Possible edema in udder

Countrylife60

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I have a Dexter heifer that freshened yesterday, her 2nd calf. Unlike her first freshening, her 2 front teats are huge and dark pink this time. They look painful. Her calf is nursing on her smaller back teats. She seems to be discouraging the calf from even trying to nurse from her front teats...and you would think she would love for baby to relieve the discomfort. Is this a sign of edema in her front teats? Should I be concerned or will this correct itself as the new calf continues to nurse?
 

farmerjan

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Edema is not something that manifests itself in just certain teats. I am thinking mastitis and you need to get them milked out. If it is mastitis, then they need to be stripped completely empty... and if there is clumpy stuff or even watery bloody stuff, then she will need to be treated with an infusible mastitis medicine in the udder. They are probably painful and it will not correct it's self. If not tended to it will cause her to possibly lose the production in the front quarters.

You will have to get them milked out.. and then go from there.
 

Mini Horses

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Agree with the cattle expert! But I'll add a suggestion to the milking...yes, probably painful for her. So, to help, apply warm, wet compresses for a few minutes before an attempt to milk. It helps to make it more comfortable and with her let down response.

Hope she's been milked before.....otherwise a chute would be a wise restraint. Plus if you've milked her, she'll be more agreeable.

Let us know how it goes.
 

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