Lactation‐related mammary gland pathologies—A neglected emergency in the bitch

Abstract

Mastitis is a common reproductive disorder in bitches, reaching a prevalence of 0.71%. Mastitis has a wide range of forms, from asymptomatic to severe gangrenous mastitis that can lead to septic shock and death of the bitch and nurslings. However, most of the time it is overlooked, undiagnosed or mistreated. The present systematic review was performed to revise and summarize the existing knowledge related to this disorder, including diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Mammary gland inflammation in rabbits does (Oryctolagus cuniculus): A systematic review

“…Furthermore, galactostasis can be physiological, especially immediately after weaning. However, if ignored, milk retention may lead to septic mastitis due to leftover milk in the undrained mammae (Day, 2008; Johnston et al, 2001; Vasiu et al, 2020).…”

“…As reported in other mammals (Notebaert & Meyer, 2006;Vasiu et al, 2020), there are undoubtedly many bacterial families in rabbit milk, especially lactobacilli, which play an essential role in the health of milk and the mammary gland, and future studies have the task of highlighting these critical aspects.…”

Aerobic Isolates from Gestational and Non-Gestational Lactating Bitches (Canis lupus familiaris)

“…Even though bacterial aerobic isolates from milk of both periparturient and Lactatio sine graviditate bitches had been reported before, there is no clear information regarding the possible difference in the relative abundance of cultivable bacteria populations among the two different lactation periods [36]. Since Lactatio sine graviditate is a physiological atavism manifestation in the bitch [14,37], the majority (i.e., 65%) of the females develop a nonseptic mastitis (galactostasis) [14,27]. In the current study, the presence of galactostasis (i.e., 13 cases) and the lack of human manipulation could explain why the majority (i.e., 7/11; 63.3%) of the sterile samples were registered in bitches with Lactatio sine graviditate.…”

“…Kennel, shelter and litter hygiene needs to be properly addressed alongside a low manipulation of the lactating mammae where possible. To minimize possible infections throughout manual contact, regardless of the lactation period, it is highly recommended to limit mammary gland contact as much as possible alongside providing a healthy and clean environment [14,17].…”

“…The ascending route is the most common means of infection. During lactation, puppies can promote the entry of pathogens through the lesions they cause with teeth and nails (mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus agalactiae) or environmental factors such as the use of improper bedding (Escherichia coli), poor hygiene or even self-licking by the bitch, especially when the mammary glands are not completely empty (small litters, premature weaning, overt pseudopregnancy) [3,9,[11][12][13][14]. The descendent route is responsible for infections that appear in the post-partum period and are usually secondary to metritis [15,16] and vaginitis [17].…”