Mastitis is fairly uncommon in dogs, but when it happens, the dog's teat becomes swollen, hard and sore. Mastitis needs to be treated as soon as possible, because puppies nursing on the infected teat could become sick, and, if left untreated, the nursing mother could die. There are several medicines for treating mastitis, and there are also medicines to treat other conditions that commonly occur with mastitis.
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Treating the Infection
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Mastitis is an infection, so it needs to be treated with antibiotics. Most veterinarians prescribe the antibiotic Clavamox for mastitis in dogs. Some veterinarians do not recommend letting the dog nurse puppies while on Clavamox, but other veterinarians say that letting the puppies nurse will help to clear the infection and expel the blockage in the teat. Your veterinarian will evaluate whether the puppies are healthy enough to nurse while the dog is taking Clavamox.
As with all antibiotics, if your veterinarian prescribes Clavamox, give your dog the medicine as long as prescribed, even if she starts feeling better before she has taken all the medicine. If you don't give your dog all of her medicine, you risk the infection coming back resistant to the Clavamox.
If the mastitis has caused significant swelling, your veterinarian may also prescribe a short-acting steroid. This helps the swelling go down while the dog is fighting the infection, which may help relieve some of the pain the dog feels.
You may also want to buy a topical antiseptic ointment for the dog's infected teat. This ointment should not be used while the puppies are nursing, but it will help keep the infected area clean, which may shorten healing time.
Treating Secondary Conditions
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If the mastitis becomes serious, some dogs may experience protein deficiency or even need surgery to cut the infection out. If this is the case with your dog, you will need to buy some additional medications.
In the case of a protein deficiency, you will need to give your dog protein supplements. A protein deficiency is serious in nursing dogs because the puppies need protein from the mother's milk. A lack of protein may also cause the dog to lack the energy to nurse the puppies.
If the dog needs surgery to treat the infection, your veterinarian will probably prescribe painkillers to help the dog recover. Not only will the dog already be sore from the mastitis, but also from the incision made during the surgery.
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