Reproduction and sex in dogs and cats

This is a fun subject. Lots of discussion, articles, treatment comments, links and information about sex, reproduction, and the associated problems that occur in pets.

Reproduction in Dogs:

Introductory Comments

Dogs are a little like humans when it comes to sex... males are willing any time, any place, but the females only "wants to" when it suits them. Hey, it's not easy making all this medical stuff from being boring.

Sexually mature female dogs have an estrus cycle or heat...that period of time when they ovulate, are receptive to male dogs, and can get pregnant...every 4-12 months. The average is every 7 months, but it's quite variable.

This period known as being in heat lasts about 3 weeks, but that too, is just an average. For practical reasons we divide the heat into 3 parts, each part lasting, on average, about 1 week:

Week 1: (Proestrus) The female vulva swells and secretes blood and aromas that drive males into frenzies and on a humid night will attract them from miles around. I'm not sure whether the smell travels so far or whether there's a communication system of jungle drums at work. The female may act moody during this stage to both people and other dogs, swinging from affectionate to "snappy" and seem to like to "tease" the males cruelly: they'll lift their tail to allow a sniff, but will bite the male's head off if he tries to mount.

If a male successfully breeds a female during this time, she is unlikely to get pregnant if you want her to, but could get pregnant if you don't want her to. Does that make sense? Well, it's a joke. But it's somewhat true. The sperm could survive in the vaginal/uterine tract until the female ovulates.

Week 2: (Estrus) During this week, where the female is in true estrus, her vulva will still be swollen, but her vaginal discharge will usually stop having visible blood in it, she will ovulate, and will usually let the male...often any and all males... mount her. And assuming no underlying problems, she will probably become pregnant. Possibly from multiple males; in other words, each puppy in the litter could have a different daddy.

This period, while on average, about a week long, can be much shorter or longer.

Things can go wrong; see below.

Week 3: (diestrus) During the last stage of being in heat, the female has already ovulated and is losing interest in sex, but the male(s) will still be determined. She is not likely to allow mounting and if forced to breed is not as likely to get pregnant.

The Tie: Unlike cat sex, which is a wham bam deal, dogs take their time, and once a male successfully penetrates the female (in an inexperienced male this may take some time or even some guidence from a human) there is a bulbous gland at the base of the penis that swells locking it into the vagina. To get more comfortable, the male will usually do a little dance step over the rump of the female and end up facing away from her...this is called the "tie" and naturally lasts about 3-20 minutes. Both the male and female will often have a very special look on their faces.

If you catch a pair of dogs in a tie, you can cause injury to both the male and female genitals and probably get bitten besides, if you try to pull them apart. Drenching the pair with cold water usually works, but alas, it's probably too late to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

Dogs can get cystic ovaries and all manner of other female problems..if the female dog is in heat much longer than normal, or false pregnant for more that 70 days suspect that something's wrong and get to your vet.

Infections of the uterus (especially after abortions or birth), bladder or other part of the urinary-genital tract are not uncommon. Uterine infections are very serious.

There is a reproductive disease that is especially important called canine brucellosis...there aren't usually any symptoms in the adult dogs, but if either of the dogs are positive for this sexually transmitted disease, there is a higher chance of infertility or abortion. Serious breeders require that both the male and female be tested first. We have an in house lab test with results within an hour or so; $25

We can spay your dog if she's in heat, but we should really try to avoid it. And it costs more. The hormones of heat (estrogen) prevent clotting and healing. And the uterus and ovaries are larger, full of throbbing blood vessels, and are very fragile (easily torn) when in heat. When not in heat, the sex organs are much easier and safer to remove with a minimum of bleeding and trauma. Expensive post op care and possible death are much more likely if your dog is spayed while in heat. Plan Ahead!

Breeding Tips:

Take the female to the male's territory (house) if possible...the male will be more emotionally secure.

Do you believe this? Males insecure?

Well, yes, it turns out some males, especially if inexperienced, are a little unsure of themselves in the presence of a demanding female.

Put the female in with the male starting the second week. If they breed within an hour or so, fine, record the date as first breeding. If they don't breed, return in one to two days and try again. For maximum chances of getting pregnant, allow at least 2 breedings.

If they refuse to breed, consider another male, or if the female is bulking, consider a visit to the vet to confirm what stage of estrus she's in. She may need a mild sedative or restraint. Or she may have a more serious problem. Or it could easily be the male who has the problem. It seems the more you want a successful breeding the more likely something will screw it up.

If the breeding of 2 particular dogs is of great importance to you and there have been previous problems with either of the partners, we vets have all the same fantastic reproductive tests and clinics for reproduction available to humans...it's just a matter of going to a reproductive specialist who has all the needed equipment and experience. For our area, the best place is the Veterinary College at the University of Georgia.

Once a female is bred, her period of pregnancy is normally 62 days give or take 5 days. Lots can go wrong during this time. Fevers, poor nutrition, stress, viral infections, dehydratrion, brucellosis, heat stress, and bacterial infections are all possible causes of abortions and miscarraiges. Parasites are especially stressful and more likely to be a problem too, since the hormones of pregnancy reduce a female's immune system and resistance. And while it's more important than ever to control worms and fleas etc when a dog is pregnant, you also have to be more careful about which chemicals are safe. Don't dink around...ask your vet.

