Lactation without pregnancy?

[Shannon Nelson]

What can anyone tell me about lactation in a female who has never been
pregnant? In this case the "patient" is a heifer, but I assume the basic
information is the same? Would I be right in assuming that someone (human
or bovine) with this degree of hormonal mix-up is unlikely to be able to
become pregnant? (Or would that be a whole other set of issues?)

Shannon

[Patricia Hatherly]

Shannon

I'd be suspecting a pituitary tumour so it would be good to have it checked.

regards
Patricia

[Shannon Nelson]

Thanks Patricia, I'll ask about that.
(But is there any way to check besides MRI?)
Shannon
on 10/27/04 8:41 PM, Patricia Hatherly at triciah@rnhconsulting.com.au
wrote:

[Patricia Hatherly]

A blood test to assess serum prolactin levels would be a first start.
Can't imagine trying to give a heifer an MRI (LOL); perhaps one of the vets
on the List could make a suggestion?

regards
Patricia

[Robyn]

> >>
Hi Shannon
Interesting - is there alot of milk, or is the milk different to a normally
lactating sample or is it just a discharge.

Hormones introduced, or secreted are the most likely causes would you not
think?

have had to use this rubric in my practice, once for someone with a
pituitary tumor and once for someone without.
CHEST - PHENOMENA - MILK - non-pregnant women

ars. ASAF. bamb-a. bell. borx. bry. calc. chim. CYCL. kola lac-c. lac-d.
lyc. medus. MERC. phos. pip-n. PULS. rhus-t. ric. sabin. stram. thlas. TUB.
URT-U.

but to make it more interesting

It is known that nonpregnant females and even males, have produced milk just
by stimulation of the nipple - rare maybe but does happen - and it has
happened with virgin cows - so has this been happenng to your heifer - is
there a calf around?

I have read that lactation has been induced in animals using the steroids
progersterone and oestrogen, but think this is usually with animals already
having a pregnancy in the past. Not sure about that - someone on this list
would know.

Even though prolactinoma is the usual cause of a rise in levels of prolactin
and lactation in non pregnant females, I also found this

Premature lactation in a heifer with a sex cord-stromal tumor.

Whitacre MD, Van Camp SD, Maclachlan NJ, Umstead JA.

Department of Food Animal and Equine Medicine, College of Veterinary
Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27606.

A tumor of the ovary was believed to be responsible for initiating lactation
in a nonpregnant heifer. The only abnormal clinical sign was milk secretion
from all 4 mammary glands and a large mass in the abdomen. Concentrations of
estrogen and progesterone were markedly high. The mass was removed and
identified as a sex cord-stromal tumor with a granulosa cell pattern.
All just a procrastination attempt on my part - should be doing something
else

Robyn
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[Rochelle]

If I remember correctly Puls 30 split dose cured this in a woman I gave it to when I was a student. I would have found this symptom in the rep but obviously she also had other Puls symptoms. A couple of years later I saw and she had conceived and had a child which is what she wanted.

Regards
Rochelle
www.rochellemarsden.co.uk

[Shannon Nelson]

Hi Robyn,

Hm, more possibilities!
Yesterday my husband got about five quarts from her (three quarters were
full, and the fourth has been damaged)! It appears completely normal, but
we are all too squeamish to try tasting it (sigh, not "real farmers", are
we?). Her udders have looked "full" from a surprisingly young age (??8
months??). The first "milkings" (sporadically over the past month or so)
gave icky stuff (mastitis; presumably the reason for the damage to the
fourth quarter?) but now it is normal-looking milk.

Can you tell me a bit about your two cases? I'm interested to see if I can
give her remedies to do anything, but it's hard to see where I'd start,
other than the rubric you give below. She seems healthy and perfectly
heifer-like other than that... Well, I think her build is also unusual,
actually. She has heavier shoulders and a narrower back than the others,
which strikes me as rather bull-like??? But can't think of a rubric for
that.

In your cases, did the knowledge that one had pituitary tumor and the other
didn't lead you toward any different remedy selection, or were you able to
cure just with a "presenting picture" prescription, or ??

Shannon
on 10/28/04 2:44 AM, Robyn at folcook@dodo.com.au wrote:

[Shannon Nelson]

PS-Nope, no calves around!

on 10/28/04 2:44 AM, Robyn at folcook@dodo.com.au wrote:

[Shannon Nelson]

Thanks Rochelle, that's encouraging to hear! There's nothing particularly
puls-like about *this* girl, but I'll keep that in mind. And I'll read up
on remedies in that rubric...

Actually, one other thing--when we *tried* (unsuccessfully) to breed her
this spring, the vet remarked that she had cysts on her ovaries. So I guess
I should also look at that rubric (once I get my software back again).

Shannon

on 10/28/04 3:31 AM, rochelle at rochelle@ntlworld.com wrote:

[Shannon Nelson]

Thanks Patricia, that sounds like a manageable place to start! (The blood
test I mean, not the MRI! )
Shannon

on 10/28/04 1:32 AM, Patricia Hatherly at triciah@rnhconsulting.com.au
wrote: