Mastitis
 

I have been a nervous wreck since Friday morning. I'll start at the beginning: Friday morning before 7:00 am Emilee was her usual self. When I came home from my school bus route (8:30 am) she usually wants to come in the family room with me for a little while. That morning she didn't. She didn't eat her breakfast of Science Diet Puppy (hard) mixed with Science Diet Puppy (canned). We had early dismissal so when I got home (12:35 PM) She still wasn't acting right, I checked her over completely, nothing noticeable. She loves bath and hadn't had one since her whelping on the first (last bath was Jan. 28) so I gave her a bath. She acted a little slower. An hour later I noticed she was pink. Ears pink, skin pink, belly pink. I took her temp, it was up just a little. Checked her over again, nothing unusual except for the pink. Another hour, still all pink, and temp a little higher. I took her to the emergency hospital and she had a higher temp and diagnosed as mastitis. One gland is hard. She is now on antibiotics. Puppies lost a couple tenths of an ounce, because her milk was inadequate, so I supplemented while the babies nursed. Vet said I was to continue this for a couple of days, still letting babies nurse. Emilee's temp is back to normal for her. Took her back to the Vet today, Emilee was much better except for the one hard gland, but mostly for myself. I was so scared. This morning everything seems a little better. She has eaten finally. Not alot. She doesn't drink much so I force her water with an eye dropper. Any other suggestions or anything else I need to know to get Emilee better faster?

Sounds like your being a great mom ..for Emilee ...

Sounds like you are doing good, but so she does not dehydrate I would give her pedialite. At least that's what I give mine when they are not drinking.

You can put cool compresses on the teats if they are still swollen to easy the discomfort. Best wishes

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. Is Pedialite really okay to use on Yorkies? I've never heard of doing that before. How much do you give them? Per/time per/day? I will definitely check with my Vet first. My babies mean everything to me. I'll try the cool compress for sure although she doesn't act like she is in any discomfort.

Oh really? Interesting...I'd never knew this. Wow...thanks! I learned something new today! It makes perfect sense though. :)
I was advised that if you use a warm compress, it will sort of 'thin?' the milk and help it come out easier. We never had any problems with this w/ Trixie, but from about day 3, I used a warm compress twice at night and a 'massage' if you will, in what I hoped was an effort to prevent it. Either it worked or she was not going to have any problems with it anyway. :rolleyes:
The cold compress sounds like it would be very effective in easing the discomfort though. Thanks Pat! :thumbup:

Mastitis
 

Emilee is doing so much better. The hardness on her gland is almost gone. The antibiotics the vet gave are working fast. I still worry about my smallest puppy which happens to be the chocolate one. At times, when I pull the skin on her neck I can tell she's dehydrated. I make sure she's nursing and give her a supplement. It just scares me so much. She started out out 3.2 ozs., then when tail docked and dew claws removed was stressed and went down to 2.8 os. She finally started climbing in weight until Emilee developed the mastitis and then after gaining to 4.1 went down to 3.9. I weigh them of an evening and last night she is up to 4.1. Please keep sending puppy prayers for my babies. I really appreciate all the concern and suggestions.

Good luck. It sounds like you have everything under control and back on track! Keep up the hard work. You are a wonderful momma!