Is it possible my bitch is making too much milk?
She has 7 puppies, is looking after them but twice I have had to put a hot compress on her and gradually ease the pressure.
How can I avoid this happening?

Is it mastitis? My girl had lots of milk that would drip everywhere when the puppies were not feeding and she was fine. Vet check maybe?

Hi mine also had mastitis I milked her myself after vet check I cut her puppy food down and put her half back on her dog food this allows milk to stop producing so much  and weaned the puppies early at 2 1/2 weeks she only goes in 3 times a day now to feed for 5 minutes. There all doing brilliant now .

> Hi mine also had mastitis I milked her myself

There is no reason to milk a bitch, it only increases milk production.  And a bitch with mastitis can still feed her pups.

Is she favouring ne side, often while busy cleaning pups they will lie on the two back glands and if they keep favouring that side they overfill.

Keep on top of things with the compresses and ensure even use of the glands

I always made sure the puppies were draining the teats, on rotation if necessary.   Yes, they can 'make too much milk' - as said, newborn puppies don't need lashings of milk and often can't cope with the big back teats either so they can be ignored in favour of the middle ones.   With a small litter, which this isn't, you do have to make sure each teat is being used and with out bigger litters, I'd make sure half were latched onto the teats 'underneath' and then the rest onto the 'upper level'.   I'd not milk her - that encourages lactation rather than drain her.   And why do people feed  'puppy food'?   Nursing dams need to be on their normal good quality food, and depending on the number of puppies she has to cater for, lots of it.   The idea of feeding bitches puppy food only started comparatively recently, and I really don't understand why.   Puppy food is for PUPPIES.   Not for mum.

everything seems to be going OK now. I did have her on puppy food to start with ( not before birth) but have now got her back on her normal diet, albeit feeding more regular during the day.
Pups going well at jst over a week and Mum now seems more than happy.