# Dog nipples



## Weim<3

Sorry for the obsurd title 

Okay, here we go.
I have a potentially 6 weeks pregnant bitch.
Everyone that doesn't see on her on a day to day basis tells us that she is getting very wide at her lower ribcage, I can see this myself YET im still not sure whether she has always been like that before mating!! She now walks but waddles and you see her ribcage move from side to side.
Its a bit of a pain in the bum as when youre around them 24/7 you don't see the changes like someone on the outside would!

Now for the nipple part...
Could someone please tell me approximately how big an unbred bitches nipples are & how big they should be by now in a first time pregnant middle sized dog (approximately labrador size.)??
My mum seems certain that her nipples have got larger (the dogs, not my mums!! :lol: ) At the moment I would say they are just under a centimeter long and a centimeter wide at the rear 4/6ish. The bottom 4 nipples have lost some hair around them, well the hair looks like its thinnened and also around her tummybutton.

I thought her nipples should be pretty big by 6 weeks judging by pictures of other pregnant dogs, but then again with the dog you see on 'google' search, you never know how many times they have been bred before!!:confused1:

Any help will be fab


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## flufffluff39

Weim<3 said:


> Sorry for the obsurd title
> 
> Okay, here we go.
> I have a potentially 6 weeks pregnant bitch.
> Everyone that doesn't see on her on a day to day basis tells us that she is getting very wide at her lower ribcage, I can see this myself YET im still not sure whether she has always been like that before mating!! She now walks but waddles and you see her ribcage move from side to side.
> Its a bit of a pain in the bum as when youre around them 24/7 you don't see the changes like someone on the outside would!
> 
> Now for the nipple part...
> Could someone please tell me approximately how big an unbred bitches nipples are & how big they should be by now in a first time pregnant middle sized dog (approximately labrador size.)??
> My mum seems certain that her nipples have got larger (the dogs, not my mums!! :lol: ) At the moment I would say they are just under a centimeter long and a centimeter wide at the rear 4/6ish. The bottom 4 nipples have lost some hair around them, well the hair looks like its thinnened and also around her tummybutton.
> 
> I thought her nipples should be pretty big by 6 weeks judging by pictures of other pregnant dogs, but then again with the dog you see on 'google' search, you never know how many times they have been bred before!!:confused1:
> 
> Any help will be fab


Has she been near any dogs while in season and has anyone seen her mating??


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## bassetsandbeyond

what colour are her nipples? pale pink or a bright pink?


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## Weim<3

flufffluff39 said:


> Has she been near any dogs while in season and has anyone seen her mating??


Yep yep, she was bred 6 weeks ago. Was a quick in/out job so at first we werent expecting any success, BUT it was with ejaculation (the stud really went for it, the whole rapid leg thing going on.)
THEN the dogs behaviour started to change, intolerance of the youngest child in the family, of whom before she was taken extreme tolerance of him. 
She has calmed down massively too.

We were still in doubt for weeks until day 25ish, when i was sure i heard a puppies heartbeat by stethoscope, a clear ticking noise. But then i was told by a breeder on here that I shouldnt be able to hear heartbeats that early on despite what many websites say, no hopes went down again.

Then, we bumped into a dog breeder at a library, a very useless library with no dog breeding books in there may i add!! This lady got talking to my mum, who told her about symptoms and told her that the pups grow inside the lower ribs and that area should seem to stick out, thats why we are ever so hopeful again.

Emotional rollercoaster of a journey so far


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## Weim<3

bassetsandbeyond said:


> what colour are her nipples? pale pink or a bright pink?


Her skin colour is more of a darker colour than a light colour. Her skin is like a grey pink colour usually. The other day when looking at her teats, they were this colour, with little pigments of black on them. Now they are more or less all darker.


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## bassetsandbeyond

give it another week./..you should see and feel movement, and you should be able to hear the heartbeats now.....

either that or get her scanned


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## flufffluff39

Weim<3 said:


> Yep yep, she was bred 6 weeks ago. Was a quick in/out job so at first we werent expecting any success, BUT it was with ejaculation (the stud really went for it, the whole rapid leg thing going on.)
> THEN the dogs behaviour started to change, intolerance of the youngest child in the family, of whom before she was taken extreme tolerance of him.
> She has calmed down massively too.
> 
> We were still in doubt for weeks until day 25ish, when i was sure i heard a puppies heartbeat by stethoscope, a clear ticking noise. But then i was told by a breeder on here that I shouldnt be able to hear heartbeats that early on despite what many websites say, no hopes went down again.
> 
> Then, we bumped into a dog breeder at a library, a very useless library with no dog breeding books in there may i add!! This lady got talking to my mum, who told her about symptoms and told her that the pups grow inside the lower ribs and that area should seem to stick out, thats why we are ever so hopeful again.
> 
> Emotional rollercoaster of a journey so far


Right so she could definately be pregnant then  Onnen tucked all seven of hers up under her ribs until about the last few days when you could see they were moving around. Her nipples did'nt change much either really till later on. Pippa had massive nipples and a very big belly with her seven so I think they all show differently


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## Callie

My retriever bitch had her first litter 3 weeks ago. Her nipples did get slightly bigger but the hair coming out round about them was more obvious than the nipples getting bigger. They did not start to look really different until few days b4 she had pups. She also had a clear discharge which was a sign too.


