Caked udder... how do I get the milk out?

[igotrabbits]

I weaned my doe's 8 kits over the course of 4 days, two at a time starting the day they turned 6 weeks. Today when I went to move her to her own cage and picked her up, I felt a hard lump at one teat. After some research, I arrived at the conclusion that it's a caked udder. It is hard, right under a teat, but not swollen, red, cracked or sensitive (at least she's extremely tolerant) and the teat itself looks normal. She also doesn't seem to have a fever and is acting completely normal. Again after some more research I figured out to apply hot compresses. I did this (twice wet, once dry) to her for a cumulative of over 2 hours. She will just lay there cradled in my arms and let me massage her lump with a hot towel, either wet or dry for as long as I want, she doesn't squirm at all. I sort of squeeze the lump pulling up to try to get what's in there to break up.

The problem is, I can't get any milk (or pus or ANYTHING) to come out and since I've never dealt with this, I don't really know the proper way to "milk" a rabbit's teat. Any input? I don't want it to turn into mastitis! How do I deal with this?

 

[skysthelimit]

I just kneaded the lump like I was milking a cow, towards the closest teat, it and compressed it until I got chunky milk to come out. I expressed the chunky milk maybe 3-4 times a day, probably for 20 minutes each time. Before I went to bed, I injected a shot of Tylan into the lump. eventually I was able to get the entire mass to move towards the nipple, breaking it up and expressing it a little at a time.

 

[MaggieJ]

Sometimes warm compresses help. Make a cup of tea and use the teabag as a compress. Tea is very soothing.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

this takes time-- warmth, massage, yes, is the way to go. Break up the lump from the edges-- don;t be trying to press down in the center--a gentle massage over the center is fine-- it wil break up those surfaces, but dont try to
break it in two' so to speak...

 

[igotrabbits]

Actually I've never milked a cow either. But basically try to work the milk to the surface to come out the teat? It felt like I couldn't really get it to break up or move up. I'll keep trying though.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Actually I've never milked a cow either. But basically try to work the milk to the surface to come out the teat? It felt like I couldn't really get it to break up or move up. I'll keep trying though.

This is a long process-- you basically have a lump of 'cheese' within the mammary gland ducts and nodes. Now, this may seem gross to some people, but as a breastfeeding mother, I developed the same sort of thing after my last child-- and now, 30 some years later, the little lump is still there. My biggest worry would be developing mastitis following another pregnancy-- but then, milk production and nursing may help speed up the break-up of the lump.

 

[igotrabbits]

After about a half an hour of heat and massaging today, I was able to get a drop out every 2 minutes. After about another half hour no more would come out. What did come out was like normal milk, not chunky. Is this normal?

Also, the lump is still hard, doesn't feel like it's softening, and is larger on one side of her teat than the other. It's starting to get darker and tender in one spot. I feel so bad manhandling her boob and I'm not sure if I'm causing more harm than good.

 

[skysthelimit]

Actually I've never milked a cow either. But basically try to work the milk to the surface to come out the teat? It felt like I couldn't really get it to break up or move up. I'll keep trying though.

Neither have I, nor had any children to breast feed, but I saw it done on TV, one of those praire life shows...<br /><br />__________ Sun May 20, 2012 6:37 pm __________<br /><br />

After about a half an hour of heat and massaging today, I was able to get a drop out every 2 minutes. After about another half hour no more would come out. What did come out was like normal milk, not chunky. Is this normal?

Also, the lump is still hard, doesn't feel like it's softening, and is larger on one side of her teat than the other. It's starting to get darker and tender in one spot. I feel so bad manhandling her boob and I'm not sure if I'm causing more harm than good.

I would say keep doing it, trying to move the lump toward the teat. It is a long process, and I was very surprised my doe let me do that at all. I did rebred her and I have not had a problem so far, but the litter was smaller and two died I am keeping my eyes open.