Welcome to Sphynxlair! Connect with Sphynx owners & enthusiasts around the world!

Althea has Mastitis, I have questions

Sphnxophelia

Lairian
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
121
Points
51
Althea had a litter of kittens on the 3rd of August, So the babies are 5 days old today (the 8th). Yesterday I noticed she wasnt in the box with her kittens and I hadnt seen her all morning. So I checked up on her something was very wrong with her. She was perfectly fine and normal when I went to bed the night before. But now she had a Fever, Her mammary glands looked very red and swollen but pale in places, She was lethargic and she didnt even want to get up to go to her litter box, And she wouldnt touch her water or food. I called my vet right away and She told me to bring her in in a half an hour. I got there and she took her temp, It was 105.4. She examined her and told me that She has Mastitis and gave me 14 days of Amoxicillin. Now my work had just begun :/

I am now supplementing the 5 day old baby kittens with Kitten Milk Replacement (KMR) every 1-1/2 - 2 hours. But the vet told me that I could still let the babies drink off of the uninfected nipples which is a life saver because they hate drinking from a syringe or bottle. Also I was told to Strip her milk line with a Hot compress, But I wasnt told how often and how long I should be doing this.
So if anybody has any Idea of How many times a day I should be "Milking my Cat" (lol), And How long I should be doing this for (Minutes, Hours) Please let me know. Any Information would be Spectacular!

Sorry for the book, Thanks for reading.

Mercedes.
 

Attachments

  • DSC02692.JPG
    DSC02692.JPG
    64.6 KB · Views: 101

Catzzzmeow

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
35,017
Points
673
I am sorry to hear of the complications. I do not have experience in this. I am hoping a breeder might be able to PM you with more info. Were you able to reach out to the breeder you got your girl from for possible help/mentoring? I would rely heavily on your vet. They might know other owners who are breeders. This condition is not just breed specific, so there should be breeders of any breed out there to help you.
Positive thoughts are sent your way.


Patti
 

GizmosMommy

Gold Lairian
Notable Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Messages
3,869
Points
318
I developed mastisis after I had my last daughter. Its miserable!!! Its incredibly sore to the touch, I would sit there with a heating pad on my boobs for a good half hour and then pump. I did that about every hour and a half. I realize we are talking about a cat but figured it wouldn't hurt to comment about my experience lol. For me the antibiotics got the milk flowing and soreness gone within about two days. Hope she feels better soon.
 

momdeeze

Senior Lairian
Senior Lairian
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Messages
397
Points
133
Poor mama. When Minnow had mastitis I think the vet told me wet compresses 3 or 4 times a day. I thought "oh sure" but she really liked it and let me do it. Then you massage really well and try to force the milk out. I probably spent 20 minutes at a time. It sounds much worse than it turned out to be - for Minnow anyway. Did the vet give you antibiotics too, I hope?
 

Catzzzmeow

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
35,017
Points
673
Whew,,,so happy to see members already posting and helping you out. I am sure your baby is uncomfortable and that stresses you even more. Lair Prayers are sent. I am sure bottle feeding is exhausting.


patti
 

Sphnxophelia

Lairian
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
121
Points
51
@Catzzzmeow Thanks for the best wishes, Seems like I have the worst luck! But Thank you tons for being such a Good friend :)

@GizmosMommy Lol, No worries about the typos. Sounds awfully painful! Even if its not talking about a cat, It gives me a good idea of how often and how long I should be doing this for. Thank You! :)

@momdeeze Thank You for answering my questions! The vet did give me Antibiotics, but it only seems to be getting bigger today and less milk will come out. I am thinking I will call my vet again and see what she says. She looks pretty bad and I am hoping that she doesnt have to have her abscess drained. I feel so bad for her because it looks painful and she will barely let me touch it much less massage it. But I am doing my best. Thank You tons again! :)
 

Sphnxophelia

Lairian
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
121
Points
51
Whew,,,so happy to see members already posting and helping you out. I am sure your baby is uncomfortable and that stresses you even more. Lair Prayers are sent. I am sure bottle feeding is exhausting.

patti
Oh Yeah! Bottle feeding is a pain in itself. And it is very stressful for my baby to be in pain like this, I wish I could do more :/
Thanks for the prayers :)
 

momdeeze

Senior Lairian
Senior Lairian
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Messages
397
Points
133
I should mention though that Minnow's mastitis was only on one nipple so that really made it easy for us. I didn't have to bottle feed the babes at all. Good luck with that! And I re-read your post and saw that she is on antibiotics, of course, hopefully those will kick in fast.
 

