Abscess on Udder of Mature Fallow Doe

[csl]

We found this abscess on the udder of a mature fallow deer. Is this the result of a bad case of mastitis, or the result of a small injury that has been infected? There was no sign of an injury on the udder and it contained a fairly cheesy puss. No other signs of ill health, all organs and lymph nodes normal.

 

[Buchan]

Its position makes me think this is an injury - a small thorn or bruise. Mastitis would almost certainly involve the teat or the tissue below it. If there was no LN enlargement, it might well be a cold abscess - formed a long time ago and all infection now gone, just the rubbish left. If anyone is thinking TB, that's good, but unless deer are radically different to cattle, mastitis is infected later so there should be other signs.