Hello again All,

Feeling a bit frazzled so please bear with me.

Our bitch had pups 13 days ago and devloped mastitis yesterday.Took her to vets jab of antibiotics and anti imflamm and back home feeling much better. She was very bright this morning but by lunctime had gone downhill,had very high temp and another swollen gland.So back to vets.Her heart rate,temp is up quite high so we have left her there on a drip for a cuople of hours for fluids and antibiotics. The vetb is hoping that if we throw everything at her we may be able to stop her going septic and keep her on the pups.

Ok,so if this is the case hopefully we can move in the right direction but i want to be prepared for if she has to come off the pups. They are 13 days old. I have done several litters in the past but never hand reard and am hoping for some advice. If anyone has had to remove a bitch from pups of this age please could you give me some advice on hand feeding,stimulating them to poo,wee and obviously we are worried about the bitch being stressed away from her pups. The reason the vet is thinking of this as a last resort is because the drugs she may need if she worsens would not be safe for the puppies to feed.

Any help and support appreciated

Ali

I started to wean my pups at 12 days because Mums milk wasn't enough, a breeder of my breed hand reared a pup and weaned it at 10 days because it wasn't satisfied with milk alone.

Depending on the breed you can put a baby grow on back to front or a T shirt so Mum can be with the pups without them being able to suckle.

Keep an eye on her that the breasts don't get too engorged if the pups are not allowed to feed, you can express a small amount only if she gets uncomfortable and gradually without the demand from the pups she will dry up.

At 13 days they are old enough to start on semi solid food.  when weight gain has not been as I woudl like (levellign out instead of increasing) I have started them as soon as the eyes opened.

Thankyou both so much for your help,

I was always planning to wean them earlier than the 21 days that i usually do due to there being twelve of them  but was not that keen on putting them onto Milk replacement as i have been told it can cause diareahh....don't know what you think??

On your advice i think i will try them on some  very soaked and mashed puppy food. The bitch is back home with them now and letting them feed,she has two diffent types of antibiotic,has been flushed through with fluids on a drip and i have been advised to keep on with the hot flannels.

Your advice is really appreciated,we've been so worried about her and the thought of coping with hand feeding twelve of them.To hear that we can try them on semi solids is very reassuring

Ali

Holly is bright and happy this morning.One of the affected gands has gone down but the other is still pretty hard and i cannot express any milk.

I am hot flanneling it and trying cabbage leaves (thye do seem to draw out alot of heat)but if anybody has any experience of getting it unblocked that would help.

I do have some homeopathic phytolacca which i have read can help unblock ducts. Iknow it is a remedy made from poke weed which should not be used in nursing but am assuming as it is homeopathic it will be safe?? Has anybody used this before?

Thanks for your help and support in advance

Ali

Holly seems brighter and her temp has gone down to 39.0 but the glands are still hot and hard. I can express small amounts of milk but it's very uncomfortable for her.She is letting pups feed off them.

I am just wondering if i may be overdoing the massage.Is that possible?Can you make it worse by too much massaging and appyling heat too often. Not sure if i am making things worse?

Any thoughts?

Thankyou,

Ali

It's looking like the gland is going to 'burst' in a small area.It has gone shiny and purple in an area the size of my thumbnail. Holly is well in herself and letting pups feed although that galnd is very painful. If the gland bursts do i need to go back to vet for something to cleanse it out with?
Not that i mind but worry about picking up something in the surgery whilst there! She is already on strong anti biotics.

Thankyou

Ali

IntraSite gel is brilliant for burst abscesses caused by mastitis. You squirt it into the wound, which helps it heal from the inside and outwards -you don't want it to scab over and abscess again. It's not prescription, I've never bought it in a chemist but I am sure places like Boots would have it if you asked. (It is for people.) I order it off the internet and make sure to always have some at home. It was recommended to me by my vet when I had a bitch with a burst abscess due to mastitis. Great for other wounds too.

Thankyou Goldmali,very much.

Is that the stuff in like a mushroom shaped dome? I have used it before but not on Mastitis. The pups are only 2 weeks old,is it ok if they were to ingest any? I will get some in,

Many thanks again

Ali

To keep the site clean and away from the pups you might want to put a sanitary pad over it ;)   a band around the bitch can hold a press on towel and the towels are usually sealed in a pack.   This can be changed as frequently as needed to keep the area clean.

I'd be wary of a pup ingesting the Intrasite[I haven't used it on a human patient for a while but it used to be in the mushroom shaped container] so you may have to put a dressing over that teat as pups at that age tend to be feeding constantly so no way of removing Mum for a few hours. If there is an abscess there it is better it bursts and the nasty gunk is released, it will be less painful and heal faster.

No need to go back to the vets just keep an eye on her temp especially when the antibiotics are finished.

Thankyou all,it really is peace of mind to have this place to turn to,

It has now burst,quite a small hole but alot of bloody fluid has come out and Holly is alot happier. Her temp is down to 38.8 and she is feeding happily.

I'll hold off the Intrasite for now as it's such a small hole i don't think i'd get any in but nice to have it as an idea.

Thanks again

Ali