My puppy's sensitive nipple is swollen during heat. Is it mastitis?

Hello. This is nothing to be overly concerned about. Manakoa is old enough that there are hormones circulating & this nipple just seems to be a little more sensitive to the effects of estrogen at this point in time. If you were planning on spaying her, this is a good time to consider doing so, but otherwise, as long as the nipple does not continue to show further hormonal influence, it should not significantly affect her. If it does continue to enlarge & seems to bother her, do see your vet. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This does look like a skin rash. I would clean it with antibacterial soap and then apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. It should heal in a few days to a week. Please keep her from rubbing or scratching the area. If you see more lesions then I recommend a veterinary exam and treatment. She may be developing a mild skin infection that would need oral antibiotics. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Grace.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is possible that Harley could be going through something called 'pseudo-pregnancy'. Dogs can develop mammary glands, produce milk, and will sometimes even start to nest and collect small stuffed animals to nurse. This is normal and will subside in a few weeks. However, it is recommended to get her spayed before her next heat so she doesn't have to go through that stress again. The other possible cause is something called a pyometra. This is an infected uterus and is life-threatening. If you notice any discharge from her vulva, if she is weak, not eating, drinking more, or acting abnormally at all, I would have her seen by your vet right away. Best of luck with Harley.

Hello. The nipple is definitely red & inflamed, but this does not always indicate the presence of an infection. For now, you can rub a little 1% hydrocortisone on the skin 2-3 times a day, & if it is not looking any better by early in the week, please have your veterinarian take a look. Thank you.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Kiera! Blood could be from trauma. Mastitis is very painful and is an infection. The mammary gland is red, hard and painful. Pus can be detected from the nipple. I suggest and exam by your Vet first before starting any medications. We can not prescribe medications on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach because we can not perform and exam. An exam is required by law to have a valid Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship in order to prescribe medications. The gland should be expressed or still nursed from. Cephalexin doesn't hurt the puppies. I hope this helps and good luck!

Congratulations on your puppy! It is difficult to tell for certain from a photo, but it looks as though Mollie could have a pustule located adjacent to her nipple and that is what you are seeing. this is a little spot of infection under the skin (like a whitehead pimple in people). This isn't uncommon in puppies (we call it puppy pyoderma) and we often treat with a medicated shampoo or topical antibiotic in mild cases. I would wash the area with a mild soap and apply a triple antibiotic ointment for now and schedule an appointment with the vet to have it looked at to be on the safe side, as I said it is impossible to say for certain from a photo if this is exactly what is going on.

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!