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## xxwelshcrazyxx

Bitch not pregnant have nipple that are not swollen and raised, you WILL notice the change in her nipples, they do loose hair around them ready for suckling. Her vulva with be slighlty darker than before she mated, and will be still swollen but not as much as when she was in heat. 6 weeks is around the time you will notice the difference of her belly and her rib cage sticking out more each week. I would have a scan done, but on experience I would now defo go for a sheep scanner. My dog was scanned and I was told two pups for defo, she ended up having one which I was shocked at as singletons are much bigger pups and mothers cant deliver them properly and usually need a c section. I was luck as puppy was tiny.
I put Teigan on good quiality puppy food at 6 half weeks.
Milo and Teigan on their fist litter, he never tied and turned, they locked for 2 mins ONLY and she caught.


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## Weim<3

bassetsandbeyond said:


> give it another week./..you should see and feel movement, and you should be able to hear the heartbeats now.....
> 
> either that or get her scanned


I would try listening to heartbeats again, but the dog has had enough of it from before, she doesnt fall for the 'Lay down, rollover' trick anymore, she knows she is going to end up with a stethoscope of her belly :lol:
Also, Ive heard that after day 28 or something, the uterus thickens so it becomes much harder to hear heartbeats until the last two weeks of pregnancy.

We are debabting a scan at the moment, as have found that so many people are told that they arent expecting when they are. Dont want to be in that position of being told she hasnt taken so don't prepare and bam, unexpected pups. 
Also do you know if dogs are put under any anaesthetic for just ultrasounds or xrays? As im pretty positive my mutt wont stay still for either!! :scared:

Thank you for your time


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## Weim<3

flufffluff39 said:


> Right so she could definately be pregnant then  Onnen tucked all seven of hers up under her ribs until about the last few days when you could see they were moving around. Her nipples did'nt change much either really till later on. Pippa had massive nipples and a very big belly with her seven so I think they all show differently


Thank you, you have just raised my hopes 
We say to her 'You want puppies?' in a squeeky voice and she gets all excited, ears prick up, turns round in circles. Not that she knows what they are... 

We stayed over a relatives house over the weekend, there was a working cocker spaniel there, looked more like a springer to me, but her nipples were microscopic and she wasnt far off the build size of my dog!

Thank you


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## Weim<3

Callie said:


> My retriever bitch had her first litter 3 weeks ago. Her nipples did get slightly bigger but the hair coming out round about them was more obvious than the nipples getting bigger. They did not start to look really different until few days b4 she had pups. She also had a clear discharge which was a sign too.


Thank you 
Aww wow, so the pups are 3 weeks old now then, they must a be a real delight. Have a real soft spot for retrievers!!
We have noticed a strange misty coloured discharge from her over the past couple of weeks, particularly after doing a wee. But not too sure whether thats just a normal bitch thing.
These little things we didnt pick up on prior to breeding.
She is also cleaning herself all the time, im happy with her doing that...as long as she doesnt decide to come lick my face after doing so!!


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## swarthy

bassetsandbeyond said:


> give it another week./..you should see and feel movement, and you should be able to hear the heartbeats now.....
> 
> either that or get her scanned


She might be too late for a scan now - which is recommended around 4/5 weeks.

It sounds like you don't have a lot of experience in this - can I suggest you invest (quickly) in The Book of the Bitch by J M Evans and Kay White.

Book of the Bitch: Amazon.co.uk: J.M. Evans, Kay White: Books

there are members who would be able to help you.


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## Weim<3

xxwelshcrazyxx said:


> Bitch not pregnant have nipple that are not swollen and raised, you WILL notice the change in her nipples, they do loose hair around them ready for suckling. Her vulva with be slighlty darker than before she mated, and will be still swollen but not as much as when she was in heat. 6 weeks is around the time you will notice the difference of her belly and her rib cage sticking out more each week. I would have a scan done, but on experience I would now defo go for a sheep scanner. My dog was scanned and I was told two pups for defo, she ended up having one which I was shocked at as singletons are much bigger pups and mothers cant deliver them properly and usually need a c section. I was luck as puppy was tiny.
> I put Teigan on good quiality puppy food at 6 half weeks.
> Milo and Teigan on their fist litter, he never tied and turned, they locked for 2 mins ONLY and she caught.


