G- Gangrene Mastitis

[BasleeBackwoodsFarm]

Josie has what the vet calls gang green mastitis. He says it is a death sentence. I told him no, that he couldn't tell me that. Anyway, here's her situation:
Thursday evening, the girls did the milking for me and when they came in said that she only gave them a little over a gallon so I went back to finish. She wouldn't give me but about a cup and her back was still real firm. Figured then by Friday a.m. she would give me bunches. Friday a.m. she was standing but didn't want to go in the barn. Got her in there and then she wouldn't eat so had to tie her halter so she would stay in. She gave me a little over 2 gallon out of her left side but very little out of the right. Figured we had mastitis going. Came home at 10:30 to check on her and try milking again, she was down. Couldn't get her up. Called the vet told him all of this about her not eating, etc. and he said it souded like gang green mastitis and that most generally it was a death sentence. He then told me if we could save her we would probably lose those two quarters. Went in, got the medicine, come back home and checked on her. Wanted DH to give her the shots as I didn't want to hurt her and am a big chicken when it comes to giving them. Anyway, went back in an hour or so and she was laying flat on her side on the hill wrong. Feet on the upper side, etc. Got her leaned up and yelled for the girls to help. We finally got her propped up with hay bales so she could breath better, I bit the bullet and gave her the shots too. Now to this a.m.(saturday): She is still down but has been trying to get up. Has no strength in her back end. We did get her situated the correct way on the hill last night also after DH got home. I have not been able to milk as I can't get to her teats. I got one Today in the one real bad quarter yesterday but that's it.
Here's my delima, should I go ahead and treat with today in all quarters since I can't get to her udder to milk? She isn't eating yet but she did take a tid bit of water last night. Oh, and here's the medicines that the vet prescribed:
Banamine and Excenel
All prayers, thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Sorry this is so long and I will try to check in through out the day as we are still having internet problems. I appreciate all of you all so much.

[BasleeBackwoodsFarm]

Josie is still down as of this morning. She wouldn't drink anything that I offered. She has tried to get up some more but just can't. I can't get to her udder to try to milk her out some as she is up against the hay bales we put there so she can't roll down the hill or get turned wrong on the hill. I'm afraid I'm going to lose her and/or lose her quarters if I don't get them milked out.
Could she have gotten this from the flies? They have been horrific here this year. She has clean bedding, etc. where ever she lays down so can't for the life of me figure this out. She isn't dirty or anything like that when I go to milk her. I hand milk so get her stripped out completely so don't think it is from not getting her milked out all the way. I just can't for the life of me figure this out. Also, if it helps she calved on January 21st so it couldn't be milk fever or ketosis could it? The calf has been weaned now for a month or more so he hasn't been with her at all now. And, if it helps. I believe she is about 13 years old. We are not exactly sure.

[Claire]

Definitely give her the Today infusions and keep trying to get whatever milk you can reach from her udder. I would also ask the vet for a high power antibiotic because if its bad mastitis the infusions aren't going to do much to it.

You also need to shift her to her other side daily to keep the circulation going to her legs. Do you have a tractor to help lift her or know anyone with a cow sling to help get her up?

[Deleted]

Kendra, Im going to type out what it says in my book "Treating Dairy Cow Naturally" on gangrene mastitis...more in hopes that from the discrption-you might have some hope here!!



'Gangrene mastitis cases are definitely environmental. This is fortunately a rare from of mastitis, but usually deadly. It is caused by clostridia bacteria which are found everywhere there is soil on earth. Some types of clostridia that are related and more familiar are the ones that cause tetanus (lockjaw) and botulism. Usually the cow willl initially have a low grade fever (102.6-102.9 F)and maybe slightly thickened milk. This will rapidly become a port wine colored secretion and have a disgusting smell. Then the teat will begin to become cold, bluish and there will be no secretion, just gassy air being expressed when stripping out the cow (see Amputation). If the cow is down and is further along in age, she will die within about 4-8 hours. If, however, she is a young cow (1st heifer or 2nd calf cow) and standing relatively bright, antibiotics can save her life. However, the quarter will slough and be a real horrible looking mess for about a month and then dry up and be shrunken and leathery. If the yound cow seems to be strong enough to make it, once the teat is cold and blue, cut it off so the quarter can drain out whatever is left in there”

It talks also about three other types of mastitis...strep, coliform, staph, and ancanobacter/actinomyces/corynebacterium.

