Month: February 2010

Black Mastitis

I have not had experience with this particularly vicious mastitis, thank God.  I have read about it, and have found some good informational links which I am going to include in this post. One thing to be aware of – this (and other types) mastitis can be spread from one goat to another so do wash your hands very thoroughly before milking the next (or do this one last) if you even suspect your doe has black mastitis.

Some of the links will take you to a page which has more information but includes mention of black mastitis, so you will need to do a “find” on the page for the word gangrene or black mastitis.

Goat Dairying for Income’s page on Black Mastitis describing both symptoms and treatments.  Photos of black mastitis – please be forewarned, the images are graphic.

Gangrene Mastitis Blog – This blog chronicles the experience had by Andi and her owner.  Please be advised there are graphic photos of the affected teat.

Natural Cures for Top 10 Goat Ailments from Acres U.S.A. This link contains excerpts from Pat Coleby’s book Natural Goat Care and contains several treatments for mastitis, including black mastitis. I have had the pleasure of corresponding with Pat by snail mail, she is very knowledgeable about our caprine friends.

Saanendoah Gangrene Mastitis or “Bluebag”

Quote from Saanendoah:

Gangrene mastitis is not a particular “kind” of mastitis, but most often the result of the most common mastitis’ causing bacteria, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Staph aureus can produce alpha toxin, a potent vasoconstrictor that is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of gangrene mastitis. Other common pathogens are sometimes involved, including coagulase-negative Staphylococci, and any number of Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and coliforms bugs.

Apollonia Farms Mastitis search for keyword gangrene

From the Canadian Veterinary Journal: Peracute gangrenous mastitis and cheilitis associated with enterotoxin-secreting Staphylococcus aureus in a goat.

Goat Wisdom – Udder Care search for keyword gangrenous

Jack and Anita Mauldin’s Boer Goats – Diseases search for keyword gangrene

Goat Kingdom – Mastitis search for keyword gangrene

If you have any other pages to link to, please leave me a comment and I will add it.

Red Bag Delivery

A red bag delivery is the term used when a horse or goat’s placenta detaches prematurely (placentia previa).  If you see the placenta presenting, you have six minutes to save the life of the life of the foal or kid.

This is one of the reasons I love being on the Holistic-Goats list.  There is always discussion on things that are happening with people’s goats, and how to take care of the problem.   The list is not very prolific, and I would say 99% of posts are on topic.  I read just about every post that comes through.

Now when the topic of red bag delivery came through, I had never heard of such a thing. I read the resulting posts that came through and did some research.  Now I know if one of our does presents a “red bag” which would be the placenta, we have to act fast to save the life of the kid.  Once the placenta detaches, the blood stops pulsing through to the baby so you must get the kid out quickly! The red bag will contain the inner white bag.  You must cut through the red bag, and then into the inner white bag and pull the kid.

A few days after we were discussing this topic, one of the list members posted a site from another list she is on where some horse owners caught a red bag delivery on video! This is from I AM Ranch Miniature Horses.

Very exciting and very informative!  I cried because it brought back a rush of memories from past birth problems we have had.  Check it out and file it in your memory for future kiddings.