There isn't an inexpensive and accurate blood test yet to see if your dog is pregnant. And it's very difficult to be sure by feel. Even an experienced veterinarian has trouble telling before day 25.

UPDATE: as of May 2001: We now have an accurate blood test for canine pregnancy.

It's pretty accurate after day 21 and very accurate after day 28. Cost for the test is $25.

We can see the the little fetal pups on X ray, but only after day 42 when their little bones calcify. Most people need to know sooner if they need to know at all.

Many people (and vets) are fooled by false pregnancy: Many females produce so much progesterone (also known as the hormone of pregnancy) after being in heat that they look and act pregnant. They bloat out and swell. They make nests. They sometimes leak milk. But come day 62 or so, no babies, their milk dries up and they go back to normal. Usually.

Make sure you're supplying good nutrition. In the few months prior to delivery, and all during nursing, I recommend a high quality diet plus additional vitamins. Expect both food and water intake to go way up, especially during nursing.

As far as the delivery goes, here are some guidelines and comments:

The presence of milk usually is seen about 2-7 days prior to delivery so not too useful in predicting the due date.

The presence of a clear jelly like vaginal secretion is usually seen 1-3 days prior to delivery.

If you take the trouble of taking a rectal temperature for a few days prior to expected delivery, for some reason the rectal temperature goes from a normal 101.4 F down to about 99 F within 24 hours of delivery. Quite dependable! We have electronic thermometers for sale $7

Head first or butt first are both considered normal deliveries.

The time between delivering one pup and the next is quite variable, usually about 15-30 minutes, but it's pretty common to have several, and then a few more 4-24 hours later!

But, it's NOT normal for a pup to be in the actual birth canal for more than 10-15 minutes. If you can't get it out with a reasonable twist and tug...call a vet...there's probably something wrong. Wait too long and both momma dog and the pup(s) might die. Birth can be dangerous.

Once delivered, if the momma dog doesn't tear off the membrane surrounding the pup and lick it, then you need to tear it off. Then get any fluid out of the pup's mouth by gently swinging it upside down and gagging it with your finger a little. I like to suction out the back of their throat with a turkey baster. Rub the little pup vigorously until it cries a little. Tear off the umbilical cord with your fingers (if you cut it, it will bleed more) leaving about a inch attached to the belly. (if you tear it off flush, more likely to get infected etc). Leave some slime on the pup...when the momma licks off the slime it helps to create that wonderous bond of motherhood.

It's okay and pretty normal for the momma dog to ignore the first few pups while she's busy having the others. But on the other hand, it's a critical time for these pups. We need to get the pups free of their birth sacs and breathing in the first few minutes after delivery and nursing within the first couple hours. If you're not experienced, call your vet if this isn't happening.

If the pups are always crying, especially if there doesn't seem to be any milk; call your vet. At the very least, you will need to get some milk replacer. But there's often more going on...like a dangerous uterine infection.

It's common for the momma dog to have a little diarrhea or to vomit after the birthing process...all those hormone changes and all those placentas she ate, but if this lasts long, she's feverish, or not eating well after a day or so, call your vet...there's probably something wrong...like a dead undelivered pup inside.

By the way, if you're present at the birth, I like to throw the placentas away and not let the momma dog eat them, which is natural. It keeps her from getting an upset stomach and while protein rich and full of nurishing blood, she'll feel a lot better without the indigestion. But do leave at least some slimy stuff on the pups for her to lick off...it helps create the maternal bond.

Assuming momma dog and pups seem content and are cozy in whatever nesting situation you have them, there's not much you need to do those first couple of weeks after birth except enjoy and cuddle. But, here's a time table:

Day 1-2 after birth: if suspicious of a retained pup or anything else wrong; see your vet.

Day 14 or so: Deworm all the pups and momma too. The hormones of pregnancy stimulate worms that were previously dormant in muscle tissue to start their life cycle, get in the milk and infest the pups as well as the immune suppressed nursing momma. This is very inexpensive. $2/pup or $15 for a 1 ounce bottle of pyrantel dewormer that will treat about 20 pups or 10 pups and one mom.

Day 14 or so: Make a safe place for the pups to play and explore. Their eyes will be open by now and for the next few weeks, they're going to be a lot of trouble if you don't contain them somehow.

4-6 weeks old: Introduce them to mushy food and then to dry puppy food during this time with a normal goal of weaning off mom by 6 weeks old.

6-7 weeks old: Or within a few days of weaning if weaned earlier: First vaccines. And repeat deworming. This is the most dangerous time in their lives for parvo and other viral diseases. Their immune system is virginal and not very strong until at least 12 weeks of age. And they aren't getting protection from the antibodies in momma's milk anymore.

Not all vaccines are of the same quality. Many tested very poorly for the protection of parvo. And they need to be kept at the right temperature. Get your vaccines from a vet...not a mail order house. Plus, a good exam is highly recommended at this time.

Like many vets, we charge much less for a litter of pups getting first vaccines than we do for individual pups. We charge just $15 per pup for a brief exam, deworming, and first vaccines to include corona vaccine when you bring in a litter of 3 or more.

