Applying Cabbage Leaves for Mastitis. To treat mastitis locally, first clean the affected mammary glands daily with betadine (povidone-iodine). After cleaning, apply clean cabbage leaves to the glands, then apply hot compresses (such as with potash alum) and a topical herbal ointment. It is also advised to manually strip the milk and mammary contents with gloved hands.

Timing for an Elective C-Section. It is safe to perform an elective C-section when the mother’s serum progesterone levels drop to less than 2.0 ng/ml, which usually occurs 12 to 24 hours before the onset of stage one labor. Exact timing is critical; delivering the puppies even 12 to 24 hours too early can result in premature pups with a significantly reduced chance of survival.

Risks of Overfeeding During Pregnancy Overfeeding a pregnant dog carries several risks:

• Whelping Complications: Allowing a dog to become overweight, particularly during the first four weeks of pregnancy, can compromise her ability to whelp efficiently.

• Oversized Puppies: Overfeeding can cause the unborn puppies to grow too large, which can lead to dystocia (difficult labor) and increase the likelihood that a C-section will be required.

• Reduced Litter Size: Providing a diet with too much protein or giving excessive supplements can actually lead to smaller litter sizes.

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