PasoVicki
09-04-2006, 07:53 PM
For the past day and a half, Danesa doesn't seem to be allowing Capri (almost four months) to nurse. (Of course, this is only while we're watching -- he could be nursing at night.) When we see him try to nurse, Danesa shifts away and kicks at him a bit (not hard, just enough to discourage him). Her udder doesn't seem swollen, hard, or warmer than the rest of her body, although it's a little difficult to tell about the temperature, because the daytime temps here have been in the 100s the past couple of days. When we've felt her udder, it doesn't even seem to have any or much milk in it. Danesa doesn't seem to be moving uncomfortably, and her appetite is normal. She really doesn't seem to be feeling ill. However, she did have mastitis when she weaned her last colt (before we bought her) and her udder only produces milk on one side, so we want to be sure to get veterinary care asap if she does get mastitis this time. If she gets mastitis again, and loses the function of the other side of her udder, she won't ever be able to nurse a foal again.
So, should I be concerned? Is it normal for a mare to cut a colt of this age back on his milk supply? (As I said, he's not quite four months old, but he's fairly big in proportion to her.) If she is getting mastitis, will I see more clear signs . . . or is it possible to have a low grade infection with no symptoms other than not letting Capri nurse?
So, should I be concerned? Is it normal for a mare to cut a colt of this age back on his milk supply? (As I said, he's not quite four months old, but he's fairly big in proportion to her.) If she is getting mastitis, will I see more clear signs . . . or is it possible to have a low grade infection with no symptoms other than not letting Capri nurse?