# Mastitis and nursing kids



## Redpond (Apr 7, 2014)

A little background first: I had never owned goats before Jan '14. I now have 16 including 6 kids all under 3 months old. I had never milked an animal of any kind before Feb '14. Aside from dogs, cats, rabbits and various other pets I have never dealt with livestock. Please take all that into consideration and forgive me if my terminology or descriptions may be off.  I do have common sense and am willing and eager to learn from you nice folks.

My Situation: I have a Saanen doe that had twins on 3-4-14, both doelings. All has been great until 3 days ago I notices that she danced a little more on the milk stand than usual. After filtering her milk I noticed stringy clumps on filter. I did a CMT on her and then another doe to compare and it was definitely more gooey than the other doe. I called a vet that was recommended and he came out yesterday. He gave her Banemine and Oxcytocin and infused right udder with Spectromast. He left me two tubes of spectromast and told me to milk her out on both sides this morning and tonight give her Oxcytocin, Banemine and infuse both udders. I am ok with this treatment and it appears to be working.

My Question: She was nursing up until he infused yesterday. I did pull the kids and have kept them separated since then. I can not get them to take a bottle and I assure you I have fought long and hard to try. They are eating hay and grain and even lay around chewing their cud. My gut tells me that they still need milk at 4 weeks though. Am I wrong? How long after tonight's infusions can I put them back with mom and what do I do in the mean time for the kids?
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Will she even take them back? I had been seperating them from her at night since they were 2 weeks old and milking her in the mornings. What kind of milk withhold for human consumption with the meds she has been given.

Cindy Baxter, South Central KY, Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, Nigerian Dwarf








Cindy Baxter, South Central KY, Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, Nigerian Dwarf


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Your gut is correct - they will need milk until 3 months of age. Knock on wood - this is NOT a challenge, Lord - I've never had to deal with mastitis, but I believe it's ok for the kids to nurse. Hopefully someone with experience will chime in soon and either confirm or deny that. Since you pulled the kids, you could very well have a problem with her taking them back. Hopefully, you penned them next to her? That might help, but I'm not sure. If they have been getting milk from another source, you will definitely have a problem because they will smell 'off' to Mom.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

pretty family there....

yes they need the milk..I know once treatment is done they can be put back on mom and she should take them no problem...I have never dealt with but know some leave the kids on mom with mild cases..usually if its just a one sided problem..maybe someone can chime in on this..

put honey of you finger and get them to suck it off ...do this several times until they are begging for more...have a warm bottle of milk with honey on the nipple. give them an other honey finger then slip the bottle in..support the chin to keep the nipple in...allow the milk to drip in ..once they taste it they should desire to suck..

milk withdraw for Spectromast is 72 hours


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## Redpond (Apr 7, 2014)

I did put her in a stall so they can talk and see each other. They haven't taken any other milk from another source so hopefully they will smell normal to her lol. They were still nursing when we started treatment so her milk couldn't have tasted very bad to them despite the infection. Should I put them with her tomorrow and see what they do? After I milk her out in the morning? I infused the spectromast in both sides tonight. 


Cindy Baxter, South Central KY, Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, Nigerian Dwarf


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You can put them back as soon as you milk her out in the morning. They will help keep her udder empty and reduce the infection. 
Doelings who have nursed off of mastitic moms have a tendency to freshen with mastitis so, I would suggest infusing these baby doelings with Tomorrow 30 days before they have their first kid.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

If they will nurse, I would be inclined to leave them with Mom. You're treating for the mastitis so it should be on its way out. Again, however, I have no experience with mastitis.


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## Redpond (Apr 7, 2014)

Thank you all for the info. That all makes sense to me. I just didn't understand why he said pull them while she was being treated unless there was a problem with them ingesting the infusion. He primarily deals with people that pull kids at birth to be bottle fed so I think he wasn't clear that we aren't doing it that way. 


Cindy Baxter, South Central KY, Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, Nigerian Dwarf


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

If they suck out the infusion then it is not in there to help the udder anymore. Since you're infusing in the evening and milking it out in the morning, they can be her all day until you infuse her again.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Thank you Jill...I wasnt sure if babies should be on mom or not : )


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## Redpond (Apr 7, 2014)

Update: I put the kids back with mom this morning after milking and all seem to be happy and healthy. She let them nurse and was very loving towards them. Her milk looked normal, no strings or clumps. Thank you all again for the help. 


Cindy Baxter, South Central KY, Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, Nigerian Dwarf


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

great news!!!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

That is great info guys! Glad you asked redpond


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