>> Wow, glad you figured it out. Hope she is better soon! I didn't even know they could get mastitis if they weren't lactating.
>> Julie
>
> This came on right at the end of a huge false pregnancy. The vet said it's the first such case he has seen like this. … he's been practicing for at least a couple decades.
> Ed in Oregon
Early in our history of breeding dogs, with me as a physician, and my wife as a trained zoologist, we kinda thought we made a fair veterinarian.
Eventually we learned that there are a lot of ways in which dealing with dogs is JUST like dealing with small furry people.
But we also learned there were a lot of ways in which it ISN'T.
When humans ovulate, the part of the ovary that released the ovum -- the corpus luteum -- produces the progesterone that maintains the pregnancy -- but only for a while. After a time, the developing placenta in the uterus takes over the production of progesterone, until the completion of the pregnancy.
In dogs, the contribution of the placenta(s) is negligible. The corpus luteum maintains the progesterone levels required for the entire pregnancy.
Sounds complicated, doesn't it?
This is what it means: when a bitch comes in season and ovulates -- EVERY TIME -- the same levels and duration of hormone production occurs -- whether she becomes pregnant or not. EVERY time she comes in season, she either has a pregnancy or she has a false pregnancy.
It is not in the least uncommon to see them show nesting behavior, and even lactation, when they haven't even been bred.
Although puppy suckling further stimulates lactation and breast development, there can and usually is some breast development even if there are no puppies. And therefore there can still be mastitis, although it is less likely than if there are puppies in the picture.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jim Saklad mailto:jimdoc@icloud.com
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iPad/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iPad/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
iPad-digest@yahoogroups.com
iPad-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
iPad-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/