Sub Clinical mastitis???

TulipAcres

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My proven mama ewe just had twins yesterday morning. I had been watching an abscess in her udder since July and in the last couple weeks as she bagged up it burst so I figured we were heading in the right direction.
Well, she’s all bagged up and absolutely no milk is coming out. Believe me - I’ve tried to milk her (I can milk my other ewe no issues).

So she’s never presented as hot, red or tender with her udders. Still she isn’t presenting that way. Upon more internet searches I learned about sub-clinical mastitis. Could this be what she’s been dealing with this whole time?
Has anyone else seen this in their proven mama ewes?
She is going on 5 years old.

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Legamin

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First you need to check if your ewe is running a fever. This is a sure indication of an infection process underway. If her affect is ‘sad’ or if she is off her feed these are helpful signs but if she is ”all bagged up” and no milk is forthcoming you already know you have a problem. Is the bag soft, firm, taut, ‘hard’ on one side? If you have not done so already you should give her a dose of antibiotics. FIRST! Get out your microscope and figure out if you have a gram pos or gram neg bacteria going on in there and select the appropriate antibiotic. VIMCO targets Staphylococcus aureus and CNS (Coagulase Negative Staphylococci) which is the bacteria most commonly associated with mastitis. But if you don’t have access to equipment, are unsure of your ability to accurately diagnose the next step is to call the vet. As a last ditch…if nothing else is available get to your farm store a pick up some LA-200 (Liquamycin). This is broad spectrum and should always be on hand as it gives coverage in several gram pos AND gram neg. infections.
Follow instructions on weight dosing and don’t give more often than instructions offer even if she does not show improvement.
The sad truth about mastitis is that once it happens it is likely to permanently effect milk production or reoccur year after year. It is a genetic weakness in the herd and the ewe should be culled. If you routinely cull mastitis you can eliminate it from your flock. Mastitis is not unusual to occur in up to 4% of the flock if left uncontrolled. And while there are frequent minor infections which do not require the extreme measure if the milk production is effected on either side you have a substandard ewe.
That’s my 2 cents worth…that may be all it’s worth. My goals in breeding are health, breed characteristics and genetics and HEALTH! ANY substandard animal or animal that demonstrates a recurring weakness of any kind..moves to the meat flock. From there if they do not improve or stabilize for meat and wool breeding…they go on to the freezer. The poorest practice that we can do in the name of ‘kindness’ is to maintain or re-breed genetic weakness. These inferior animals end up getting sold on and effecting other flocks and perpetuating genetic weakness. The only way for a strong global flock health is to eradicate weaknesses.
Best of luck, sorry if I seem harsh on the subject but I love healthy sheep enough to want to give them the best chance of a strong, pain free disease free life.
 
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Alaskan

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It doesn't make any sense that NO milk would come out.

Mastitis doesn't do that.

A full udder than can't be milked is a potentially huge problem.

I would worry that something else is going on, I think you need a vet.
 

TulipAcres

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First you need to check if your ewe is running a fever. This is a sure indication of an infection process underway. If her affect is ‘sad’ or if she is off her feed these are helpful signs but if she is ”all bagged up” and no milk is forthcoming you already know you have a problem. Is the bag soft, firm, taut, ‘hard’ on one side? If you have not done so already you should give her a dose of antibiotics. FIRST! Get out your microscope and figure out if you have a gram pos or gram neg bacteria going on in there and select the appropriate antibiotic. VIMCO targets Staphylococcus aureus and CNS (Coagulase Negative Staphylococci) which is the bacteria most commonly associated with mastitis. But if you don’t have access to equipment, are unsure of your ability to accurately diagnose the next step is to call the vet. As a last ditch…if nothing else is available get to your farm store a pick up some LA-200 (Liquamycin). This is broad spectrum and should always be on hand as it gives coverage in several gram pos AND gram neg. infections.
Follow instructions on weight dosing and don’t give more often than instructions offer even if she does not show improvement.
The sad truth about mastitis is that once it happens it is likely to permanently effect milk production or reoccur year after year. It is a genetic weakness in the herd and the ewe should be culled. If you routinely cull mastitis you can eliminate it from your flock. Mastitis is not unusual to occur in up to 4% of the flock if left uncontrolled. And while there are frequent minor infections which do not require the extreme measure if the milk production is effected on either side you have a substandard ewe.
That’s my 2 cents worth…that may be all it’s worth. My goals in breeding are health, breed characteristics and genetics and HEALTH! ANY substandard animal or animal that demonstrates a recurring weakness of any kind..moves to the meat flock. From there if they do not improve or stabilize for meat and wool breeding…they go on to the freezer. The poorest practice that we can do in the name of ‘kindness’ is to maintain or re-breed genetic weakness. These inferior animals end up getting sold on and effecting other flocks and perpetuating genetic weakness. The only way for a strong global flock health is to eradicate weaknesses.
Best of luck, sorry if I seem harsh on the subject but I love healthy sheep enough to want to give them the best chance of a strong, pain free disease free life.
I appreciate your response. I do want to “breed out the vet” in my herd eventually. She will not be bred again for sure.
I’ve got “today” antibiotic on hand that I will administer to her this evening when I have help.
I’ll check her temp again. I did a few days ago with a dose of LA200. Temp was normal.
 

