just wanted to say thank you for the advise i was given the other day when i noticed that tess was developing mastitis, tess went to the vets today for a health check before giving birth, and to check the mastitis, my vet said she is in good health and there is no need for her to go on antibiotics, but to keep an eye on her once the pups are born as the mastitis could flare up again, i have been giving tess massages and hot flannel compresses as well as giving her a hot water bottle to sleep on at night which she is most impressed with and this has helped to clear up the problem,
one of the vets first questions was what is her due date, i told him the 19th, to which he said he would be very surprised if she went full term as she is showing signs of getting ready and is starting to loose the 'cervical plug', so today i went shopping for the bits and pieces that i hadnt yet got for the arrival of the pups and now getting nervous and excited waiting for the arrival which could now be next week :)
once again thank you for the advice tess and i appreciate it very much (tess more than me :) )

Talking about mastitis I was surprised to learn the other day that men can get this (I was talking to someone whose husband had had it and he went quite pale as we were talking and he was remembering it)

Hope Tess does not get it again - you have had an important lesson now and will be on the watch for it so can do something as soon as she starts to harden - if this does happen then put the strongest pups on the fullest teats unless they are obviously infected (red as well as hard)

Christine

Many people are astonished to learn that men can also get breast cancer and osteoporosis.

I had mastitis myself (aarrgghh!) and can remember the pain well. What confuses me is that I don't remember poisoning my baby by feeding him from the infected breast although I certainly remember the agony and being told of the importance to keep feeding despite it. Then again perhaps that accounts for his peculiar tastes now!