Saanendoah

Complied by Joyce Lazzaro/Saanendoah Dairy Goats /information purposes only

Udder Warts "Saanen Udder Warts"
(Goat mammary gland papillomas) (Goat papillomatosis)

February 1998

The development of udder warts seems to depend on several factors, namely, nonpigmented skin, adult age, excessive exposure to sunlight, and contact with a yet undefined infective agent. Other types of warts seen in goats are: mammary, cutaneous, and genital. Warts on animals lacking pigmented skin are more frequent in adult animals that live in areas where there is abundant sunlight. Mammary gland papillomas are the most numerous and occur in different stages: ie, goats with mammary gland papillomas that regress, never to recur, goats with papillomas that regress in the winter and reoccur in summer, goats with persistent papillomas of which some are from the group that had previous winter time regression, and goats that have progression of persistent papilloma to carcinoma (see photo below). Saanen, Saanen crossbreeds, and goats of other breeds that lack pigmented skin and live in sunbelt areas are at risk for papillomatosis. An infective agent has not been identified. Yet, it is thought that an infective agent is likely involved, because mammary gland papillomas usually occur in the susceptible herd 4 to 6 months after an affected goat is introduced.

Note the characteristic "Tag" wart on both masses

Our personal experiences with udder warts, and resulting squamous cell carcinoma

We had a doe many years ago with a single wart on her udder. Our vet removed it and she never had another (pathology showed it to be a papilloma). Several years later a 4 year old developed multiple warts. Despite our best efforts and attempted treatment with every suggested remedy they persisted throughout the summer and fall. They almost disappeared that winter only to return twice as numerous the next freshening. By mid summer two on the side of the udder where her leg would rub were growing very rapidly and bleeding. The vet surgically remove them along with an area of surrounding and underlying tissue as she felt they were probably cancerous. She was right, pathology came back 'squamous cell carcinoma'. The surgery seemed to set them on fire ....... this photo was just 4-5 weeks after surgery!! We had the doe euthanized soon after this picture was taken. Our beloved GCH Saanendoah Swiss Ivy. A few years later other aged does developed one or multiple warts, no other does have had warts since then. The old does with warts are gone now. I hope we never see it again.
Selenium May Raise Risk of Squamous Cell Skin Cancer in at-Risk Individuals


	Benign udder warts

Wart(s) to
Squamous cell carcinoma
on the other half
(see surgery on this mass)

Selenium May Raise Risk of Squamous Cell Skin Cancer in at-Risk Individuals

Joyce Lazzaro
Saanendoah Dairy Goats
Winchester, California