Week 6-10: The best time to introduce pups to new homes. There are psychological benefits to staying with mom and littermates to 6 weeks old, but after that they're ready to adapt to a new life. Remember to arrange for newspaper ads etc at least a good week in advance.

Momma dog needs a week or two to dry up her milk and get back to normal. She won't likely return into heat for at least another 5-8 weeks, but please consider getting her spayed unless a valuable breeder. We have too many puppies and not enough homes.

Brucellosis

I apologize about the poor organization of this site, but please click here to go to my page on infectious diseases to read my article about Brucellosis which causes abortions and male sterility in dogs.

Whelping in the Bitch

TEXTBOOK OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE

Client Information Series; written by Drs Margaret V. Root Kustritz and Autumn P. Davidson

Whelping usually occurs with relatively few problems. Dogs can usually deliver their puppies with little help from owners. This sheet is intended to provide information to help you decide when an abnormality is present.

Most dogs whelp about 63 days after breeding (normal range, 58 to 71 days). To determine exactly when the dog is due, determine her first day of diestrus (day 1) with vaginal cytology and she will whelp on day 56, 57, or 58; alternatively, start taking your dog's rectal temperature two to four times daily, starting about 55 days after breeding.

To take your dog's rectal temperature, you can use a human oral thermometer. Lubricate it with a little petroleum jelly, make sure the thermometer bulb is totally within the anus, and leave it in for at least 1 minute. When the dog's temperature falls to below 1000F (usually below 990F), she should begin to whelp within 24 hours and will probably begin in 4 to 6 hours.

You should have a place set aside for her that is warm and private. She may pick a place for herself and start nesting behavior there as she nears whelping. It is useful to have on hand clean towels, iodine, thread or dental floss, a postal or small food scale, vanilla ice cream, and your veterinarian's phone number.

Labor starts with a long stage in which the uterine contrac-tions begin, the birth canal relaxes, and the cervix opens. The abdominal contractions may not be visible, but your dog may appear nervous or restless, pant, or vomit. This stage lasts 6 to 12 hours. The second stage is the actual birth of the puppies. You will usually see fetal tissues protruding before you actually see a pup born. Remember, breech deliveries are normal.

The puppies are born covered by a membrane that the dog ruptures with her teeth. She also bites through the umbilical cord of each pup. Abdominal contractions are evident at this stage, but it is usually best to leave the bitch alone. Dogs can voluntarily stop giving birth if they are disturbed, so you should make sure she is in a quiet place. When you first see the hard abdominal contractions signaling the second stage of labor, you should give your dog 2 hours to have the first pup.

Once you see fetal tissues protruding, she should have a pup within 30 minutes. When she starts delivering, allow 2 hours between pups. Most dogs have a pup every 30 to 60 minutes; some may have several and then rest a while before finishing. If you are unsure about whether whelping is progressing normally, please call your veterinarian.

The third and final stage of labor is that of expelling the placenta or afterbirth. The dog usually expels the placenta for each pup after it is born and some-times expels two placentas after delivering two pups. You should clean these away; there is no good physiologic reason for allowing the bitch to eat them. Trying to count these is notoriously unreliable, but you can try.

You may need to help the pups if the mother does not. Do not try to pull a puppy if it appears to be stuck, as it is easy to harm the pups. If the mother does not clean the pups, you should dry them with a towel, wipe clear all fluid from the nose and mouth, and rub the puppies vigorously. If the bitch does not sever the umbilical cord, you will have to do it. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes and then tie the umbilical cord in two places with thread or dental floss. The closest tie should be 1 to 2 inches from the pup's body. Cut between the two ties, dipping the end of the cord in iodine. Leave the pups with the bitch; even though she may not let them nurse, they need her warmth and physical contact.

Many bitches will eat a special treat such as vanilla ice cream while whelping. Vanilla ice cream is good for bitches during whelping as it provides energy and calcium.

After whelping is completed, make sure all the pups nurse within 12 to 18 hours. The first milk they receive is important in providing them with immunity to many common diseases. It is also important to make sure the puppies are warm enough; they should be kept in an environment at about 85F for the first several weeks of life. Be careful in your use of heating pads or heat lamps; it is easy to burn the pups.

The mother may have a green to red-brown vulvar discharge for up to 3 weeks after whelping. This is normal and is of no concern as long as it is not foul smelling and she seems fine otherwise. Inspect the mother's mammary glands daily to check for the presence of milk, any abnormal swellings, and pain. Please call you veterinarian if you have any concerns.

The puppies should be weighed at birth and daily thereafter. They may lose a small amount of weight the first day but should gain steadily after that, doubling their birth weight by 10 to 14 days of age.

Following is a checklist of reasons to call your veterinarian for help (also see the article on dystocia above):

The dog has started labor and is not progressing within the time limits just listed.

The rectal temperature dropped more than 24 hours ago and the dog has not started labor.

The dog appears ill, depressed, feverish, fatigued.

You have trouble getting the puppies to breathe early on or to suckle later.

You are not sure if the dog has finished whelping.

You have any particular concerns or questions.

