My stray dog has mastitis. Will spaying help her recover?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Baby Girl. She absolutely needs veterinary care. Is there a family member or friend who could help you pay? Most hospitals offer financing options such as Care Credit. If these are not options, I would consider relinquishing her and the puppies to rescue group who can provide her care. I do not want to upset you, but her condition is very serious. It can be life threatening if the infection from her mammary gland spreads to her bloodstream. In addition, she is in pain. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications though as these can be toxic to dogs and puppies. I hope this information helps.

How lovely of you to take in Luna! If it appears she has mastitis (infection of the mammary glands), then she needs to see a vet immediately. Mastitis is fatal without treatment, so I would take her into an ER vet clinic or find a vet on call to see her now.

That really depends on her clinical signs. If she seems to be doing well then she can probably nurse the puppies. If she is weak, not eating, etc. then you may need to supplement until she recovers. The vet that is doing the spay should be able to advise you on the best way to feed the puppies.

That nipple could be infected (mastitis) so first you need to resolve that before any surgical procedure. Mastitis is generally caused by an infection so appropriate antibiotics are required. It is best to spay at least three weeks after heat. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Do not allow the puppies to suckle on the dog that is not their mother. She is getting mastitis (infection in the mammary glands). You need to keep them separated. You can try home treatment for the mastitis with cabbage leaves (see link below) but she may need to see a vet for systemic antibiotics. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/mastitis-in-dogs )

Poor Crisco! You can try to apply a warm compress to the area to help with the mastitis a few times a day to see if it improves/resolves. Mastitis typically presents as a red, firm, painful mammary gland. I would also recommend taking her temperature rectally. If she has a fever (>102.5) she really should go see your local vet for an evaluation and medication. Many cases of mastitis require antibiotics. Mastitis can also be very painful, so many patients require pain medication as well.

If she is not spayed the number one reason for swollen teats is mammary (breast) cancer. If she recently had puppies then it could be severe mastitis. Either way this is serious. Your vet cannot drain these. I have no idea what they would possibly be referring to. If this is cancer, they have to be surgically removed. Sometimes the cancer is benign. Sometimes it is malignant and will spread to other organs (mainly the lungs). Regardless, the only way to potentially cure this is surgery. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/mammary-tumors-in-dogs-malignant ) If it is mastitis, then she should respond to antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and warm compresses (or cabbage leaf compresses). ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/mastitis-in-dogs ) Please go back to your vet to discuss this or get a second opinion from another vet. This can be fatal.