Hi All,

Need your help again. My boxer bitch is nursing 5 puppies (3.5 weeks old) and one of her back teats has become a bit hot and swolen. I have sqeezed it gently and these is still milk flowing but not as much as the others. There is no blood like is says in the books foe mastitis. I presume there is a blockage - the pups are still nursing so the milk cant be off. I have held (for a minute or so) a hot moist towel with a solution of savlon antiseptic on it a few times and that has brought the swelling down a little and she seems to enjoy it.
Is there anything else I can do to get it back to normal - swelling is about the size if a golf ball and it isnt rock hard. She is fine in herself - eating fine and not letharjic no temperature etc.
Looking forward to your replys,
Aimi x

Try and get the strongest pup to feed from the affected teat to empty it.  Sometimes if the pups don't rotate and empty all the "in use" teats then one can get very uncomfortable.

Keep an eye on it and if it does not ease you may need to have a word with your vet but getting a pup to feed generally helps.

This sounds exactly like mastitis and she needs antibiotics immediately. Massage the area with warm olive oil to keep it soft but dont leave it.

Just to let you know that the swollen teat is loads better - don't know if it was me bathing it or pups sucking on it or both. Its almost back to normal.
Yappy do you still think I should take her to the vet to make sure or moniter it closely?
Thanks, Aimi x

Hi Aimi

Keep an eye on it as if it has happened once it can happen again.  Is your girl starting to put on weight, if so cut her food down slightly as sometimes it is not only the action of the pups feeding that can  create more milk than is needed but also the amount the bitch eats.

Make sure they feed from all the teats as it can flare up within a few hours and become very painful.

just had a litter of pups myself and my bitch developed mastitis in one of her back teats - don't leave it if it goes hard or gets hot i took my bitch to the vets straight away and yet her teat abscessed and eventually fell off it was awful she was on a drip and everything i thought i would lose her as she was so badly toxic her temp was 106 for 2 days solid - i thought she would need surgery to remove the affeted gland but it has healed well and she's doing fine - please do not leave it as overnight the teat can swell up and become infected if you look up mastitis on the internet there is piccie of a mastiff bitch with necrosis of the mammary gland and believe me if you think the piccies of that are bad my bitches was much worse - as i said don't leave it as sometimes mastitis and a womb infected can be related so she may need a coures of antiobios to clear it up properly.

Thank you everybody for all your help. I am pleased to tell you that Lou is completely fine now. I have cut her food down slightly as pups are slowly being weaned - I think I have been over feeding a little.
Thanks again for all your help. If it flares up again I will not leave it - will take her to the vets as it is not worth the worry.
Thanks again, Aimi x

If it has gone right done you may be ok, keep a close watch on her and keep checking all the teats hopefully it will be alright.

Any signs of it coming back antibiotics straight away.