Symptoms And Treatment Of Mastitis

1451 Words3 Pages

cracked or damaged skin or tissue around the teat, swelling and redness in the mammary glands, hardened mammary tissue, heat and pain in the mammary glands, depressed demeanour in the bitch, loss of appetite, foul smelling odour and discharge from the nipple. Some other symptoms include Lack of interest in the puppies, glands may abscess or rupture in very severe cases and puppies may become lethargic, cry and paw at the bitch, whilst in some cases the bitch may become snappy with the puppies due to the pain. Mastitis can be treated with antibiotics but if symptoms have been present for some time, surgery might be necessary to lance or drain the glands. Advice for this condition includes that if the bitch is older, it may be necessary to do further tests as there could be an underlying condition such as cancer of the mammary glands. As mastitis is limited to lactating females, the only way to ensure that the bitch will have no future infections is to get her spayed. Some measures to reduce the risk of bacteria entering the mammary glands include cleaning and changing the litter’s bedding regularly and promptly cleaning and monitoring any wounds, which may have been caused by the puppies’ claws. Ensuring any dirt is cleaned from the teats of the bitch should she go outside with her litter and that her urine doesn’t come in touch with her teats.
Eclampsia describes a condition that causes convulsive seizures after whelping. It is caused by low levels of Calcium, and possibly glucose, in the blood stream. It is characterized by restlessness, panting, nervousness and collapse. “Eclampsia is usually due to an underactive parathyroid gland, the gland that is responsible for regulating the parathyroid hormone, which in turn regulates the...

... middle of paper ...

...f her oestrus cycle and be closely monitored to avoid failure or fights. The female should not be overbred from, since this can cause health problems or damage and the offspring won’t be able to live up to its full genetic potential. A gene pool should be reduced, which means it should be ensured that the female is not used for inbreeding. The female should be overall healthy and shouldn’t be overweight as this could cause health problems like diabetes, joint problems, heart problems, reduced fertility, birth problems and risks when performing anesthesia. If the female is underweight, on the other hand, it could put the females’ health and life at risk as she might not have enough nutrition to support herself which could lead to infertility. The breeder should ensure to exercise correct husbandry. Especially nutrition is vital and can eliminate stress on the female.

More about Symptoms And Treatment Of Mastitis

Open Document