A novel approach to canine obstetric monitoring involves the use of external monitoring devices to detect and record uterine activity and fetal heart rates.* These devices can be used in the home setting or the veterinary clinic to transmit recorded information by modem to obstetric personnel capable of interpretation and subsequent consultation with the attending veterinarian and owner. Sensors detect changes in intrauterine and intra-amniotic pressures, as well as Doppler monitoring of fetal heart rates.

The presence of normal prelabor uterine activity can be detected, often before behavioral clues exist, allowing recognition of stage I labor. Because the bitch's drop in body temperature can be missed, this detection of early labor can be valuable.

The use of uterine and fetal monitors allows the veterinarian to manage labor medically with knowledge of the presence of fetal distress and allows the administration of oxytocin and cal-cium to be directed and tailored to each bitch. Absolute indications for cesarian section could be detected with moni-toring before fetal death or maternal compromise occurs. Overall, the anxiety level of breeders is diminished and the level of participation of the veterinarian improved. The cost to the client of monitoring is less than the price of one puppy.

Pyometra

TEXTBOOK OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE

Client Information Series; written by Dr Autumn P. Davidson

Pyometra is a progesterone-mediated uterine disorder in bitches and queens.

Progesterone is the female hormone that works to maintain pregnancy. All normal female dogs are naturally exposed to tremendous concentrations of progesterone during the 45 to 75 days that follow the period of breeding (the period called diestrus).

Progesterone places the nonpregnant uterus at risk for bacterial infection. These bacteria are normally found in the vagina but have infected the uterus by migrating through the cervix. A bacterium called Escherichia coli is the most common cause of pyometra in both bitches and queens. The incidence of pyometra is thought to be greater in the bitch than the queen because dogs are exposed to natural progesterone more frequently than cats. An increased incidence of pyometra is associated with estrogen administration in the bitch. Therefore, estrogen should not be used as a treatment for "mismate" in dogs. Administration of progesterone to queens can also precipitate pyometra. Progesterone compounds should not be used as anti-inflammatory or behavior-modifying drugs in intact queens.

Pyometra can occur with or without vaginal discharge, depending on the ability of uterine contents to flow through an open (patent) or closed cervix. Closed cervix pyometra is more serious because some of these dogs become ill before an owner realizes there is a problem. In contrast, dogs with "open cervix" pyometra can be recognized as having a problem earlier because they usually have an obvious, malodorous, pus-colored vaginal discharge before they become seriously ill.

Dogs with closed cervix pyometra may suffer from uterine rupture, which can be as critical and life threat-ening as when people have a ruptured appendix. In addition to the vaginal discharge, the classic clinical signs of pyome-tra include partial to complete loss of appetite, fever, leth-argy, weight loss, an unkempt appearance, vomiting and diarrhea, and excessive thirst and urination. Blood and urine tests are consistent with infection and may indicate involve-ment of other organs that can be harmed by this severe disease. Abdominal x-rays and ultrasonography can be useful in confirming the diagnosis. Although it is rare, pyometra can occur in one uterine horn with pregnancy in the other.

The best, least expensive, most reliable, quickest, and easiest treatment for pyometra, after stabilization of your dog or cat with intravenous fluids and antibiotics, is the spay (ovariohysterectomy). This would not be the first and best treatment only if your pet is younger than 6 years of age and a valuable breeding bitch or queen.

Medical treatment of open cervix pyometra, using prostaglandin F2c. (PGF2cy) and appropriate antibiotics, has been successful in both the bitch and queen. Antibiotics alone are almost never successful in completely resolving pyometra.

PGF2 causes emptying of uterine contents and a lowering of blood progesterone levels. The presence of live fetuses should be ruled out by use of ultrasonography before treatment because the drug causes abortion and because the treatment is not usually successful if there are any remnants of previous pregnancies in the uterus. Those dogs and cats should be spayed, as should any dog or cat that is extremely ill. The PGF2c. treatment should never be used for an extremely ill dog or cat.

Bitches and queens may need to be hospitalized for the PGF2~ treatment to enable administration of adjunct supportive care, such as intravenous fluids and antibiotics, and to permit monitoring of adverse effects and outcome of treat-ment. The treatment protocol includes 5 to 7 days of injections. Most can be treated on an outpatient basis because dogs and cats treated with PGF2~ should never be critically ill.

Predictable physical reactions that occur after the administration of this drug include restlessness, panting, salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, urination, and dilatation of the pupils (bitch and queen) and grooming, lordosis, and kneading (queens). These reactions usually resolve within 5 to 60 minutes. After each subsequent injection, the reactions diminish in severity and duration. Reactions are rarely considered severe enough to warrant discontinuation of the drug.

A successful short-term response, defined as resolution of the signs of pyometra, may not be evident at the completion of PGF2(~ treatment. At the time of release from the hospital, bitches and queens should have an improved appetite and normal rectal temperature. However, the abnormal vaginal discharge may be completely gone or may persist for another 5 to 10 days.

Reexaminations should be scheduled for 7 and 14 days after completion of treatment. At 2 weeks after treatment, there should be little or no vaginal discharge and the pet should be otherwise healthy. Abdominal x-rays or ultrasonography can be used to evaluate reduction in uterine size compared with that on previous examinations.

