Be sure to give the full course of antibiotics, even if your dog’s mastitis improves. Stopping antibiotics too early could cause the infection to return even stronger than before. [2] X Research source
If the vet recommends more than one type of pain medication to be taken together, consider writing down dosing information. For example, make a note of what type of pain med you gave, when you gave it, and the dosage you gave.
If your dog seems to like the warm compress, you can continue using it. Simply run the clean cloth under warm water and wring it out. Continue using the cloth as long as it’s clean.
You can also gently massage around the teat using your index finger and thumb to help your dog lactate. The tissue should always feel soft. As soon as it starts feeling hard, that signals there is a buildup of milk that needs to be removed.
Remember to clean your dog’s bedding frequently. Never let your dog rest on bedding that’s dirty or soaked with urine. Dirty bedding conditions can cause infection or make your dog’s mastitis worse.
The vet may recommend that your dog continue to nurse since it’s important for her mammary glands to be emptied frequently.
The breast tissue enlargement is simply caused by the presence of milk.
Although mastitis is rare in dogs, it usually happens a few weeks after the birth of the puppies.
Monitor how much your dog eats while she’s nursing. If she stops eating, she may have mastitis.
If your dog has advanced mastitis, she’ll need immediate medical attention since she could go into septic shock.
Usually, the vet will be able to diagnose mastitis just by looking at the physical signs your dog presents.
