A possible treatment for mastitis and other inflammations

Miss M · Sep 25, 2014

This works in human mothers with mastitis, and it might help with a doe.

All it involves is applying raw, green cabbage leaves to the inflamed breast(s) once a day. In the case of a doe, really, I suppose that would be part of one leaf, if only one nipple is affected. The cabbage would be left in place for 20 minutes or so.

If the cabbage is used too long or too frequently, the milk supply can actually be dried up! That could be useful for a doe that has lost her kits.

With a rabbit, of course, you're dealing with fur, unless she's denuded her belly. You might be able to pull fur from her belly to clear the area... if she'll let you. Mastitis is painful, so good luck.

Obviously, cabbage being edible, but being a brassica, you would need to have the rabbit in your lap or beside you so you could monitor the cabbage staying in place, as well as the rabbit not eating it. Or much of it.

This may also work for other sorts of inflammation from wounds and such. Again, I don't know, because of the fur. It does work on swelling and inflammation in people, but a lot more skin contact is possible. My mom is currently using it on her sprained ankle, after the nurse practitioner at our doctor's office told her about it. Mom can't take NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen or naproxen, so this is the advice she was given. It worked very well the very first application! For the sprain, the nurse practitioner said she could leave it on for up to an hour.

MaggieJ · Sep 25, 2014

Perhaps bruising the cabbage leaf before applying it would help in view of the rabbit's fur. There is tons of info online about the medicinal uses of cabbage leaves. Who'd have thunk it?

I just love how all the old-time home remedies are coming into their own again.

akane · Sep 25, 2014

Unless the function of the leaf matters I'd just blend it into a poultice. Maybe with a milder mint relative like catnip. Bee balm is antiseptic and reduces fever or inflammation. It would be a little messier but the items are edible if the rabbit will clean itself. All the effort to clean itself might even be beneficial.

Miss M · Sep 26, 2014

I think the main function of the leaf is that you can remove the cabbage easily.

The anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling properties are seemingly courtesy of some enzymes in the leaf, though no one really understands yet why it works.

After reading some more, it has been found that the cabbage won't dry up a woman who is still nursing, but it will help dry up a woman who has stopped. So perhaps a little poultice being left in the fur would not act to dry up an actively lactating doe.

And yes, it can be used for all sorts of things, even surgical incisions, to help keep swelling down. This is a very informative page (mostly about cabbage for engorgement, but not completely): http://www.lactationconsultant.info/cabbagecure.html There is a story on the page about cabbage leaves being used on the site of oral surgery, to relieve pain and control inflammation.

akane · Sep 26, 2014

That link does say to slightly crush the leaves. It was unclear for the tooth problem whether it was used externally or in the mouth. Since they compared it to the ice pack I'm guessing on the outside of the jaw.

Miss M · Sep 26, 2014

Yes, that particular leaf did say to slightly crush the leaves. Some of the others I looked at said you could if you wanted to, but it wasn't clear if that actually helped. There's so little research to go on at the moment.

I was wondering the same thing about the tooth problem... I guess it could be tried on the outside, and if it doesn't work, try it inside.