Sphnxophelia

Lairian
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
121
Points
51
I should mention though that Minnow's mastitis was only on one nipple so that really made it easy for us. I didn't have to bottle feed the babes at all. Good luck with that! And I re-read your post and saw that she is on antibiotics, of course, hopefully those will kick in fast.
Thank You :) The vet told me that it could be her entire left milk line, But I only see/feel One hard teat. She also told me that I shouldnt let the kittens feed off of the infected ones, So I should direct the kittens to the right teats plus supplement them because they wont be getting all they should off of her. Thanks again for the advice.
 

Hairless Blessing

Gold Lairian
Notable Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2010
Messages
25,205
Points
673
Everything I've read about Mastitis, describes what your Vet has done with the
antibiotics and it tells to do the warm compresses several times a day.
If it doesn't look much Bette in a couple days, I would take her back.
Also, they can prescribe pain meds for her. All this should help.
If not they may need to be drained. Please keep us posted.
 

Sphnxophelia

Lairian
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
121
Points
51
@Hairless Blessing Thank You, I will definitely keep you all posted. She is alot more active today and she actually moved back into the nesting box and is trying to feed the babies. But her abscess looks even bigger today then before, And the milk is actually coming out of her pours, So I am still unsure whether or not she is getting better or if its just the antibiotics giving her more energy to nurse the kittens and eat and drink. But I am giving her Heat Compresses several times a day and Also trying my best to get the milk out. My vet said it wasnt going to be easy because it was painful for her but I gotta do what I gotta do. Thanks Again :)

@andreanar and @OpheliasMommy Thank You for the Support :) She seems to have more energy today and is actually starting to feed the kittens and she started eating again today as well. So hopefully we are doing better and the infection is clearing out.
 

Sphnxophelia

Lairian
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
121
Points
51
Good News for an Update :) She is acting 100% normal again, Which is great because it gives me extra hope that she will be fine. Her abscess is still big but not nearly as hard and painful looking as it was before. Maybe her body is absorbing alot of the infection? Barely anything comes out when I express her milk glands which makes me worried still but she seems A ton better. So I keeping a close eye on her because I dont want her infection to go Septic if she is absorbing it. I will keep updating :) Thanks Again Everyone!
 

Sphnxophelia

Lairian
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
121
Points
51
How are the babies doing?
They are doing a lot better since she is feeding them :) They all have their eyes open already. They have been pretty good at not drinking on her infection. The vet said they wouldn't really like it because the milk is sour, So they would pull away pretty quick if they did try to drink on her. They all look healthy and are growing regularly. One of the little hairless guys has sorta runny eyes though, But he had his eyes open one day after birth, Which is absolutely crazy IMO. They don't look terrible though, So I am hoping that its nothing.
 

momdeeze

Senior Lairian
Senior Lairian
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Messages
397
Points
133
:) Good to hear about the babies doing well. It is amazing how fast they open their little eyes, I've had them with eyes open real early too. Just gently keep them clean with a moist cloth.
 

Sphnxophelia

Lairian
Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
121
Points
51
Well, Today her abscess actually popped, I know thats terrible but I dont know how else to say it. There was a hole in her abscess and it was leaking a thick, lumpy, and yellowish colored fluid, I would guess old milk. But I helped it drain and it is astronomically much smaller in size. She was a little freaked out by it, But I'm sure in the end she will feel better. I was wondering now, Should I be worried about this new hole or will it close up again like a scab? Maybe I can get a pic of it if its not too graphic for the site. I know I should for sure keep it clean but Is there anything else I should be considering or doing? She has about 8 more days left on her Amoxicillin.
 
Back
Top