My dog just had puppies and now has mastitis, is it ok to continue to let the pups have her milk? Also, due to some bleeding, my vet recommended that I spay her, what are your thoughts?

Dear Cindy,

I need advice if you can help, I have a new litter of 8 boxer pups, 6 males and 2 females (now 12 days old). The mother has came down with mastitis a couple of days ago, her breast milk was very dark brown red in color in 4 of her teats. Took her in to see the local vet and he x-rayed her and found no unborn pup or left behind placenta. She is still having some vaginal discharge bleeding and was not running a fever (101.2) .

Vet gave her these shots: Dexamethasone Injection, Depo Medrol Injection, Ambi-Pen Injection/Antibiotic, and prescribed 20 capsules of 500mg Amoxicillin to be taken twice a day until finished.

Vet told me to put the pups back onto her teats and let continue nursing and feeding, that it was better for the mother and would not harm the pups since she is on the meds and the shots. He also urged me to let him spay my mother boxer due to the light bleeding, he said that this is not normal and she may bleed to death. I asked him to wait for 3-5 days longer to see if the bleeding stops. The bleeding is not pure blood and heavy, it is a mixture of clear slimy mucous and some blood, but not heavy bleeding. What should I do here, go ahead and spay or wait to see if this clears up? The puppies are very healthy looking and very active when feeding. I did have to help deliver the last pup during labor and it took 3 minutes to get it to breath and cry, the water sack had broke when in the uterus and the pup was in there a little over 2 hours, this pups is thriving now :) oh. Did not lose any pups and don't want to lose them if anyways possible.

The brown red color milk has changed colors on day 2 of treatment to a light milkshake brown color and sticky and stringy feeling. My question is do you think that the pups will be ok continueing nursing from their mother with her milk being like this? I have been rotating the pups and supplement feeding them since they were 3 days old with a commerical supplement, but will be changing them over to your formula today. Vet also had me to worm pups at 10 days old with Pryantel Pamoate 2cc per pound of body weight, but I gave them 1cc since they are so young, but will increase the dose to 2cc on the 2nd worming. Thank you for any advice or thoughts that you have and for taking the time to read my email.

I have attached a picture of my new family members and their mom.

Karen