From your description though on the milk...did you see the 'port wine color' milk, or the teat turning cold and blue?
Keep us posted, she will be in our prayers today,
Mary

[doc]

Here's a reference from the Merck Veterinary Manual.
Click on the severe clinical mastitis link.
Dale


Link verified: 2-11-11

[BasleeBackwoodsFarm]

She drank a little water for DH and she has eaten a little bit of sweet feed too. Not enough though I know but it is a start maybe. She is still trying to get up but just can't. We move her and the girls and I massage her. DH talked to the vet again this a.m. Said they had one down a while back for 4 days before she got up. I don't like her being down though. I feel so sorry for her.
I will go ahead and do the Today on her again. The one thing that is odd is her udder is no longer hard at all. I haven't seen any port wine color or her teats have not been cold or blue. I wish I could get an I.V. in her. I think that would do wonders. I don't know, I just feel so sorry for her. I don't like to see them suffer.
The vet says that this bacteria fights the muscles or something and that is why she can't get up. It parylizes them, some permanent and others recover. Just very few. She has feeling though as she will pull and move while we are massaging and with her shots.

[doc]

Kendra,
Calcium gel may be helpful. Please read my previous post (cows with severe mastitis may have lowered calcium).
Dale

[Vanessa]

Kendra-(((Hugs!)))
I would try and get a second opinion-did the vet actually see her, or just do an over the phone diagnosis? Also-he knows she is a family milk cow, right? Sometimes the vets forget that we family cow owners are on a different playing field than commercial producers. You and Josie will be in our prayers!!

Claire-I just wanted to mention-excenel is a pretty good drug for treating mastitis-it is given as an injection, used in conjunction with infusions. The price is pretty hefty on it though!!

Hugs!
Vanessa

[sherry]

Kendra,
I am so sorry that Josie is down . I know just what you are going through! It sounds to me like the vet might be wrong about his diagnosis. It is a good sign that she is trying to get up.

When Camelia was down, I gave her lots of warm, molasses water. A big pan of sweet feed twice a day, 4 lbs of carrots a day, about 6 vit. C capsules mixed into her grain, and soaked alfalfa pellets twice a day. I also kept good hay in front of her at all times.

Did the milk from the back quarters look different or taste salty? I wasn't able to milk Camelia when she was down, either. She developed mastitis and I treated her with teat infusions.

As long as she is eating, drinking, bright-eyed and perky, you are ahead of the game. If she is moving her back legs, that is good, also. Camelia would shift her weight from side to side whenever she wanted. Sometimes she would stay on one side all day before shifting. Try to make a mental note of whether or not she is shifting herself.

Camelia was down 3 weeks and 1 day. Don't give up! I am praying for y'all.

[BasleeBackwoodsFarm]

Josie is still holding her own. She isn't drinking or eating as much yesterday evening or this a.m. but is still eating a little. She is still moving alot. The vet said to continue the Exconel(?) for another 3 days. She wants to get up so bad. I am continuing the milking out what I can get to. She does have the blood/stringy in the one quarter. They are all still soft though so I am encouraged about that.
I have been doing the Today once a day but how long can I do that? Do I continue?
Please continue to send good thoughts and prayers for her.
You guys are wonderful!

[Claire]

Generally you are only supposed to use the Today infusions twice, but since you can't milk her out fully and she is down I would ask your vet or even call the manufacturers to find out how long you can use them and how long you should with hold the milk.

[Deleted]

Kendra,
I am so sorry to see that Josie is down and not well. I will definitely be keeping you all in my thoughts.
One natural way in one of my cow books to help fight mastitis is by using Vit C and dolomite.
I always use this mix as soon as one of mine calves.
The Vit C is good for fighting infection, I live in Aus and can have trouble finding it but can get it in powder form at really good stock suppliers.
I hope Josie gets better really soon.
All I can do is keep you in my thoughts and prayers and send you some cyber hugs.
Sandie