Mastitis!!

[luvtohnt]

Has anyone ever dealt with mastitis in their bitch? I am dealing with it right now and let me tell you it is stressful. I have been hand feeding puppies for a week because she refused to nurse, but now thankfully she is allowing the pups to nurse so maybe I can cut back on the number of times I have to feed the pups. That is the easy part I have never seen a wound on a dog this one before and it is GROSS!!

Brandon

[Schmalzfam]

I haven't dealt with it but, I wish your dog the best. Have you taken her to the vet? Used warm compresses? Poor girl must be in a lot of pain:(

[carpsniperg2]

Heard of it in dogs, but never been around it. Once they get it, they are prone to get it worse each time they come into milk. Good luck.

[luvtohnt]

Yeah she has been to the vet 3 times, lots of antibiotics (one cost me $9 per pill)   , a couple ultrasounds, and they lanced it so it would drain. Today was the first day she was willing to nurse, and the puppies pulled the abscess off (the vet warned me this would happen). It is normal for the abscess to fall off but it has left a huge hole in her teat. If you look in the hole you can see her ribs, and the storage gland full of milk from her other teat. Pretty gross, but I guess that means it is healing. The pups are doing good as well, other than missing their mother. She has to be somewhere other than with them so she can rest. I have also heard that it is prone to reoccur so she will be getting fixed as soon as the vet will allow after the puppies are weaned. I think the worst is almost over, but I was just wondering what other peoples experiences were with it.

Brandon

[WAcoyotehunter]

I've dealt with it one time in a border collie. We try to keep the bag down so they don't get it. I think letting the bag fill too much causes the problem.  We didn't go to the vet, but drained her down as best we could and forced her to nurse.  It worked ok.

Sounds like your dog has a bad case.

[Hornseeker]

We had a little cur hound get it 30 yrs ago.... I was a little kid and thought it was great that we had to bottle feed the little chits.... Im sure my mom and dad didn't see it htat way!!!

[Gringo31]

I know in cows, mastitis is usually local.  Meaning that if one quarter gets it, she will be more prone to it in that quarter.  What it sounds like is that the tit in question is a gonner.  I'm questioning if she'll have more problems if you cut that one off (if it's even still there).  It sounds gross but open and draining is good.....it takes off the pressure.

[luvtohnt]

That teat is as good as gone. The nipple survived but all the mammary tissue inside basically rotted, and then the puppies did a good job of removing it. She stopped nursing once the wound opened, and I had to hand feed the pups. It has been close to 30 days and the hole in her teat is still open (about the size of a nickel). She had a bad infection for about 15 days and once that was gone she wanted to go back to nursing. She is back to normal now just as wild as ever, but she has absolutely no intrest in her pups. I am glad this whole ordeal is over, and she is going in to get fixed as soon as we finish cleaning up the elk antlers at Watt canyon on the first of May!!

Brandon