Nursing dog mastitis

[Sheilam]

So two days ago I took my dog who gave birth to 9 precious puppies 2 weeks ago to the vet. One of her breasts had a hole in it a bit smaller than a nickel and she was dripping blood. The vet prescribed her clavamoxin, a pain killer and told me to do warm compresses. However he did not close up the wound and I’m worried it can get even more infected and she’ll become septic. It’s also hard for me to massage that breast to help drain the milk as the puppies can no longer breast feed. Any advice on what to do? She has a follow up visit in 2 weeks.

[LPC]

to the forum, Sheilam! We cannot give medical advice on this forum, but it would seem likely that your vet has acted correctly. Clavamoxin is a fairly broad-range antibiotic, a mix of both amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. There is a good description here: https://www.petmd.com/pet-medication/clavamox

So the risk of a bacterial infection from the wound should be massively reduced if you follow your vet's advice. However, if you are still concerned about the wound remaining open, you could always ask your vet for advice about a suitable external antiseptic which you could add to the warm compresses which he suggested.

I am hoping that our supermoderator, Wrax, will log in soon and give you his view on this. He also cannot give medical advice, but he is very experienced in the area of animal health and may have some thoughts for you.

Every best wish for the recovery of your dog! What is her name?

Don't forget to come back later and tell us how she is getting on.

[Wrax]

Hi there Sheilam, I'm sorry to hear about your dog's health problems. LPC is right in that we cannot give out medical advice. However, it does sound like she may have some form of mastitis (inflammation of the breast tissue/mammary tissue). If your vet has recommended that you give Clavamox, then you are already giving a broad-spectrum antibiotic and the chances she becomes septic is far less.

Obviously I can't comment on the hole itself, but I would say just keep an eye on how it is progressing. Take photos each day if that helps you keep track. This way you can tell if the wound is getting better or worse, which will help you judge if you need to go back to the vet.

Obviously, if you have any major concerns about the wound or her health you should immediately go back to your veterinarian!

My advice would be to continue doing what the Vet recommended. If you are really struggling to massage her, I'm sure you could call the clinic and speak to the nurse who answers the phone. Veterinary nurses are generally very well educated when it comes to these types of things, so you could explain your troubles and they may give you some advice on the best technique to do so.

Would love to know how it all ends up, and I'm hoping for the best for you :)