do you know whether, when a bitch is in whelp, all the nipples grow, or just 'enough'. We have been told by the scan we have 6 pups, but she has 9 nipples growing. The main 8 are huge and one of the top 'invisible' two is growing as well.
I am not worried, i am just wondering.

Many thanx

Emma

It is normal for them all to grow, but the top ones are never very productive.
:)

thanx Jeangenie
i knew someone would come along and help :)
It was just that when the scan was done she did say there could be more than 6 as they were very close together, and not to be surprised if a couple more popped out!!, i was just wondering if the nipples were a sign of that.

I wonder if you could also tell me when i should be able to start feeling them move?

Emma

We're getting some positive signs from our girl today, she was mated 3 weeks ago tomorrow, her nipples have enlarged and the surrounding area seems to have filled out over night making them look quite heavy already :-)  She has 10 nipples, but the top 2 like Jeangenie says don't seemed to have grown at all, still very small.

I felt movement last time around day 50, she had 7 pups!

We have done this thread before!  My bitch has 13 nipples in a very odd formation!  She is due to whelp any day now and she currently has 7 huge, 3 medium and 3 very small ones (two of which are very close together)!  The ones nearest her hind legs are a funny shape, almost double and haven't changed that much whereas the ones on her chest have the largest ariola you can imagine. 

No milk yet thought which concerns me a little. She hasn't been scanned but I can feel and see puppies moving and have been able to do so for about a week now.  I did convince myself I could feel 3 in different areas but this morning was sure it was only one :-( - All in my imagination I am sure, so it's wait and see time!

Well I hope number of nipples are not an indication on number of pups :)  as Mabel has 10 nipples!  She is due pretty much same time as Jakyjats bitch, all nipples are very swollen, with a much enlarged undercarriage now, but no milk yet.  The farthest back nipples are often a strange shape, and can be hard for smaller pups to latch on to, but they usually give the fastest flow of milk, while the ones right up at the front tend to have the least/slowest milk flow - worth remembering if you have to monitor puppy milk intake.  Have seen and felt small movements for about a week now.  She is in the very laid back stage, but we are having some overnight problems when she has got very hot ( it has been very close and stuffy up here for the last 2 nights) so we have had to take ice mats wrapped in towels, a flask of chilled water and the battery operated fans to bed with us, so I can cool her down when it all gets too much!
bye
Gwen

I'm not as keen to have number of nipples = number of pups!  I would prefer two each and one to spare!

I've done it the other way round Gwen and slept in the conservatory with all the doors open although she has chosen to spend most of the night out on the patio so I have to keep getting up to check.  She isn't used to sleeping in the house or with us.

Thanks for the tip about the 'rear end' nipples, I didn't know that!  No signs of impending delivery yet but I have to keep reminding myself that when I was pregnant I cooked lunch for the family without a moments thought and by tea time I had a baby!  It's hard to believe it will ever happen.