What Is Mastitis?
Mastitis is inflammation of one or more mammary glands, usually caused by a bacterial infection. It is most common in dogs and cats that are nursing, typically in the first few weeks after giving birth, but it can also occur after weaning or during a false pregnancy. Bacteria enter through the teat opening or small scratches from puppies’ and kittens’ nails and teeth.
Why it matters for the litter
Infected milk can make newborns sick, and a mother in pain may refuse to nurse. Fast treatment protects both the mother and her puppies or kittens.
Risk Factors
- Large litters or, at the other end, very few nursing young so some glands overfill
- Dirty or damp whelping bedding
- Sharp nails on nursing puppies or kittens
- Sudden weaning, which leaves glands engorged with milk
- Injury to a gland or a weakened immune system
Signs to Watch For
- One or more glands that are hot, swollen, firm and painful
- Red, purple or dark discolored skin over the gland
- Milk that looks bloody, yellow, thick or contains pus
- Fever, lethargy, loss of appetite
- The mother refusing to let the litter nurse
- Puppies or kittens that cry, fail to gain weight or seem weak
Severe (gangrenous) mastitis can cause a gland to turn black, open up and drain. This is an emergency that can lead to sepsis.
Diagnosis
Your vet will examine each gland and check the milk. A sample may be cultured to identify the bacteria and choose the best antibiotic. Blood work shows whether infection has spread, and an ultrasound can reveal abscesses. Your vet will also want to rule out related postpartum problems such as eclampsia (low calcium) and a retained placenta or uterine infection.
Treatment
- Antibiotics chosen to be safe for nursing young where possible.
- Warm compresses and gentle hand-milking of the affected gland several times a day, if your vet recommends it.
- Pain relief so the mother stays comfortable and keeps caring for the litter.
- Nursing decisions: with mild mastitis, puppies or kittens may keep nursing to help drain the gland. With severe infection, your vet may advise covering the gland and bottle-feeding.
- Hospital care or surgery for abscesses or gangrenous glands.
Most cases recover fully within 2 to 3 weeks with prompt treatment.
Prevention Tips for US Pet Owners
- Keep the whelping box clean and dry, and change bedding daily.
- Trim puppies’ and kittens’ nail tips weekly from about 2 weeks old.
- Check each gland daily during nursing for heat, firmness or color change.
- Rotate the litter so all teats are used, and wean gradually rather than all at once.
- Spaying prevents mastitis linked to future litters and false pregnancies.
When to see a vet
Call your vet the same day if any gland is hot, hard, discolored or painful, or if the milk looks abnormal. Go to emergency care if the mother has a fever, stops eating or a gland turns dark. Find a clinic through veterinary clinic listings, and see dystocia for birthing problems.
Key Takeaways
- Mastitis is mammary gland inflammation, usually from bacterial infection.
- It mostly affects nursing dogs and cats in the first weeks after birth.
- Hot, hard, painful glands and abnormal milk are key signs.
- Prompt antibiotics and supportive care usually lead to full recovery.
FAQ
Can puppies keep nursing if their mother has mastitis?
Often yes in mild cases, but ask your vet first. In severe cases the affected gland is usually off limits and the litter may need supplementing.
Can spayed pets get mastitis?
It is rare, but non-nursing mastitis can occur. Any swollen gland should be checked, as mammary tumors can look similar.
Is mastitis contagious to other pets?
No. It is not spread from pet to pet, though the bacteria can affect nursing young.