Persistence of problems suggests that retreatment be considered. A second series of injections for recurrent pyometra can be successful and may be considered if the condition of the bitch or queen permits. A successful long-term response is defined as a return to normal estrous cycles and, if bred, conception and carrying a litter to term. Breeding at the next estrus is recommended to avoid potential complications after progesterone's effects on a nonpregnant uterus. Prostaglandins do not resolve underlying uterine wall disease. The overall successful conception rate after PGF2L. treatment has been reported to be 40 to 82 per cent in bitches and 85 per cent in queens.

Mastitis in Dogs and Cats: What to expect when you take your pet to the vet

(Of course, your veterinarian may treat this problem a little differently)

by Roger Ross, DVM

Mastitis refers to swelling, inflammation, and infection of the breast...one of the many things that can go wrong during the pregnancy, birth, and nursing process. Having babies is a fairly high risk venture in all species, and of all the potential problems that can occur, mastitis is usually fairly easy to treat ...but not always: this disease can be deadly. Yet another reason to recommend spaying female pets unless you really want a litter and are willing to take on the responsibility and expenses of when things go wrong.

Some Basics:

Mastitis refers to the swelling, inflammation, and infection of one or more mammary glands (breast tissue)...a problem that sometimes occurs while nursing puppies or kittens.

Think about it; the spongy glands of the breasts have been recently stimulated by hormone changes to swell and produce milk and colostrum...full of nourishing fats and sugars...A NEAR PERFECT situation for bacterial growth. All a bacteria has to do to gain entrance into the milk enriched gland is find a way up the teat canal...which very likely might be swollen and raw from being suckled and gnawed on by greedy little infants.

If the bacteria can't make it up the nipple, it can possibly gain entrance from the blood ; after all, it's common to have an extra high bacteria count in the uterus, the vagina, and the near-by urinary tract for a few weeks after delivery...AND NOT ONLY THAT, but the mom's immune system is often out of whack during the massive hormone changes of pregnancy and nursing. So, bacteria might gain entrance into the blood stream, evade the immune system's defenses...and settle happily into the milky goo of the mammary glands.

To top it off, the intestinal system...the number one source of bacterial invasion into the blood stream...is more likely to be raw and inflammed during nursing. Why? Because the hormones of pregnancy stimulate intestinal worms to come out of dormancy and feast on the intestinal tract...AND...GI upset (inflammation) is very common post delivery due to the mom eating all those nasty placentas, cleaning up all that vaginal discharge, and licking all those puppy or kitten butts.

After reading the above, you might not be surprised to know that ALL (100%) nursing dogs and cats get bacteria in their breast tissue. Luckily, most of the time, the immune system is successful at keeping the bacteria numbers low enough so as not to cause obvious disease needing medical treatment. But sometimes the immune system is not up to par...often due to poor nutrition, poor parasite control, or poor vaccination protection...and sometimes due to poor dental care. (Inflammed gums are a major source of bacterial entry into the blood stream) Sometimes the immune system is simply over-whelmed:

This article is about what to expect if your pet happens to get an infection of the breast tissue during nursing...a disease known as MASTITIS

Symptoms:

The most obvious symptom is a swollen mammary gland (breast, tit, etc) that is either more red, discolored, painful, firm, or lumpy than the other breasts on the pet.

The breast may discharge pus...or milk that looks different from the other breasts.

Other symptoms might include:

Fever (rectal temperatures greater than 103 F in both dogs and cats)

No or poor appetite

Dying pups or kittens

Poor energy level

Note: the above symptoms are not exclusive to mastitis; they could be caused by other or additional problems.

What to Expect When you go to the Vet:

A good exam. It's tempting to simply look at an obviously infected breast and make

the diagnosis of mastitis...and start treatment. But it's not that simple. There are usually multiple problems and a good vet will go over the entire pet checking out all the major body systems to see what we're up against. Here are some examples of problems that are often associated with gross infections of the mammary glands:

High fever and all the secondary vascular changes that can occur with high fevers such as blood clots.

Dehydration

Toxic Shock and Sepsis

Stress, bacterial invasion, and resulting dysfunction of the liver, kidney, and lymphatic systems.

Toxic Milk

Gangrene (from gas producing organisms)

Moderate to severe Intestinal upset and inflammation resulting from the fever and infection...or as mentioned in the introduction above...as the cause of the problem.

And remember...nursing is a time when multiple problems can happen together: Milk Fever (Calcium-phosphorus imbalances), protein deficiencies, post delivery diabetes and other blood sugar irregularities, as well as immune system suppression, greatly increased parasitism, and to some extent hormone induced depression.

The take home message: a good professional exam by a veterinarian is important even though it's usually not difficult to determine that your pet has mastitis.

Lab work your vet might recommend:

As you might gather from reading the above...lab work isn't usually needed to make a diagnosis of mastitis. But lab work might very well be needed to determine how badly the rest of the body is faring. Also: Many mastitis cases require anesthesia and surgical draining and debridement (cutting away of dead, putrid, and damaged tissue). Therefore, to minimize the risk of anesthesia and surgery, your vet may recommend:

Blood Work: (usually a CBC and Blood Chemistry). These common tests flag sepsis, diabetes, anemia, kidney, liver, and pancreatic diseases, dehydration, and electrolyte problems.

