Labs4me Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 (edited) My labrador just whelped 7 pups on Thursday afternoon. Mother and pups were doing really well. Day 3, pups are now dehydrated & also showing in the stools. Stools not watery yet, but orange & clear with bubbles. Mother has been eating & drinking well and nursing plenty, but suspect Mastitis as one of her breast has gone very hard, few small areas with broken skin and teats becoming tender. Called the vet, he belives there is an infection & said that it sounds bad for the pups & even if they don't make it to tomorrow he will not see them/me tonight. I had antibiotics on hand & he suggested I started her on those. I have nowhere else I can really go to pick up some fumula. My last can expired. curses* Any one got any suggestion on how I can help hydrate the puppies tonight or prevent them from getting worse? Her last litter one year ago, pups became dehydrated and declined rapidly. Tho there was no hardening of the breast or anything that the vet could find. Appreiate any suggestions. Edited April 18, 2010 by Labs4me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mersonmalinois Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 Find another vet. The guy sounds like a jerk. Your bitch & puppies are a priority and should be seen NOW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Labs4me Posted April 17, 2010 Author Share Posted April 17, 2010 Find another vet. The guy sounds like a jerk. Your bitch & puppies are a priority and should be seen NOW. I did try in Wagga Wagga, he also was conserned wanted to help but claimed he could not legaly see my dog after hours as he was not my local vet. I even tried telling him I was already looking for a new vet as I was not happy with my local vet. Still he said he couldn't. Im very concerned for her and I just find it incredibly hard to understand or accept that I can't get one vet to look at her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 Make up a compress of warm and cold cabbage leaves for her nipples, works wonders, method given to me by my vet in NZ. Try a petstore near you for formula. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schwarzbear Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 [] I really feel for you when your local vet won't help. The cabbage leaves advice is great. Do you know somebody with goats. Goats milk is great for pups. Have used it many times when I have been able to find a local goat breeder. I believe you can get it also in supermarkets. Good luck with your girl and her babies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-time Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 What a ridiculous situation. Second/third/fourth the suggestion of cabbage leaves - works wonders - and also try and supervise pups suckling from the nipple as long as the milk from that nipple is not "off". The suckling will ease the pressure of the engorgement. If the milk looks bad (wrong colour or blood in it) don't encourage suckling from that nipple but the other nipples should still be ok. Try milking the affected nipple just to take the pressure off - don't empty it and if the pups do suckle from it, don't let them empty it either - just enough to ease the pressure and stimulate regular milk supply. If you are desperate you can water down infant formula (there is usually a "lactose-free" brand available) or you can use warmed, watered-down Evaporated milk (in a tin) to keep them going until you can pick up proper animal formula. Or try and buy commercial Goat Milk from the regular dairy section of your grocery store or as suggested because of where you live - a local goat farmer. Do start your bitch on the antibiotics available to you and see the vet on Monday when you are able - Clavulox is the regular antibiotic prescribed. Mastitus hurts like hell (I know from personal experience!) but extra care and attention should pull your girl and her pups through the tough patch - the antibiotics do work quickly so in a few days everything should improve for you :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 :D I hope the puppies made it through this far, and that you can get them to a vet somewhere . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi Posted April 17, 2010 Share Posted April 17, 2010 What a stupid vet, and you can use vets from anywhere, no matter where you live. Many of us travel a long way to vets that know our breeds or are just wonderful vets. Have you started them on goats milk or formula ? baby bottles from the chemist and newborn or premmie teats work well. Yes, most pet suppliers will have formula. And another fan of the cabbage leaves, soak in hot water for a minute to soften then place them on the affected mammary. also get the pups some Protexin, a probiotic to put in their formula to help with gut flora. But if they are showing signs of illness from the mastitis, hold off the protexin and get them straight onto clavulox drops. fifi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 (edited) You can keep the pups on the bitch and work on the one that is possibly infected. Compress, gentle massage to break up lumps and you can get through it. ETA: you can use a breast pump on the larger dogs. Edited April 18, 2010 by SBT123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerojath Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 If you can't get any formula for the pups, I'd be getting some goats milk REAL quick. Most supermarkets have it and it will help see them through.... I 2nd the cabbage leaves technique.... works a treat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 Her last litter one year ago, pups became dehydrated and declined rapidly. This is a worry, too Hope these littlies fare better . poor babies. I agree the vet does not sound helpful at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 If you're friends with any local breeders, a lot of us keep a stash of Clavulox (or Amoxiclav). If you're in a dairy area, you might look for a large animal vet rather than the usual . . . they know LOTS about mastitis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cockerlover Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 If u have clavalox antibiotics start yr bitch on them now hot & cold compresses also work well on the effected gland ,DO keep the pups on the other boobs if they r not affected ,or as suggested if u cant get Forula get some goats milk from supermarket . AND FIND another vet asap .good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 Hope all well, I should have remembered to mention goats/carnation milk this morning, wasn't properly awake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Labs4me Posted April 18, 2010 Author Share Posted April 18, 2010 Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. The biggest problem was of course the vet not seeing me, but nothing open for miles. The Formula I had handy had expired, I will be sure not to let that happen again. I am truely disapointed at the messures I had to go through to get my girl & her pups seen to. I left just after 7am and only made it back at 1:30pm. I wasn't going to take them to my local vet after saying he didn't care if any died from waiting till morning. As you can imagine, such a long trip & trying to make sure the pups didn't go too long without a feed, no sleep has left me rather annoyed & exausted. I still want to monitor them for the next few hours, after that if needed my son is prepared to take over. Before I left town, with the help of McDonalds, I was able to make up a batch of formula & get some into them for the trip home. My son continued to help the weakest one, who was becoming limp. Buy 2pm, all the pups are looking stronger and their bellys filling Mother is otherwise fine and still strong. No real answer from the vet as to what's happening with her appart from "looks like plenty of milk, just don't seem to be coming down and that there is some signs of mild infection", but I think I will continue with the heat gel pack for the harden breasts, cold for the sore teats, suppliment pups feeding till mum can take over fully, and of course the Antibiotics & keeping an eye on it. No discolouration from any teats. As for he last litter, all pulled through and with no lasting impact that I or the vet could see... That God! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 Glad everyone is alive and that you have at last got some help! Some sleep now ill be a very good thing indeed ! *fingers crossed* for plenty of milk soon !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cockerlover Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 have pm u with more tips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puglvr Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 I hope all is going well with the pups and mum. Can't really offer any new suggestions but I would be putting a complaint in to the AVA about the vet who would help. That is disgusting!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 I hope all is going well with the pups and mum.Can't really offer any new suggestions but I would be putting a complaint in to the AVA about the vet who would help. That is disgusting!! They'd have to be a member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 Seems like all is going well- :D :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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