My cow's udder is inflamed after giving birth. What can I do?

Hello. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So sorry that Queen is having this issue. The exact cause of udder edema is not known in most cases. Mastitis is probably the number one reason so I think your vet was correct in treating for this first. It would be helpful to know if she is currently pregnant or if she has a calf on her now as the differential diagnosis would be different depending on the answer. Here are some reasons that may be causing this: * cow is close to calving * overfeeding grain * overfeeding sodium and/or potassium * heavy feeding of legume forages (results in excessive protein, calcium and potassium intake) * feeding soy cakes Some things you can try that may help improve the edema: * massaging the udder in an upward direction for 10-20 minutes twice a day after milking so as to promote circulation of fluids * forcing moderate exercise which helps stimulate lymph circulation * administering drugs such as diuretics can be used to speed up the removal of water from the body (must check with your vet first) * hydrotherapy of the udder - use cold water like from a hose to firmly spray the udder for 15 minutes twice a day So, if you and your vet can safely rule out true mastitis then I would suspect this is just edema that may be dietary related. Go over your cows diet thoroughly with your vet to see if you can get it figured out. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

She may have had an injury that happened during calving, inflammation, insect bites, hormonal problems. You should have a veterinarian examine her, as she will need a vaginal exam, he needs to check whether the uterus has involuted properly or has fluid in it or a mummified fietus (even if she gave birth to a calf two months ago), take her temperature and check her udder for mastitis. Her vulva looks like there is some inflammation or infection going on.

Yes - the hardness and difficulty to express milk are typical signs of mastitis and she will require urgent veterinary treatment in order to prevent long term damage. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory injections are generally both required but vary on the different types of mastitis (taking a milk sample to your vet is very helpful to determine this); regular emptying of the affected milk also reduces the burden of infection. You may need to bottle feed the kids if both mammary glands are affected or they are anxious and hungry

Without knowing what was injected, it would be hard to give advice. It would be best to contact the vet that gave the injections and let them know your cow is having a reaction to them at the site of the injection. Your vet may be able to recommend an antihistamine or other treatment to provide some relief and get her feeling better.

Yes, I would be a bit worried. She may have some retained placenta or a uterine tear from the dystocia. If either of those are the case, she could end up with a life-threatening bacterial infection. I suggest you get your vet out there to check her out. It is better to be safe than sorry in this instance. Best wishes.

Her front leg looks very swollen. This cow needs to be seen by a vet asap to ascertain what is wrong with her leg and get appropriate treatment. It is important to let a vet treat her as the wrong medication could kill her calve, likewise if she is in pain the stress could effect her calve.

I can see how this is frustrating for you! However, other than a bit of discomfort for the momma cow, the fact that the calf has chosen to eat only from a couple of quarters should not cause any health issues. The lack of nursing will cause those particular quarters to eventually start making less milk in response to the increased pressure in them. Over time (about a week or 2) the quarters will no longer be big and will only be making the amount of milk that the calf may eat on an occasion - the other quarters will provide enough milk for the calf to thrive. Although there is not a huge increase in mastitis risk, please make sure you monitor all quarters for mastitis. The cow will be uncomfortable while the quarters are engorged, but this will resolve if you leave the pair alone. Thank you for using pet coach!