Fluid analysis with microscopic evaluation of the milk or any discharge. What the vet will be looking for is a high white blood cell count of the milk, free or encapsulated bacteria, and a type of white blood cell called degenerate neutrophils. Milk pH might also be considered as different antibiotics work better at differ pH levels.

Aspirate (inserting a needle and syringe to remove a sample of material) and cytology of solitary masses

Bacterial culture and sensitivity of the fluid to allow better choice of antibiotic

Bacterial culture of the blood if sepsis is suspected

Urinalysis: useful anytime a patient acts weak and sick as a screening test for dehydration, diabetes, debilitation, and kidney function.

TREATMENT

Treatment options will depend on how sick the patient is in general and how extensive the local damage to the breast tissue. Mastitis can be a minor, inexpensive nuisance or a major, life threatening disease requiring a big commitment.

Probable treatments will include:

Antibiotic injections followed by oral antibiotics

Some type of anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling. This usually means

some sort of short acting steroid...our most effective treatment...but also one with

potential problems that needs to be monitored.

Lancing and draining of the infected breast...either without anesthesia for minor

cases or as part of a major surgical procedure involving debridement and surgical

drains. Sometimes complete surgical removal of the breast is needed.

Topical wound cleaners, compresses, ointments, wound healing enhancers, and

various soothing remedies (each vet seems to have their favorites)

Supportive care of the whole patient if needed: IV Fluids, antioxidants, electrolytes,

pain meds, etc.

Knowing when and how aggressive to get with supportive care for each different case

is where experience and the practice art become so important. Too little and the

patient suffers or dies. Too aggressive and we waste your money and lose your

respect for making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Time to heal and good home treatment by the pet owner. Once bacteria gets

established in such a perfect growth media as a milky breast it won't be easy to kill it

off...It's critical that you administer the pet's antibiotics faithfully for at least 10 days.

Even if your vet does everything right, mastitis is a potentially fatal disease and

there's a fair chance that the initial medical treatment won't be entirely successful

and more aggressive treatment and/or surgery will be needed. You can greatly

increase your chance of initial success by making sure you give the prescribed meds

even if difficult or inconvenient to do so.

Clean bedding. A pet with a draining breast shouldn't be lying on wet, urine soaked,

filthy bedding. Nor should the bedding be irritating.

Recheck/follow up exam if not obviously all better. Some people seem to think that

the vet somehow failed if a treatment plan doesn't go perfectly. Hey...this is a

serious disease with lots of complicating factors. A certain percentage of cases will

need additional work.

Some Other Treatments or Things that your vet may consider:

Early weaning of the pups or kittens to allow the mammary glands to dry up or to prevent death of the babies. Sometimes we recommend total separation (different buildings) so that the momma pet can't smell or hear their babies which stimulates lactation. Another reason for early weaning is if the momma pet is simply too weak to both fight off her mastitis and nurse. There are negatives to early weaning too...so the decision will be based on each case like so many other situations in medicine.

Supplemental feeding of the puppies or kittens. A sort of compromise of early weaning.

Shaving the hair from around the teats and clipping the toe nails of the puppies or kittens.

Manual milking of the infected breast to keep it draining.

Herbal and other "Alternative" treatments.

Caution: Disorders that might be confused with mastitis include:

Insect or snake bite wounds to the breasts. This is, technically, still mastitis, but

treatment would also include antihistamines etc.

Mammary gland enlargement caused by advanced pregnancy, lactation or pseudo-pregnancy. Sometimes there is an excessive accumulation (galactostasis) of milk in the glands, and they may become warm and somewhat painful. In other words...just because the breasts are firm and tender doesn't necessarily mean they're infected.

Mammary hypertrophy is a benign growth of the mammary tissue causing a firm swelling.

Mammary gland tumors are fairly common in older animals and could be confused with mastitis especially if they are draining.

Misc Articles, Comments, & Links

Ovariohysterectomies (Spays):

(I simply copied this from my page on Surgery)

Because of the campaign to prevent as many unwanted pregnancies as possible, spaying is so common that we think of it as routine...and in that sense it is...but for your pet, this is a MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY.

The surgery itself is fairly straightforward...it's being prepared and vigilant for the individual variations that occur in major surgeries that makes it hard to give a recipe like account of this surgery. The individual variation I'm talking about refers to how much fat is present, how delicate the uterus is...sometimes it tears easily...how much bleeding...sometimes the uterus in engorged with hundreds of little bleeders, how sensitive to anesthesia, how well our incisions and tears clot. All kinds of variables can make a "routine" surgery become dicey requiring a cool head, a meticulous hand, and committed dedication to the patient.

The Surgical Procedure:

Pre-Surgical evaluation for general health, especially of cardio-vascular system

Ideally pre-surgical laboratory evaluation of kidneys and liver

Pre-anesthetic sedation and pain medication

Anesthesia and monitoring

Patient support of IV Fluids and electrolytes if deemed appropriate

Preparation, cleaning, shaving, and more cleaning of the surgical site

Pre-surgical scrubbing of the surgeon and assistants

Incision of the abdominal skin and underlying abdominal wall without un-necessary severing of mammary or muscle tissue. Entry into the abdominal cavity without knicking, bruising, or distrubing the underlying bladder, spleen, colon, or intestines.

