My dog just weaned pups. Why are her breasts purple with blisters?

Hello. The amount of blood flow to the mammary glands ( not boobs ) has increased tremendously & this can cast a bluish tinge to the tissues. As long as the tissues seem soft & pliable, there is no pain & your dog seems comfortable nursing, then this is normal. Signs of infection in the glands ( mastitis ) would be pain, erythema ( redness ), lethargy, a reluctance to nurse, possibly a loss of appetite, a red discharge from the nipples, & ulceration of the tissues. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, I would take Lulu into the vet just to be safe. The color of her teats could be due to so many puppies nursing, but mastitis can occur in nursing dogs, which is fatal without treatment. Because of this, it's always important to have any concerns with the teats checked out by a vet to sure everything is ok. I would make an appointment for her on Monday. I hope this helps!

I agree, Mazi's mammary glands do look quite swollen. This can be a sign of mastitis, which is an infection of the mammary glands. Mastitis is very serious. I would take her into a vet asap to get this checked out. As for bottle feeding the puppies, weigh them daily and if they aren't gaining weight, they do need to be bottle fed. The vet can advise on this as well. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thank your for sending those pictures. The areas around her chin and body do look inflamed and infected. This may be due to a bacterial infection, mite infection, or due to an underlying allergy. I would recommend she see her veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian may do skin scraping to check for mites and may prescribe a course of antibiotics or other medications as necessary. Your veterinarian may also send you home with topical antimicrobial wipes and shampoo as well. I hope this helps and thanks again for posting!

If you are not taking a rectal temperature then you can't say for sure she is having fevers. Many dogs will feel "hot" to the touch but their temperature internally is normal. If you want to check for fever you must take a rectal temperature. As for the mammary glands, she may have mastitis. Without seeing at least a photo of them it is hard for me to say. I think when you have a nursing mother, it is better to be safe than sorry and have her examined by a vet. If you can get a mobile vet to come to your house that would be nice so you don't have to take mom and babies into a vet clinic. Of course, if you can't get a mobile vet you will need to take them in.

Mya could have mastitis, that would cause her mammary glands to be hot to the touch and hard. Mastitis is fatal without treatment, so she needs to see a vet now. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

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.