Hi, thank you and big congratulations on your little pup. I was reading your post just moments before!!
Every day im waking up now, looking at the dog, inspecting her for any differences and im just kidding myself as i never know any difference from day to day. I hear that from 6 weeks, the appearance can change literally overnight as pups twist and turn into awkward positions, so im waiting on that for an obvious sign.
Its hard to tell for vulva change too as she has always had dark coloured 'minky' as we call it 

We have her on Purina puppy food at the moment, i just hope she isnt piling on the pounds due to us overfeeding her!! :scared:


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## Weim<3

swarthy said:


> She might be too late for a scan now - which is recommended around 4/5 weeks.
> 
> It sounds like you don't have a lot of experience in this - can I suggest you invest (quickly) in The Book of the Bitch by J M Evans and Kay White.
> 
> Book of the Bitch: Amazon.co.uk: J.M. Evans, Kay White: Books
> 
> there are members who would be able to help you.


Thanks swarty,
I was just about to write 'we have invested in a few books, the best being one with a lab and a pups on the front' (forgetting the name.) Then just clicked on your link and BOOM there it is, the one we have been reading!! :thumbup:
We were reading in it that its possible for pups to be born with hydrocephalus, a condition that i was infact born with. They have to be destroyed, poor things. Although I read on the internet that its possible for them to be fitted with a 'shunt' just like me.
Spent roughly 4 hours reading this book so far and VERY very interesting!!


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## Tanya1989

Stop looking for signs!!!!  Its just gonna do your head in. A scan will be the best thing. No sedation or anything required and in most cases are scanned stood up, so you can distract with food etc until scanner is done. Just don't go to a vet unless you want to pay over the odds for an unreliable scan. 
We have a canine pregnancy scanner do ours, but sheep scanners are brilliant too


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## xxwelshcrazyxx

Weim<3 said:


> Hi, thank you and big congratulations on your little pup. I was reading your post just moments before!!
> Every day im waking up now, looking at the dog, inspecting her for any differences and im just kidding myself as i never know any difference from day to day. I hear that from 6 weeks, the appearance can change literally overnight as pups twist and turn into awkward positions, so im waiting on that for an obvious sign.
> Its hard to tell for vulva change too as she has always had dark coloured 'minky' as we call it
> 
> We have her on Purina puppy food at the moment, i just hope she isnt piling on the pounds due to us overfeeding her!! :scared:


I wouldnt keep watching her, like the saying goes........a watched kettle never boils, lolol. she will change soon enough. good luck with the arrivals.


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## xxwelshcrazyxx

Weim<3 said:


> I would try listening to heartbeats again, but the dog has had enough of it from before, she doesnt fall for the 'Lay down, rollover' trick anymore, she knows she is going to end up with a stethoscope of her belly :lol:
> Also, Ive heard that after day 28 or something, the uterus thickens so it becomes much harder to hear heartbeats until the last two weeks of pregnancy.
> 
> We are debabting a scan at the moment, as have found that so many people are told that they arent expecting when they are. Dont want to be in that position of being told she hasnt taken so don't prepare and bam, unexpected pups.
> Also do you know if dogs are put under any anaesthetic for just ultrasounds or xrays? As im pretty positive my mutt wont stay still for either!! :scared:
> 
> Thank you for your time


Teigan had a scan done the day before she had that one, and was told two strong heat beats. They sedate them for X Rays. But I have always had scans, but next time I will be going for sheep scanner for defo.


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## Weim<3

Tanya1989 said:


> Stop looking for signs!!!!  Its just gonna do your head in. A scan will be the best thing. No sedation or anything required and in most cases are scanned stood up, so you can distract with food etc until scanner is done. Just don't go to a vet unless you want to pay over the odds for an unreliable scan.
> We have a canine pregnancy scanner do ours, but sheep scanners are brilliant too


LOL, yes it really is doing my head in!!
Would it be dumb to ask, where abouts would we go for canine pregnancy scanner, or for a sheep scanner?

If she has taken, then im sure another week or so isnt too long to wait for obvious signs eh? :lol: Ive waited 6 weeks already!! :arf:


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## Weim<3

xxwelshcrazyxx said:


> I wouldnt keep watching her, like the saying goes........a watched kettle never boils, lolol. she will change soon enough. good luck with the arrivals.


LOL funny you should say that!!
Our kettle has gone up the wall completely :L

I swear these weeks get longer and longer *huff*
Need to find myself a hobby!!


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## bassetsandbeyond

we get ours done at the vet, from day 40, then the scan if deffo right. No sedation involved, just a good belly rub


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