What Is the Mammary System? The chief function of the mammary glands is to provide milk and nourishment to the newborn. Mastitis is inflammation or infection of the mammary glands. It occurs most commonly in the lactating or pseudopregnant animal. Mastitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection that travels up the teat opening. Clinical signs vary but may include pain, heat and swelling of the affected gland and abnormality of the milk.
Galactostasis is the abnormal accumulation of unexcreted milk in the mammary gland. The condition may be associated with infected or noninfected mastitis, and may also be noted postweaning or during pseudopregnancy. The engorgement of the gland with residual milk causes mild to moderate inflammation, swelling, and discomfort.
Agalactia is the failure to produce and excrete milk. It may arise with developmental abnormalities in the mammary glands, when there is failure of milk letdown, or from other diseases of the mammary glands or mother. Such diseases include poor nutrition or systemic illness of the bitch, and anxiety on the part of the bitch, especially young, first time mothers.
Galactorrhea is the excessive or inappropriate production and release of milk. This milk production is not associated with pregnancy or impending delivery of puppies. It occurs most commonly during pseudopregnancy in the dog, a hormonal state with outward clinical signs that resemble pregnancy.
The condition generally resolves spontaneously as the pseudopregnancy subsides. Persistent or recurrent episodes may be treated with spaying ovariohysterectomy.
Mammary gland tumors are the most common tumor to develop in female dogs, particularly in those that have not been spayed. Mammary gland tumors are frequently malignant, although some do not behave very aggressively. Job Board. ACVS Marketplace. American Board of Veterinary Specialties. ACVS Merchandise. Giving to Help Animals. Connect with us! Skip to main content. Mammary Tumors. Signs and Symptoms:.
Other procedures are performed to stage the cancer determine what type it is and where it is located in the body : Bloodwork: blood count, chemistry, urinalysis, and clotting profile Abdominal ultrasound, chest x-rays and sometimes CT scan: used to check for cancer that has spread to other parts of the body Aspiration aka Fine Needle Aspirate : a needle is used to sample the mammary mass to help distinguish it from other skin tumors.
Lymph nodes may also be assessed to look for a spread of cancer cells. This is more reliable in dogs than cats to confirm a diagnosis. A biopsy may be indicated to rule out a certain kind of tumor called inflammatory mammary carcinoma, as surgery is generally not recommended for this tumor type. The type of surgery depends on the size, location, and number of mammary tumors and species of your pet. In general, surgery is more conservative for dogs with mammary tumors and involves removal of either the mass alone or the affected mammary gland.
However, in cats, more aggressive surgery is recommended with removal of one or preferably both sets of mammary glands Figure 3. Surgery to remove both sets of mammary glands from a cat is often done in two surgical procedures 2—3 weeks apart.
The local lymph node should also be removed in cats, if possible, to assess for evidence of spread of the cancer. The role of spaying female dogs with mammary tumors is controversial. Most studies have shown no beneficial effect of spaying at the time of tumor removal in preventing the development of new mammary tumors or influencing the aggressiveness or metastatic potential of existing mammary tumors.
However spaying at the time of mammary tumor resection may be recommended by your veterinary surgeon because recent studies have shown a beneficial effect in dogs with mammary tumors and it can prevent unrelated diseases, such as pyometra uterine infection. The role of chemotherapy in cats and dogs with malignant mammary tumors has not been clearly defined for all tumor types but oncologist consultation after surgery is often recommended.
For most mammary tumors in cats and dogs, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy have either not been investigated or are not beneficial. Aftercare and Outcome:. Restrictions following surgery usually are: Elizabethan collar for 10—14 days after surgery to prevent the natural tendency of pets to lick and chew at a wound.
Limited and restricted activity is indicated for about 2 weeks to allow recovery and incision healing. Bandage care may also be required if one is applied. Kitty litter made from newspaper may be recommended rather than clay litter. Postoperative complications can include: Incision infection Incision opening or breakdown called dehiscence , which is more common in the mammary glands near the back legs or when larger areas of tissue have been removed Local recurrence of the tumor or spread of the cancer that was not detected at the time of surgery If the mammary tumor is malignant, the surgical site and regional lymph nodes should be checked for local tumor recurrence and metastasis, respectively, every 3 months for the first 12 months after surgery and then every 6 months thereafter.
Content Theme:. Lymph nodes may also be removed. Anticancer drugs, radiation treatment, and hormonal treatments do not appear to be effective. However, medication may be helpful for dogs with inflammatory mammary carcinoma, a type of mammary tumor that is difficult to treat with surgery. The outlook for recovery depends on multiple factors, including tumor type, size, and spread to other parts of the body.
Most canine mammary tumors that are going to cause death do so within 1 year. The risk of this disease can be greatly reduced by spaying the dog before it first comes into heat.
Also see professional content regarding mammary tumors Mammary Tumors in Dogs and Cats Tumors arising from mammary tissue are commonly observed in older, intact female dogs and cats.
A mammary tumor is usually suspected on detection of a mass during physical examination in the From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world.
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