Isolation of the uterus and gentle exposure of the ovaries

Clamping and ligation of both ovaries and also at the junction of the uterus and the vagina

Removal of the uterus and ovaries taking great care that all ligations were successful and that any other bleeding and previous adhesions are fixed.

Control of any bleeding of the abdominal wall and closure of first the muscular abdominal wall with absorable suture and then closure of the skin.

Treatment of any complications during surgery such as shock, low body temperature, cardiac arrthymias, dehydration, poor clotting, anesthetic reactions, seizures etc.

Careful monitoring during recovery and nursing until back to normal

Lots of cleaning of the surgical suite and instrument sterilization in readiness for the next case.

Discharge of the patient along with post op instructions, comments, and additional pain medication depending on the patient. Also consideration of cage rest or sedation if your pet is particularily hyper.

The fact that most vets perform all this for under $150 is an amazing bargain.

The Benefits: Why we encourage spaying of most cats and dogs

Health Benefits: much less incidence of breast cancer, and, of course, the elimination of uterine infections, uterine cancer, cystic ovaries and other "female" problems, urinary tract infections associated with being in heat, and all the car accident and dog fight injuries that come about because of the sexual urge to roam away from home. It also eliminates the expense, pain, and dangers of birth and C-Sections, not to mention the expense, trouble, and responsibility of raising kittens and puppies.

Other Benefits:

Elimination of the heat problem: cats and dogs wanting to run away, behavioral changes, the attraction of males to your yard competing and fighting and howling.

Knowing that you're helping to reduce the hugh numbers of stray and unwanted pets that roam our neighborhoods malnourished and uncared for until they are either killed on the road, shot at, or euthanized by the shelter system. This is why most vets minimize the cost of this surgery and why so many individuals and organizations spend so much energy and time fund raising trying to address this national problem.

A Few Potential Negatives:

The biggest legitimate reason for not spaying is that you won't be able to have kittens or puppies from a spayed pet. If you want puppies or kittens, fine; all I ask is that you do so ready to take responsible care of these new lives and not just because you didn't take the trouble to make a decision or because you thought it would be fun for the kids to see babies born.

There's the dubious argument that we are interfering with nature or preventing the animal from the enjoying sexual pleasure.

There's always the slight danger of anesthetic and surgical problems, including death, but major problems are not common and are much less likely to harm you pet than the risks of not doing the surgery. Many more pets suffer or die from breast cancer alone...something that rarely occurs in spayed pets...than are harmed by major complications in surgery.

Of course, many people are put off by the expense. Even though almost all vets greatly discount this surgery and most communities have organizations that subsidize the expense in hopes of reducing the stray numbers and all the suffering associated with unwanted pets...there is a large group of people who are always short of money. I'll try not to rant, but these are irresponsible, undisciplined people who want everything our prosperous country has to offer whether or not they worked hard enough to deserve it: children, pets, clothes, vacations, cars, credit cards, things for their home, plus all the daily vices of candy, fast food, videos, CD's, Beer, cigarettes, and lotto tickets knowing that they're spending more each day than they're making. Guess who suffers first.

Do these people seem grateful when better citizens raise money for spay certificates? Sometimes. Mostly we vets just get complaints that it isn't 100% free. Do these kinds of people have any money set aside for when their pets need medical care? Do they take reasonable preventive care of their pets with vaccines, deworming, meaningful flea control, and heartworm prevention? Only in a haphazard fashion for the most part. Okay, I'm finished with the rant, but PLEASE, don't get a pet in the first place, if you can't afford at least a few hundred dollars a year for vet care, neutering, and feeding.

Do animals get fat and lazy after spaying?

Yes. And about the same percentage get fat and lazy if you don't spay. In other words, pets get fat because their metabolism and natural youthful energy tend to greatly decrease at maturity (which just happens to be soon after we usually spay pets). Pets get fat

because we feed inappropriate types or quantities of food for that individual pet.

Are pets more prone to urinary tract problems if they are spayed?

No. We used to think so, but about 25 years ago this idea was proven to be false. Time to update your thinking.

Are we causing our pets psychological harm if we don't let them experience the joys of nurturing a litter?

Very hard to prove one way or another, but I suspect there's about a 99% chance that this popular idea is psyco-babble bull manure. It's easy to think that our pets are just like humans...and in many ways they are...but think about this:

Do dogs and cats bond and nurture their offspring for years like humans?

Do they even recognize their offspring a few months after weaning?

And then there's the obvious; the number one reason we vets see patients that have become "nuts" is from having babies. (Just like Humans)

For more information about spaying or castration, please go to our surgery page.

Pseudocyesis in Cats and Dogs

(False Pregnancy)

False pregnancy is a condition in which a female exhibits behavior that resembles pregnancy. This is caused by the influence of hormones produced by the ovaries. During false pregnancy, the female seems restless and tends to "mother" toys, shoes, or other articles. She may attempt to build a nest with torn paper or blankets. Her abdomen may seem larger than normal, and the mammary glands may actually produce milk.

