Mastitis

Cause:
Bacteria

Symptoms:
Breasts will be feverish to the touch, swollen, and reddish in color, turning from blue to purple as the disease spreads. Inactivity, frequent drinking, and loss of appetite. Generally occurs in nursing mothers.

Treatment:
Intramuscular injections of penicillin for 3 to 5 days. Feed some greens, and reduce the pellet ration. If early on, the treatment is most often successful, otherwise acutely ill animals should be destroyed.


Mastitis or BLUE BREAST is caused from an injury to the breasts fo a doe. It can also occur when the young bite the teats or if a teat is injured by a sharp edge on the nest box or feeder. The injury allows bacteria to infest the mammary gland where they multiply rapidly. The infection spreads fast from breast to breast, eventually the entire udder may turn dark blue or purple, hence the name BLUE BREAST.

If the disease goes untreated, death can occur in 2 or 3 days. Frequent drinking and little appetite, reddened and swollen breasts are the first signs Breasts are feverish tot he touch and the animals temperature will become elevated. Only penicillin and an early diagnosis will save a doe.

NEVER transfer young from a doe that has mastitis to another litter. Mastitis is highly infectious and chances are that the foster mother will become infected due to the transfer of the kit. Be sure to disinfect the nest box and pen. Check all nest boxes for sharp edges which could cause injury.
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