb: 

I would go by the last day ..she was in season ....the day she went out.... I would write it down on the calender and count 18 to 21 days and watch her all those days..... but you can watch her a few more days....and also have it on the calender... when the goo was there and stopped.... just to make sure... :hug:


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