My Staffy Ruby has Mastitis. It seemed to appear over night. I noticed one of her teats was badly swollen this morning :( I felt guilty for not noticing it before it got so bad, but like I say it seemed to be ok one day and terrible the next. It's the size of a golf ball.
Anyway I took her to the vets, and she squeezed some pus out, she said they was a lot. Then gave me a course of antibiotic's. She said I would have to keep squeezing it out. I have to go back Tuesday.
When I got home and had a feel it didn't seem any smaller. When I tried all I seemed to get out was a bit of milk. I'll have to try again tomorrow.
Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to get better. Will the antibiotic's get rid of it if I can't manage to get any out.
She also said if it doesn't improve they would have to give her something to stop the milk, and if they did it would stop in 24 hrs, so pup would have to be completely weened, I hadn't even started weening so I hope it doesn't come to that. I tried her on a bit of scrambled egg today, not very sucessfully though, lol I'll try again tomorrow.

Michelle.

You may find that holding a hot (not hot enough to scald, but hotter than tepid) wet flannel against it for a few minutes before you try to squeeze it will help. The more pus you can get out, the quicker she'll recover. Poor girl - it must be uncomfortable. I hope she gets better soon.

Thanks Jeangenie, I'll try that next time.
Thankfully she doesn't seem to be in any discomfort at all.

Michelle.

No advice. But hope Ruby's feeling better soon

Karen

Not sure about the hot flannel Jeangenie but when I had mastitis myself I was told to use cold (bag of peas!)and NOT hot.  It's very very painful so I do feel sorry for her.

Different doctors, different views, Jackyjat! I was advised to use hot by my doctor when I had it! :D

Lol! typical isn't it!!  Cold didn't work for me I suppose as I needed an op to drain it. Yuk!

had to ring the vet yesterday with the same question he told me hot flannels and today it is 100% better and pups are feeding well on them today ...good luck

Hope Rubys feeling better Mitch :)

When my girl got mastitus last year the vet put her on calcium tablets and it is correct that you do use a warm flannel and massage the area... i hope she is feeling better...

You can get a fluid from the vets called Galustop which reduces the swelling of the teats and aslong as your bitch is no longer feeding her puppy it shouldn't cause the puppy any harm. Other option is to try Hormonize for a week and see how you get on with it. How is that darling little puppy of yours anyway? She must be getting bigger and bigger before your eyes every day!

Thanks for all your replies.
Well good news, the large swelling seemed to go down as quick as it came up. :)
Didn't even have time to attempt the squeezing again, the tablets must of worked.
She seemed to be going off her food a bit this morning, she skipped breakfast, but she's eaten her tea so she must be feeling better.
She's at the vets tomorrow to be checked, so hopefully that will be the end of it.

Michelle.