4. Periparturient Conditions Flashcards
normal mothering behaviour for the bitch
-attentiveness
-helping pups nurse
-stimulating urination and defacation
-grooming
-protecting and retrieving pups
Causes of abnormal mothering include:
- Stress
- Pain
- Excessive human interference
first steps when new mother bitch not interacting properly with pups
-history
-physical exam
Normally, a bitch should have mammary glands that are:
- Non painful
- Symmetrical
- Either firm or softer
- Should be warm; NOT hot or cold
when does mastitis commonly occur? when is it less likely to occur?
Commonly occurs post-partum
Less likely to occur in pseudopregnancy or prior to whelping
what is the possible distribution of mastitis? how serious is it?
Can affect 1 or more glands or 1 or more sections of a mammary gland
Can be life threatening and bitch can be systemically ill
when relative to whelping does mastitis usually occur?
6-10 days post-whelping or at early weaning
what does the early disease process or a mild case of mastitis look like?
- Mammary may just feel firm, bitch may be uncomfortable, but without fever
clinical signs of mastitis in more moderate or severe cases:
- Bitch is febrile
- Can see hot, painful, hard, discolored mammary gland (red, bruised, black)
- Milk can look normal, purulent, brown/red to green in color
- Bitch can appear quite sick > lethargic, not eating, not being a good mom, anxious, painful
- Can be septic if abscessed or gangrenous
what diagnostics should we run if we suspect mastitis?
Bloodwork
o CBC > leukocytosis with left shift
o Can be septic with gangrenous
Cytology of milk sample
o Degenerative neutrophils, bacteria engulfed by neutrophils, macrophages
Culture and sensitivity of aseptically attained milk sample
+/- Ultrasound of the mammary gland
how do we treat mastitis? what do we need to consider?
Need to consider if pups will still be nursing from mom > some drugs are passed through the milk & are toxic to neonates
* Should not nurse if gangrenous/abscessed
* Need to consider pup age if removal of pups from mom is necessary
Antibiotics based on culture and sensitivity
Fluid therapy if required
Manual milking
Analgesia
* Tramadol
* Opioids
* Anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs)
> Typically not recommended (pups)
Hot packing/cold packing
Cabbage leaf bandages
Surgical debridement of necrotic tissue & honey bandages
* Abscessed
* Gangrenous
what is agalactia? when should we suspect this? More common in what kind of bitches?
Absence of milk in a female that should be lactating
Suspected if pups are not gaining weight
More common in primiparous bitches
causes of agalactia
-Asynchrony between delivery and milk production (eg. elective c-section)
-Inadequate nutrition
-Stress
-Premature whelping
-Mastitis
-Metritis
-Endotoxemia/systemic illness
treatment for agalactia
◦ Need to supplement pups
◦ Try to treat cause eg. stress
◦ Dopamine receptor antagonists
◦ Dopamine inhibits prolactin > if we block dopamine prolactin increases
Reminder: Prolactin is required for lactation!
what is galactostasis?
◦ Excessive accumulation of milk but with lack of milk let down
what is metritis? how does it arise? when does it generally arise?
Infection of the uterus (endometrium + myometrium)
◦ Normal flora of the reproductive tract invades the uterus
> Cervix is open
◦ Most commonly occurs following a dystocia, retained fetal membranes or fetus, prolonged delivery, contaminated obstetrical manipulations
◦ Usually occurs during 1st week post-partum