Top 100 Cavy Breeders

Kingatecavies · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:42 pm Post subject: Mastitis

One of my sows with babies has got mastitis in one nipple, and she is not letting the babies feed, bit of a worry. Does anyone have any ideas? I have tried some calendulum cream and also given her a tiny drop of calpol for the pain. Do you think I should take her to the vet for antibiotics?
She is eating but tries to run away from the babies!
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smithsville stud · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:54 pm Post subject:

Try releasing some of the milk by squeezing until the nipple is not so swollen it will ease the pain!!

Also put a bottle of babies milk on the cage for the babies to feed and springe some to them as well!!

I had two sows have this and I done the above the mums and there babies are still with me and the babies are 18 months old now!

Speak soon

Debs Very Happy

Kingatecavies · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:36 pm Post subject:

I decided to take her to the vet today and he has given her a baytril injection. Hope this will work or I will have to give her baytril by mouth, and he said he did not want to do this at first because the babies are still feeding. He said it would not be good for the babies to get the antibiotics through the mum's milk as it would upset their stomachs. Let's hope this works. I decided to put one of the babies that was very small with one of my other sows, so the mum only has 2 now.
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Wheekster · Second in Comand Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 545

Just a word of warning as I have heard that Baytril stunts the growth of babies, and I'm guessing that it would carry through in the mums milk. Vicky (Pingley Dell Cavies) knows more about it than me so hopefully she will see your post and maybe she will be able to help more. I hope she gets better very soon and that all the babies are okay.
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Kingatecavies · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject:

That is interesting Jo, that is probably why the vet did not want me to give the Mum baytril by mouth. I will only use it if I really have to.
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Pingley Dell Cavies · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:25 pm Post subject:

Hiya

Poor girl, mastitis must be very painful bless her. One of mine had this a few years ago, and I bathed her every other day and let the warm water help drain the infection out. I didn't go to the vet or use anything, but now I know more about pigs I would probably put some cream on there, like you have already. Just make sure it doesn't say don't ingest on the tube and it should be fine for the babies if it rubs in to the nipple well like germolene.

Baytril is going to get into the milk whether its injected or oral. One dose like that will do nothing for the sow's mastitis, but won't really hurt the babies. I had no choice with one sow who'd had a Csection and needed antiB's. It had to be baytril as its the only one you can inject and she was point blank refusing anything by mouth, and would struggle to the point of bursting her stitches at the oral stuff.

What you want is Septrin or Bactrim, which is a baby-safe antiB. Switch vets if they give you hassle. IMO some vets are stupidly stubborn and will only do what they want not what is best for the pig. Don't buy it if they say Septrin isnt any good. Its a less common AntiB but it works. Banana flavour too! mm lol

Pingley Dell Cavies · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject:

Completely forgot to say that baytril isn't going to poison her babies. All it does is slightly stunt bone growth, meaning they will grow up slower and maybe have a few problems putting weight on as quick. Its no biggy, and for me it never hurt my little baby pig who was suckling from his mum while she was on it. He was a week old though, as she had rejected him for a week while she recovered enough to take him, she was in too much pain.

Kingatecavies · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:48 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that info on the other antibiotics, I will make a note of them. She does seem to be a bit better today and the nipple does not look so red, so hopefully she will be okay and I will not have to give her any more. Glad I took the very small baby away, if it does affect the growth of the babies, this one was very small anyway!
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