:help
FINAL TEST RESULTS IN: Still heavy growth from the lesser side and no detected growth from the larger side. A list of antibiotics given from the sensitivity test. But chance of cure rate was given at less than 20% if the doe was not far into her lactation cycle. When doe was reported as dry for the past year, cure rate was '"minimal".
I had the test done at Rocky Ford, a CSU lab, which is local. We do a lot of cattle testing through them and they are always pleasant and helpful and how wonderful that we can just drop off samples! :biggrin
To give the history on this doe: 3 yr. old Saanen. Purchased March, 2007 as a "heavy bred doe". Doe was supposed to kid in April, or by June 1st at the latest; never did. Doe had no udder when purchased.
In early april started bagging up. Started unevenly, then evened out. June came and went doe was still gradually bagging bigger and bigger.
We figured she must have been bred by our buck when he broke out in april. Over the summer her bag grew slowly in size. She acted fine, but was getting fat; not just pregnant but fat. She was getting 3 pounds alfalfa pellets/day like all the does I was milking.
I should have preg. tested her, but didn't. Then 1st. of sept. she was in obvious heat (the first I had seen since I bought her) and I took her to the buck and he gladly bred her. That day her bag was actually firm, not hard or hot, just firm, like right before kidding. But I didn't want to miss a poss. heat and let the free-loader have any more time off, so chanced it.
She has not come back into heat since sept. However now her udder is lopsided. Her right half as of yesterday morning was significantly larger than her left.
Sadly, Mastitis never dawned on me until a few days ago. :blush So yesterday sampled milk from both sides. While I was at it I milked her completely out also. Got two cups from the left, lesser side and half a gallon from the larger right side. After milking her bag felt empty and normal. Though the milk did appear a little clear/watery, it was not nasty looking or smelling in other way.
I just got the "preliminary" test results on the milk cultures.
The left, lesser side: 4+ heavy growth Staph Aureus
The right, larger side: no growth detected at 24 hours.
They will call tomorrow with the final culture results and the sensitivity results.
What is the outlook on this doe in your opinion. Nothing I read sounds very promising of entirely eliminating staph aureus. and everything I read says cut your losses.
The doe has already been a pretty big loss to us as she has been free-loading since march, supposed to have been bred with reg. kids and if she is bred now she is bred to our nubian buck as that is all we had on the place in sep.! I also happen to really love her layed back personality. The other saanen we bought from the same place in march has turned out to be a very valuable doe to us and milks wonderfully.
Anyhow, is there hope for treating this doe, or will it be futile? What should be the protocol for her. Shall I dry infuse her and treat with systemic antibiotics like just discussed in the other mastitis thread few days back? She is supposed to be due the 1st of feb.
Oh and does it sound like this is from a previous infection, or do you think she was infected after we bought her while dry? We have never dealt with mastitis in goats; milk cows years ago, but not goats.
Thanks .
. And the kids she is possibly carrying are not especially valuable either as they are not pure.
