Several years ago I had a doe that developed an abcess on the right side of her lower jaw in the cheek tissue near the grinding teeth. That goat passed away from natural causes three years ago. I replaced her with a doe since then. This winter I noticed this new doe was developing a similar abcess (cyst?). Actually, I found a second about an inch further back on her jaw. These abcesses appear to itch because she rubs them against posts. She has broken one which was filled with a yellowish-white semi-fluid substance which had the consistency of colostrum. I cleaned and disinfected the area. I have since found another doe with an identical swelling in exactly the same place. This problem has not been found on any other part of the body. It certainly apears to have some contagious factor but nothing harmful. Is this CL? If not, does anybody have any ideas?

-- David J. Gray (ekklesia@paulbunyan.net), April 12, 2001

Answers

Response to Rightside Lower Jaw Abcess

On the jaw or other lymphnodes is exactly where CL abscess occurs. They rub this exude onto fence posts, trees and barns, where their friends also catch it, even years later. There has to be a ton of information on this in the archives. Goatworld.com has some pretty classic photos of this also.

We do have a bloodline of does whos great grandmother, mother and a daughter, it skipped one doe line, has small raised red raspberry looking sores on their lips, around their mouths they act quite alot like CL though they are not infective, and also they will get these that grow quite large on their Nubian ears. The gal who owned the older doe had them tested and they were sterile, the doe I had they tested as staph (everything here in Texas tests out staph for me :) I just saw the youngest doe out of this bloodline this last weekend, she is now 5 I believe and she also has one on her lip.

We also have had a true abscess in the cud chewing space of the doe, it was from a tooth.

CL, I was just talking to another forum member this morning, is the worst thing you could possibly have in your goats. No cure, the hardest to quaranteen and not only affects you but shortens the does life considerably, and also her value. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 12, 2001.

Response to Rightside Lower Jaw Abcess

What is CL? Don't know it by initials.

-- Deborah (bearwaoman@Yahoo.com), April 13, 2001.