My pregnant dog has green milk. What should I do to save puppies?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Answering your questions: 1. It is not normal to produce milk 3 weeks before giving birth. Some dogs start producing milk 2-3 days before the labour but not longer than that. Green / thick discharge suggest mammary gland infection, not natural milk production. 2. Mammary gland infection is almost always caused by bacteria from the skin getting into the mammary tissue. I do not think it is related to eating a worm by Kaya. 3. To avoid mastitis you should keep the nipples clean. You should wipe them with baby wipes 2-3 times a day. Also, Kaya should be on good quality food and get exercised regularly. Once she has the puppies you should make sure that they feed from each nipple, latch them on the nipples that are 'full' or express milk from the large and very hard nipples. Using antibiotics prophetically is not recommended, but if Kaya is producing green, thick discharge she will need a course of antibiotics now.

The number one reason typically is mastitis from E. coli bacteria. It is not from the water. It is likely just from the surrounding environment as E. coli is everywhere. Dogs that do this are prone to do it again with subsequent litters so be aware of that. The antibiotic of choice for this problem is Trimethoprim Sulfa. She should be treated now and if you breed her again, she should start the antibiotic one week before her due date and continue for two weeks after whelping.

This requires an immediate check up. Green discharge could be a sign of infection of the uterus and may compromise the pregnancy. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. 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.

If Mykka is 57 days pregnant, she should be very close to giving birth since normal gestation in dogs is generally 57-63 days from the breeding date. If the green fluid is thin and watery, it may be normal discharge signifying that she will be starting labor soon. If it's thick and very dark green, then this is more concerning - usually this indicates a placental separation, which can be dangerous for her and the babies if she isn't quite ready to whelp yet. I would recommend having her checked by a vet as soon as possible - he/she can ultrasound the puppies and check fetal heart rates to see if any of them are in distress or if there are any problems with the appearance of the uterus. Depending on what is found, she may need close observation for the next few days, or an emergency c-section.

It's normal to see some green discharge after puppies are born, but if the discharge comes before the puppies are being born, that can be a sign of a premature placental separation. It's quite concerning that the puppies are dying. They are extremely fragile creatures, and unfortunately some don't make it, but if all of them are dying, that suggestions something seriously wrong. I would take the mother and the puppies into an ER vet or find a vet on call to see them now.

I am highly concerned that she is an infection. Without seeing her in person, I cannot say for sure what is causing it. I would strongly recommend to take her in to see your vet as soon as possible. With it being from both her nipples and her anus, I am worried about it going systemic and being a lot harder to treat in the future. Your vet will be able to determine the cause and start her on the proper meds as needed. I hope this helps!

Oh goodness. Dark green discharge can absolutely indicate fetal distress. Bulldogs rarely have their puppies without c-section. This could be a life threatening situation for Angel and her puppies. Please have her seen by a veterinarian immediately. Be prepared for a recommendation for a c-section. Also be prepared that the puppies may have been under stress for several hours now and they may not be viable. Please don’t hesitate, this is an emergency. Best of luck and I hope she does well. Thank you for using Pet Coach.