mastitis, or what? (old thread, no longer an issue for me)

patandchickens

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My big problem here is that these critters are totally new to me and I do not know what a sheep udder is SUPPOSED to look or feel like.

This morning I noticed that Kurly, 2 yr old shetland ewe with a 3 wk old lamb, was looking lopsided - one side of her bag was noticeably larger than the other. I *know* she was symmetrical yesterday. This afternoon she is the same, so I knocked together a rope halter and trolled her into the pen to catch her.

That side was definitely much larger and more full than the other side, and more engorged-feeling. Not conspicuously hotter. There is a reddened and slightly bruised-looking area on the rear portion of that quarter, but also to a lesser extent on the same location of the other side. I can feel a firm area, feels sort of like a styrofoam hamburger bun (probably smaller), buried in the front portion of BOTH sides, although it may (?) be larger on the enlarged side of the udder.

I milked that side out as best I could, trying to be gentle and correct (but note that I have never milked before). There was nothing obviously weird about the milk but honestly I have never seen sheep milk before so how would I know :p Not stringy or clotty or flaky -- I wouldn't know if it was waterier than normal. Tasted a little bit, tasted like sweetish milk <shrug>

Lamb is acting totally normal. So is Kurly, actually, other than being annoyed at me. I did not take her temperature cuz she was already One P.O.'d Sheep, although I can do it if you think I should.

If you think I should get the vet out to look at her I will, but between his expensive farm calls and the fact that he is soooooo not a sheep person, it is not my automatic choice of what to do, if you know what i mean.

a) does this sound like mastitis, or can they sometimes be lopsided (suddenly one day) harmlessly?

b) can I take a milk sample to the vet for them to test, or something, to confirm whether it is mastitis?

c) if this does sound like mastitis, I can milk her out, gently, several times a day, but should I be trying to get some antibiotics or something else too? What if anything else should I be doing?

d) she is very interested in food but if I do not have obvious grain on me she flees from me (and is not easily herded), so I am nto sure how to catch her TO milk her out except by trolling her in with a bit of grain. Is it ok to do this if she has mastitis, in terms of effect of grain on milk production and effect of milk production on mastitis?

Thanks for any advice, I totally have no idea what I am doing with these sheep critters,

Pat
 

ksalvagno

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If there is only one lamb nursing than that is the problem. He isn't nursing both sides equally. They usually chose a side to nurse and then the other side doesn't get "milked" out. I would just milk her everyday. Hey, you get some milk earlier than expected!

I was told that if a female has mastitis, the milk will taste sour. I haven't had that problem yet so I don't know for sure.

Most people feed grain on the milkstand to keep their goats happy and I would think the same would be for sheep.
 

patandchickens

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Yeah, but I would *swear* she looked symmetrical til this morning, I was actually specifically admiring it just yesterday.

I milked her out again, and this time did it into a jar and can confirm that the milk does not look in any way odd and although it doesn't taste *quite* like cow's milk it doesn't taste what I'd guess to be "mastitis-y" either. (There is a faint note of something different than goatiness but I think related, which may be the sheep source aspect.)

I wonder if it could be more the OTHER side producing LESS milk, making her look lopsided, rather than this side being congested? I really don't know. The two times I've seen Lambert sucking today it has been on the side where the udder is larger.

She is probably on lusher pasture than she was at her previous home, if that matters.

Maybe I will phone the vet tomorrow and see if there is any cheap test they can/would do if I brought a milk sample in? I'd like to be milking her and saving the milk for cheese if I can, but not if she has a problem (and if she does have a problem I want to know *for sure* so I can be treating it).

In other news, my developmentally-delayed year-old pair of heritage bronze turkeys FINALLY produced their very first egg today, I noticed it while I was sitting out there milking Kurly :D

Thanks for hte help, Karen; anyone else's opinions/suggestions welcomed too,

Pat
 

aggieterpkatie

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Don't worry. I agree with Ksalvagno, the lamb is just nursing more on one than the other. Could be he hadn't yet nursed the other side. I've never seen mastitis work that quickly before. Just relax! ;)
 

Karma Creek Farm

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I agree that it is most likely because there is only one lamb. It would be a good idea to keep an eye on her udder - sheep and mastitis don't go well together. I had to work very hard to save one of my ewes this spring, she had triplets and the two remaining lambs couldn't drain her enough, she developed mastitis and it went systemic. I will tell you what I did for her so you may have some ideas at hand if you do end up with mastitis.

I made a comfrey compress and applied it 2x a day. Drenched her with a solution of ACV, Vit C, Garlic, and Ferrum Phos. She also got a few ml of Rescue Remedy each time I handled her. I milked her out the best I could, and very gently massaged her udder with Calendula cream. All of this seemed to be working, then she really went downhill one day - I believe that is when it went systemic. I then put her on antibiotics (I will have to check to see what type). I hated giving her the shots as it caused her so much stress, but the Rescue Remedy helped alot.

I think the natural/herbal treatment would have worked had it not gone systemic. I don't think I caught the issue fast enough. Unfortunately her udder is damaged, I can feel lumps in the one side. I have just sold her to a non-breeding home so she will hopefully not go through that again.

There is a home test you can do, I copied this from the Keeping a Family Cow forum:
"there's the simple home-made mastitis test. Take equal parts Dawn dish soap and raw milk from a particular quarter and swirl (don't stir) them together in a bowl or dish....there shouldn't be any geling or thickening of the mix...if it gels or thickens then you have a bacteria problem."

Good luck :)
 
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