I believe my castor doe has mastitis. I gave her a shot of antibiotic and started expressing the milk. Now the swollen area is 1/4 the size it was this morning and she's eating hay. Problem is, my breeder told me to get the kits to feed, but the kits aren't interested. She's been at work with me all day, and any hungry kit would jump on her the moment she got back, but these guys were busy drinking water from her crock when I returned, they has eaten the pellets, gathered near her to eat the hay I put in for her. I turned her over and put one on the teat, but it just snuggled up with her.

Do you have any other younger kits that you could try to have her nurse?

I have a litter that is a week later, but as far as I can tell, they are not really nursing their mom either, they are eating hay as well. I need to check her. I was also told not to share, because mastitis is usually caused by a bacteria, which could spread from the teat to the teats of the other doe.

If she is close to weaning, I think Maggie recommended fresh sage to dry her up and willow. Double check on the threads about mastitis. I could not dry my doe up since her kits were so young. I feel your pain with the trying to express the milk. I had a very hard time doing it.
Maybe Maggie will jump on here and confirm the dosage.
PS . If you were feeding calf mana they said to stop that immediately. I don't know why but I was feeding it and I stopped.

__________ Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:16 pm __________




I had heard that on here too. I even went as far as to quarantine mom and kits for two weeks. Hubby was not happy about the rabbit in the garage so I just moved her back.

Oh, I didn't know that! Sorry for giving bad advice. I'm glad you knew better.

Well it's kind of like adding them up and seeing what the answer is. I read the merck vet manual (sp) and it said to remove the kits immediately because they could get sick, but other sources say let the kits nurse and that will help clear the teat. It also says to cull the doe, it will reoccur, but others have rebred and had successful litters. This is the first show doe I got from the breeder, and she is a sweet heart, so i will not cull her. I just wish I knew the source of the bacteria.

__________ Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:28 pm __________




They are just eating hay and pellets, but she was consuming an awful lot of pellets.

I sure wish I had some Vanodine handy.

Willow bark is for pain, not drying up milk. Sage or mint will help dry up a doe. They can be used fresh or dried, but I believe fresh is best. Since these plants are all safe food plants for rabbits (except during pregnancy or nursing) you do not have to worry about dosage. As long as the rabbits are accustomed to some greens, feeding a good handful daily will not cause problems.

Hmmm. I wonder if Kotapony has any experience with mastitis in her dairy cows?

Maybe you should wipe down her teats with disinfectant of some kind, in case it stems from an outside source. I'd say rubbing alcohol, but if her nipples are sore or cracked she would go through the roof.

I have some winter green alcohol and it did cross my mind.

I'm not sure if she is still nursing.
Does it have to be any particular kind of mint. I grow lots of mint in my garden, pepperment, spearmint, lemon balm, but it's 10F here, so finding a source of fresh mint might be hard. I might still have some dried peppermint tea leaves.

Good to know about the willow. It grows everywhere around here. I had been holding it back from pregnant and nursing does. Now I know I can give it to them. Seems like everyone is either pregnant or nursing so that is great news.

Willow leaves and twigs are a staple here and are fed without regard to pregnancy or nursing. It has never caused a problem.

I don't think lemon balm has the drying up effect, but either spearmint or peppermint will work. You may be able to find fresh mint and sage at a good supermarket. Fresh herbs are easier to find than they used to be. Next year you might want to pot up some mint before winter sets in. It's good to have on hand.

Good idea, but I have no house plants in this house because I'm surrounded by buildings on three sides and a tree blocking the fourth, and the heat is only on when I'm home, and only in the bedroom. The rest of the house is at about 40F all day. It's been a trial, since I've been growing plants since I was 8, but there is just no way to grow anything here. Maybe I'll set up the grow lab at school.

I went and expressed more milk from the teat, till it stopped coming out and she started really squirming. Somebunny has nursed, I could smell milk breath!

You can use betadine or iodine solution in the place of Vanodine. It is basically the same, minus the acid. That is what I use, I just dilute it double what I would have diluted the Vanodine, since the active iodine concentration is about half of what Vanodine contains.

Well she's back to herself, eating and drinking, nursing some and throwing around the dishes. I'll continue to give injections and expell the milk until the lumps are completely gone.

__________ Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:05 pm __________

Lumps are gone today, pretty much as of Weds, which was the last time I tried to expell the milk. I injected it with Tylan, and she seems to be dried up.

I do believe I have a rooted sprig of mint here!!! I can pack it with the cages!!!