TulipAcres

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It doesn't make any sense that NO milk would come out.

Mastitis doesn't do that.

A full udder than can't be milked is a potentially huge problem.

I would worry that something else is going on, I think you need a vet.
Earliest I can get the vet out is two weeks from today. So I have that scheduled and am keeping a real close eye on her condition. Tonight I’ll give “today” antibiotic and check her temp again.
 

TulipAcres

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She’s got a normal temp at 102. Bag isn’t red and hot - just absolutely no milk but full. I’m so stumped.
 

purplequeenvt

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She could have edema or swelling in her udder that may take a few days to subside. Keep her lamb fed and keep trying her udder.

Other options could be that her milk hasn’t fully come in yet or that she’s not letting her milk down when you try to milk her. Sheep can be tricky to milk.

Some sheep can get mastitis later in the year (during weaning for instance) and it isn’t caught because they aren’t nursing or being milked. Sometimes they heal up just fine, other times they lose functionality of one or both sides as a result and it’s not discovered until the next lambing.
 

TulipAcres

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That is what I mostly suspected - that she got acute mastitis after she weaned and it showed up when we brought her home because there was no longer a lamb nursing on her. But I figured she would be fine because it never bothered her. (Optimistic newbie)

We tried to get ToDay in her teat but couldn’t even get the applicator in there. Her lambs are in the house for the night so they don’t lick any of the antibiotic off her somehow and will go back out in the morning. She’s a good mama. Just something bizarre happened.
 

farmerjan

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Do you have any oxytocin? It is used for let down. use about 1/2 to 1 cc in the muscle and wash the udder with warm wash cloth, and really work on the teat that has the "black looking" end... is it a plug of "junk" in the teat? ... to try to stimulate; after about 1-2 minutes, she should have let down, and if there is milk you should be able to milk it.
The poor condition of the udder in the first pictures tells me that she might not have any milk at all... that it is all edema swelling.... and that she did not dry up properly and now the udder is non-functional.
It is likely that the side that had the abscess will not milk again....but it also looks like the teat canal has been damaged with the end of the teat looking like it has a black plug in it... and you being unable to get the tip of the Today up in her.
So sorry that has happened to her....
 

TulipAcres

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Do you have any oxytocin? It is used for let down. use about 1/2 to 1 cc in the muscle and wash the udder with warm wash cloth, and really work on the teat that has the "black looking" end... is it a plug of "junk" in the teat? ... to try to stimulate; after about 1-2 minutes, she should have let down, and if there is milk you should be able to milk it.
The poor condition of the udder in the first pictures tells me that she might not have any milk at all... that it is all edema swelling.... and that she did not dry up properly and now the udder is non-functional.
It is likely that the side that had the abscess will not milk again....but it also looks like the teat canal has been damaged with the end of the teat looking like it has a black plug in it... and you being unable to get the tip of the Today up in her.
So sorry that has happened to her....
The black end of the teat seems to just be a pigmentation on her udder. But maybe it’s a sign of mastitis before? I have tried to get a plug out but there really isn’t anything to pull (and I have an idea what to look for because it isn’t too different than what I’ve experienced as a breastfeeding mom…a little different.) I am really surprised I can’t get kill out of either side. But I will keep trying as long as she doesn’t look in pain.
I’ve been talking with the farm I got her from and we think maybe it’s nongangrenous mastitis which would explain why it’s never been hot, red, tender or causing her body temperature to change. The vet is coming in two weeks. In the meantime I am going to give her a treatment of penicillin.
 

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