SA: The postpartum dam Flashcards
Normal vulva discharge
↓ over time (most expelled first 2w)
Changes from red to brown
Watery to mucoid, no odor
________________ can be normal for 4-6w postpartum
Brownish mucoid lochia
Management of the Dam
Isolation for first 3w (K9 herpes)
Monitor mammary glands and vulva discharges daily (thick, yellow, sticky first 24 hr → milk white)
Weaning
Start @ 3-4w by offering gruel (complete by 5-8w)
Reduce food to dam @ weaning
No milk?
Agalactia
Use metoclopramide* (milk comes after 3-5 doses) or domperidone in the first 24-48hr
Poor mothering
Older, nervous, first litter
Use sepia, intranasal oxytocin, adaptil spray/ infuser or feliway, environmental change
Hypocalcemia (eclampsia)
Occurs mostly in small nervous breeds or hereditary
CS of hypocalcemia
Nervousness, sudden change in demeanor
Facial pruritus (tremors, ataxia, hyperthermia, convulsions, death)
Tx of hypocalcemia
IV Ca gluconate
iCa required
Oral calcium supplements (mild)
Weaning (old enough, can’t control CS, reoccurrence)
Metritis
Inflamm of the endometrium and myometrium
ADR, foul smelling discharge, febrile, anorexic,
Dx metritis
PE, cranial vaginal culture and MIC, ultrasound
Tx for metritis
Husbandry (dirty environment or too much in vag)
Empirical abx until culture/ MIC are back
Anti-inflamms, fluids + supportive care
Mastitis
Color change on skin or milk first indication (environment, hereditary)
Check for inflamm.
Dx with culture/ MIC
Tx for mastitis
Abx, NSAIDs
Warm compress, stripping/nursing
Cabbage leaves
Subinvolution of Placental Sites (SIPS)
Persistent uterine bleeding (bleeding after weaning) for 6-8w
