Momma goat (6-month old kids) with HUGE, hot, engorged udder. Help!!!

[Granolamom]

Aisa is trying to wean her twins, and they're nursing less and less. This morning, I noticed that her udder was larger than usual, but figured it was due to her weaning them. When I came home this evening, her udder was huge, swollen, and hot to the touch. She acts normal, eats and drinks, and does not appear to be in any discomfort as of yet, but I know that at some point she will be (been there, done that, with both of my own kids...

.
I have not milked her, nor do I think I'm prepared to do so now, since she always has been skiddish, but REALLY won't let me get near her teat now.
What do I do? I've left a message with a local woman who has dairy goats, hoping she'll be able to help me out, but have not heard back from her yet.
UPDATE: This morning I checked her early, and even though her udder is still swollen, the heat seems to be gone. She does not seem to be in much discomfort, has no fever, and eats and drinks normal. I have withdrawn all grain from her, and only feed her hay and brush. Hubby and I decided to try and relieve some of her pressure by milking her, and we just finished. This being my first time, it took about 20 minutes, and I got about 1 1/2 cups full. She wasn't pleased, but did not yell or even kick much (hubby had her by the horns the entire time...

).
So, where do I go from here? I don't really want to get the milk started back, because on 2 days per week, I won't be able to milk her, due to my job. Will she dry up without our help? How do I balance relieving the worst pressure versus getting her stimulated to make more milk??? Is there something natural I can give her to dry her up?

 

[redhen]

ouch! i hope you can get some help for her..

good luck!

 

[luvzmybabz]

I think you may need to check for mastitis also my skittish goat calmed WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY down once she realized what I was doing and that it felt good to her you may need help in the begining but she may calm quickly... just my 2 cents

 

[cassie]

She either has a congested udder or mastitis. In any case you need to milk her out NOW!!!

 

[farmgirlie1031]

It could be the start of mastitis or she may just need some of the pressure released from her udder to ease her pain esp. if she is still producing a lot of milk but not letting her kids nurse. If it is not mastitis you don't want it to turn into mastitis. There is a tube of gel my vet gave me once to put in the udder but I can't remember what it was called. It was used to dry up a ewe that was producing way too much milk and not drying up after her lambs were off of her.

 

[Brelansmama]

I know NOTHING about goats....but I nursed my DD until she was a little over 3, so I had my fair share of boobie problems

When I first started nursing, over the coarse of about the first 5-6 months I had MANY clogged milk ducts, EVERY time, with out fail, a cabbage leaf stuffed into my bra, where ever the sore spot was, worked like a charm!!!
It stopped the infection form turning into mastitis.
It was my midwifes suggestion, I forget what it is exactly that makes it work, but the cabbage helps dry up the milk in that area.
It worked for me, I don't see why it wouldn't work for a goat!

I'm not sure how you would go about keeping the cabbage on the goat, but it might work.........

 

[Granolamom]

Quote:
Hahahaha, as distressed as I am right now, I had to laugh about that one! Actually, I did the cabbage leaf thing, too, when I was nursing, and it worked every time. Can you imagine a goat, though, with a cabbage leaf strapped to her underside? She'll eat that in 2 seconds flat, and then ask for more.

 

[Chatychick]

I personally would catch her and release some of the pressure . Sounds like her brain wasnt to wean but her udder isnt cooperating. This is what I do when mine are being weaned. Also the medication is Pirsue or a product called Today or Tomorrow for mastitis. They are about the same, but Today is used when they are still being milked.

 

[Granolamom]

Well, I've spoken to 2 friends who I both respect very much for their expertise. One told me to load up the goat and bring her to her house, so that she could milk her out for me (she advised me against trying it by myself, since I've never done it, and would probably aggrevate the problem). I almost had Aisa and my kids loaded into the car, when my other friend called, and explained the engorging to be a normal side effect of weaning, which will rectify itself. She said to give it 24 hrs, keep checking her, cut out all grain, and make sure she does not have a fever (which she doesn't).
Since Aisa is trying to wean her kids, I do feel that milking her would prolong the process, because she'll just continue to produce more milk. I will wait until tomorrow, and then take it from there. She does not seem to be in any pain, and acts totally normal.

 

[Brelansmama]

Quote:
Hahahaha, as distressed as I am right now, I had to laugh about that one! Actually, I did the cabbage leaf thing, too, when I was nursing, and it worked every time. Can you imagine a goat, though, with a cabbage leaf strapped to her underside? She'll eat that in 2 seconds flat, and then ask for more.

Okay, as I said, I know NOTHING about goats! And I (obviously) hadn't thought of that!
I am SUCH a dweeb! That made me laugh out laud!!
I suppose goats are flexible aren't they!
I myself, was never tempted to eat the cabbage

Okay, next time any 'goat' questions are posted, I'll just keep my mouth shut.