What is
mastitis?
Mastitis
(inflammation of the mammary gland) occurs when the lactating
queens mammary gland(s) becomes inflamed, blocked or
infected. Mastitis can also occur in cats who have had a
pseudopregnancy.
Mastitis can
affect a single gland or multiple glands. It is a medical
emergency & requires immediate veterinary attention.
How does a cat
acquire mastitis?
Septic mastitis: Damage to the nipples as a result of constant sucking from
kittens & abrasions from sharp kitten paws & teeth allow
bacteria to enter the mammary gland via the teat. Streptococci,
staphylococci & E. Coli are usually involved in mastitis.
[1]
It is also possible for an infection elsewhere to spread to the
mammary glands via the bloodstream.
Acute septic mastitis:
Infected mammary
glands may develop an abscess or become gangrenous.
Non
septic mastitis: If
the milk duct is not properly cleared blockages may occur. These
cause milk to pool in the mammary gland. This forms an ideal
environment for bacteria growth and can lead to an infection
(septic mastitis). Non septic mastitis is often seen at weaning
What are the
signs of mastitis?
-
Pain, heat &
swelling of the affected gland(s)
-
Fever
-
The milk may be
bloody, yellow or thick
-
The queen may
refuse to let her kittens nurse from the affected gland
-
The queen may
become depressed & lose her appetite & become dehydrated
-
The queen may be
lethargic
-
Sick or dying
kittens
Symptoms may not
be apparent in non septic mastitis. The affected gland(s) may be
hot, swollen & painful but the cat remains healthy &
alert.
Mastitis can come
on quickly & without warning which is why it is important to
keep a watchful eye over the queen's mammary glands during
lactation so quick action can be taken if any changes are
observed.
What should you
do if your cat shows symptoms of mastitis?
Mastitis is a medical emergency, and you should take your cat to
the veterinarian immediately.
There
seems to be two different schools of thought in regards to
allowing kittens to nurse from a queen with mastitis. Your veterinarian
is the best person to advise on how to proceed, if you should
permit the kittens to continue to nurse from
the affected gland(s), or from the queen altogether. It
seems that the decision is based on several factors: if the
mastitis is confined to one gland it may be recommended that the
kittens continue to nurse from all but that gland, the physical
condition of the cat, and if the mastitis is septic or
non-septic. What does appear to be commonly recommended is to
avoid kittens nursing from a gland which has become infected, as
infection can be passed onto the kittens, which can result in
sickness or death. Only your own veterinarian can recommend
which is the best & safest way to proceed.
If
your veterinarian does recommend kittens cease nursing from the
mother it may be temporary until she can recover, or permanent.
Either way, if the kittens are too young to wean, you will have
to bottle feed them with a specially formulated milk designed
for kittens. Cow's milk is not an appropriate substitute for
kittens.
How is mastitis
diagnosed?
-
A tentative
diagnosis may be made on the clinical signs your cat is
displaying.
-
Bacterial culture
& sensitivity of the affected milk.
-
Microscopic
examination of the discharge for the presence of white blood
cells.
How is mastitis
treated?
Treatment depends
on the severity of the condition.
Broad spectrum
antibiotics may be given to the queen until bacterial culture
results are back in, and then a more appropriate antibiotic will
be given.
Pain medication
may be given to the queen.
Treatment of
dehydration if necessary.
Kittens may also
be prescribed antibiotics.
Abscesses will
need to be lanced & drained.
Gangrenous tissue
will need to be debrided (removal of necrotic material).
Application of a
warm compress several times a day to assist with milk
drainage.
Manually
expressing of the affected mammary glands to remove infected
milk.
If non septic
mastitis occurs at weaning, reducing water & food intake may
assist in drying up the milk supply. [1]
References:
[1] Feline
Husbandry; Diseases & Management in the Multiple-Cat
Environment: Niels C. Pedersen.
[2] The
Merck Veterinary Manual
Please
note:
The
medical articles on this site have not been written by a
veterinarian & should not be considered a replacement for a
veterinarian visit. The articles are provided for informative
purposes only.
Always
seek immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioural) in your pets.
While
great care has been made in the creation of these articles, we
cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages. If in
any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical advice.
