Jetpoint GSP Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Brought Mia in tonight for some time away from the pups (they are almost 5 weeks old now and she's only feeding a few times a day and wants time out) She has laid up on the couch and rolled over and I noticed there is what looks like a burst mastitis on one of her teats and a hard lump on another (I had only been feeling her teats mid morning and all was well). It basically looks like a hole which has small amounts of haemoserous fluid seeping out and what looks like possibly pus higher up in it. What do I do? I've used hot towels on her teats at the moment but am not sure what to do now? Can I wait until morning to take her to the vet. She is her normal self, eating, running around and playing and otherwise seems fine but i've heard nasty stories about mastitis and given my lack of experience am just a bit worried about what I should do now? Thanks in advance for your advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 If it's burst out at a site other than the nipple it may have been an older one, which was festering inside and has now worked it's way to the surface. Does she have a temperature at all? If she's well and happy in herself and you're able to keep it clean I'd be inclined to see your trusted vet tomorrow. But that might be just me, not much of a fan of emergency centres. She may need antibiotics, of she may even have had a pocket of infection which is self-resolving. Icky as it looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpoint GSP Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Temp is 38 and she is just chilling out on the couch at the moment, seems to like the compresses. Any recommendations for keeping it clean overnight, pups are going to want to try and feed off her, should I keep her separated tonight or let them feed? definately taking her to vets in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) Can you let them feed and keep them off the damaged teat? Might save it from getting scratched or hurt. eta - temp sounds good. Edited August 12, 2011 by Alyosha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpoint GSP Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Yeah i'll go out put her in to let her feed and try and keep them off it (isn't that going to be fun, they are so full on when they're getting a feed) I just cannot believe how quickly this has happened! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 It happens Jetpoint, despite our best efforts. It is great that you spotted it so fast. I'm sure it will clear up quickly. Have fun keeping the poopies off it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpoint GSP Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Here's a picture of it. Doesn't seem to be oozing anything at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 It doesn't look too inflamed. Hopefully it's an older duct that had a little abscess and it's just draining now. Sometimes a small pocket of infection can be come and gone before we realise it - and the gunk still finds it's way out later - like a pimple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRUVIC Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Three years ago, one of my girls began to develop a blinding temperature that eventually developed into 'black' mastitis and my very experienced repro vet got me to take her to him daily to check the affected mammary gland, until he could see the point where it was going to rupture (going in earlier carries the risk of it still rupturing at it's 'chosen point' if the vets pick the wrong spot to open) .. then he went into that 'black' point under anaesthesia and cleaned it out .. I have to say watching him scoop out necrotic tissue from my beautiful girl nearly made me vomit .. I was close to fainting, and eventually had to hold up the furniture in the operating theatre LOL and I've watched bloat surgery and caesareans no problem. Anyway, I took her home on AB etc and every day I had to push the tip of the product we are all more used to using for ears .. Epiotic ... and squirt it inside and massage it around and out several times .. my brave girl tolerated this extremely well and whilst she looked like she had a bullet hole for a while, she recovered without any further problem. I just held my hand over the hole whilst the pups fed (standing up by then) and weaned her quickly from them, but she hated that .. so I probably wouldn't force that issue again .. she got quite agitated and depressed. One of the sons from this litter went on to win Baby Dog at a National. And his sister was in the top ten in her class too. Big classes I might add at our Breed Nationals (GSD). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 To the vet needs antibiotics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Baggins Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Jetpoint you have probably been to the vet by now so I hope all is well. With mastitis its extrenmely iomport to keep feeding pups or humans until it is all resolved. Instant weaning only creates major problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpoint GSP Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 Yes we went off to the vet this morning - that was always the plan - it literally developed in a matter of hours - so damn quick! I wasn't sure if I needed to send her in last night or not, that was my issue, but we took her in first thing this morning. I checked on her a number of times overnight and she had no temps and was her usual self, still is, playing and running around and no temps. She has some antibiotics and another drug to start reducing her milk production (she's producing far more than the pups are eating hence the problem!) The vet said he wasn't overly worried about her and the antibiotics will clear it up. She's basically completely uninterested in feeding the pups, has been getting quite growly with them in the last two days and yesterday she basically told them all to rack off. If she decides to let them feed - standing up - it's usually only for a minute or two then she runs off. Short of sitting on her and forcibly holding her down she doesn't tolerate them feeding off her at all. They are well and truly eating lots of solids now so i'm not worried about them. Will keep an eye on it but i'm not so worried now our vet has had a look. She's had enough of the pups at the moment, is happy to keep an eye on them (from a distance) and will bark at anything that she's worried about but really isn't interested in sleeping with them or being with them much at all now. They are getting so big and rough and have found a good game is to see how many pups can hang off mum's ear, lip, nose - you name it really. Can't really blame her for having enough and they aren't at all worried about her not hanging around, they do their own thing and are happy enough with each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I can understand how she is not wanting the pups around - I daresay an abscessed boob would be pretty darn painful!! Glad she's still happy, and hope , with the meds, everything heals up quickly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Glad the vet is happy with it. Sounds so familiar - mum being completely over the pups that is... My girl still dashes inside to the puppy pen in the evening, then comes face to face with them all and turns to run!! She still feeds them morning and evening but isn't very happy about it. Hopefully she's drying up... We're lucky as our 12 month old male and their aunty (dam's half sister) have taken over the role of mothers so they are getting more attention that ever!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpoint GSP Posted August 13, 2011 Author Share Posted August 13, 2011 The funny thing is she's never once indicated it was painful when I was touching it and checking it out - maybe once it burst it stopped being so painful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 maybe once it burst it stopped being so painful? That certainly would have relieved a lot of the pressure/pain , thankfully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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