All this is fairly common in dogs and cats. Both dogs and cats have fairly high levels of progesterone for a couple of months after heat whether they get pregnant or not and if the progesterone level is high enough, it will stimulate uterine enlargement, mammary enlargement and production etc. Progesterone is the hormone that human pregnancy test kits detect, but in dogs and cats these tests are unreliable because progesterone levels are often high even if not pregnant.

Treatment

In most animals, no treatment is necessary, because the affected female will "cycle" out of the false pregnancy on her own. This usually takes 2 months; the same as a normal pregnancy in cats and dogs.

Surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus (spaying) may be advisable in females that have severe or repeated false pregnancies.

If your pet is especially uncomfortable, you can provide some relief with warm compresses, bag balm, and benadryl, Rimadyl, or similar products.

Your vet may also prescribe some steroid anti-inflammatories if needed.

The big worry here is either uterine infection and/or mastitis. See above articles and comments about these serious problems.

Another Article about the

Care of Newborn Puppies and Kittens

During the first 4 weeks of life, puppies and kittens depend on their mother completely for warmth, nutrition, waste elimination, and hygiene. During this critical time, the owner must observe the puppies or kittens carefully to detect problems. Immediate veterinary care is critical for any sick puppy or kitten or they are likely to die. They are very fragile.

Here are some general guidelines:

Warmth: During the first few weeks of life, puppies and kittens may easily become chilled. A room temperature of 70 F is recommended. If the bitch or queen is ill or absent, then the temperature in the infant's immediate environment should be

80 to 85 F.

The normal body temperature (rectal) of the newborn is 96 to 97 F, and reaches 100 F by 4 weeks of age. Indirect heat such as that provided by a heat lamp or warm water bottles may be used if needed. But you have to be careful not to burn or overheat the neonates.

You don't notice the burn until after the deed is done...kind of like sunburn. Don't put the heat lamp too close.

Nutrition:

Puppies and Kittens should sleep contentedly after nursing and have full (not bloated) bellies. Excessive crying or restlessness, especially after nursing, mans they're either not getting enough milk or they have "belly aches" or "colic" from "bad" milk or some other problem such as inflammation of the intestinal wall due to worms.

If needed, supplemental feeding of a puppy or kitten formula can be prescribed. There are lots of recipes for making milk replacer for kittens and puppies, but the commercial brands are much less likely to cause diarrhea. Sometimes we also give young kittens and puppies high calorie supplements such as Nutrical. Raising puppies and kittens (and most other animal infants) is an art. Each individual fragile life is a little different and a little too much or too little of heat, supplemental support and feeding, or interference with the momma could possibly end up causing death. And you never really know if it was your fault since there could be so many different underlying genetic, development, immune system, or parasitic problems going on at the same time.

If your kitten or pup won't nurse, your vet or vet tech will gladly (I assume) teach you how to tube feed.

Stool and Urine: During the first 3 to 4 weeks, the momma stimulates elimination by licking her puppy's or kitten's genital - anal area. If the mother is ill or absent, you have to do this for the infants or they'll probably die. Good News! You don't have to use your tongue if you don't want to. Just use a wet finger, a warm paper towel, rag, cotton ball etc. It's just a little baby poop ... it won't kill you. You need to do this after feeding or about every 3-5 hours until they start "going" on their own.

Eyes and Ears: Both the eyes and ears usually open sometime between 6 and 14 days Old. Both their sight and hearing slowly improve or develop over the next 4 plus weeks.

In other words, just because their eyes are open at 7 days old doesn't mean they can see all that great or that their little brains can process what they do see. It takes a little time in the predator species. (Prey animals are likely to be able to see (and run) shortly after birth)

Worms: Internal parasites are very common in kittens and puppies. Some vets like to do fecal checks as early as 2 weeks of age. I simply recommend deworming both kittens and puppies with Pyrantel at about 2 weeks of age whether they need it or not.

This needs to be repeated 3-5 weeks later ... usually along with the first vaccines.

Vaccines: Each vet has a slightly different vaccine schedule, but in general, for both kittens and puppies we should start the first vaccines soon after weaning or at 6-8 weeks of age ... which ever comes first. Boosters should be given at about 10 and 14 weeks of age. Rabies vaccine can be given anytime soon after 12 weeks of age ... I usually combine it with the 14 week old boosters. Vaccines have been greatly improved and in the near future these recommendations may be modified, but please don't neglect these puppy and kitten vaccines ... we vets have to watch several young pets die each month in near helplessness because high quality vaccines weren't given for one reason or another. On the other hand, we rarely see significant problems caused by the vaccinations which is what so many lay pet articles are implying.

Weaning: Introduction of a liquid or gruel diet may be done at 3 to 4 weeks of age. Puppy or kitten milk replacer is a good starter, followed by gruel made of puppy or kitten food soaked in warm water. I often add a little "gerber's" rice cereal to this mixture, but it's probably not needed. (But I've done it all my life) Over the next couple of weeks, simply use less and less liquid until they are eating dry food. Weaning should be completed between 5 and 8 weeks of age.

New Homes: Both puppies and kittens are physically and psychologically ready (in most cases) to bond to new humans and leave "home" anytime after weaning. The ideal age seems to be between 6 ad 9 weeks old.

Don't forget those vaccines