Objective: Hobby keeping of goats and sheep confronts veterinarians with new challenges that rarely have to be faced in livestock husbandry. During the last five years five goats were presented to the Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, with inappropriate lactation syndrome. Four of these animals had been previously treated with cabergoline without enduring success. According to the request of the owners (informed consent) and the clinical severity of the cases, a mastectomy was performed in all five animals.
Material and methods: Surgery was performed under general anaesthesia using ketamine and xylazine, and with the patients in a recumbent position.
Results: Mastectomy in small ruminants requires knowledge of the anatomy of the udder and the possible positions of the supplying blood vessels. Our patients displayed a variety of dispositions of the Vena epigastrica caudalis superficialis. Special attention should be paid to a careful and blunt dissection of the mammary gland, and immediate control of haemorrhage, to maintain a clear view on the anatomic structures. Furthermore, dissection of the glandular tissue should be strictly avoided to prevent milk contamination of the surgical area. A sufficient skin flap has to be left to cover the surgical area after removal of the udder.
Conclusion and clinical relevance: Even though udder amputation appears to be a radical and high-risk procedure, all five goats survived the surgery. The wound healing occurred in a reasonable time without any severe complications. In goats that are kept as "hobby animals" and in which an inappropriate lactation syndrome cannot be treated conservatively, mastectomy is a reasonable and promising therapy.