Mary Allen
Your puppy is born. The first task in his life is to find the mother’s teats. This is the only way to ensure a good start in life.
A puppy will start sucking while it is still being born. He is recovering from the hardships. Later it will have to share the bitch’s teats with its siblings. But how many teats does a dog have?
Like all other mammals, every dog has nipples. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bitch or a male. However, the male teats do not have mammary glands. That’s why they’re called nipples. They are significantly smaller than those of female dogs.
What does the number of teats depend on?
How many teats your dog has is completely different. Different breeds of dogs have different numbers of puppies. Therefore, nature conforms to this peculiarity.
A bitch has as many teats as she is likely to have puppies. Up to five pairs of nipples, i.e. ten teats, are possible.
In males, they have no function whatsoever. With bitches the situation is quite different. Their teats are vital to puppies. The mammary glands produce food for small dogs. Especially in the first few weeks.
The teats change during pregnancy
The bitch’s teats already change during pregnancy. They swell and stand up. This happens because of prolactin. This hormone is now produced by the body.
As a hormone, prolactin controls milk production. This later stimulates the flow of milk. The teats are now supplied with more blood. And the teats can turn intense pink.
Some bitches even lose the fur around the teats. When the puppies are born, first look for the mother’s teats. They strengthen themselves by drinking their mother’s milk.
For the next four weeks, the little offspring will look for its teat every day. He will suck it. And that about eight times a day. Incidentally, this is the only time dogs can tolerate milk containing lactose.
Are my dog’s teats swollen or inflamed?
In general, this process runs all by itself. He doesn’t cause any problems. However, if a bitch has too few young, it can lead to an oversupply of milk.
The existing puppies cannot drink as much milk as their mother produces. Then it can come to the lactation in the bitch.
As a result, mastitis or mammary inflammation develops. The teats are very sensitive to pain. They are swollen red.
Mammary ridge: when do I have to go to the vet?
Injuries to the mammary gland can have a similar effect. Because the claws or teeth of the puppies are razor sharp. Bacteria then cause mastitis.
In the case of mastitis, you must take your dog to the vet as soon as possible. The disease is not only dangerous for your dog. It can cause toxic milk syndrome in puppies.
This disease can lead to the death of puppies. Treatment is with antibiotics.
Change in teats in pseudopregnancy
Teats can also change significantly in a false pregnancy. This occurs when hormone levels are disturbed. The bitch produces too much prolactin. Therefore, the teat swells.
The bitch behaves as if she is pregnant. If there is a strong flow of milk, the vet can help with a prolactin inhibitor. This is important, otherwise, it can lead to engorgement and mastitis.
That’s why you should keep an eye on your bitch’s teats. This applies to pregnancy, breastfeeding, and false pregnancy. Otherwise, it can be very uncomfortable for your dog.
Under no circumstances should you try to express the contained milk. This encourages more milk production.
Tips for nipple care
You should pay attention to the teats when grooming bitches and dogs. Never brush over it. This could injure the teats.
When searching for parasites, caution is also required here. Because it happens again and again that the nipple is mistaken for a tick.
Especially with long-haired breeds, the danger is usually greater. So pay attention to the anatomy of your bitch.
Diseases and problems in old dogs
Especially with older bitches, you must not forget to take a closer look at the teats from time to time. Because older semesters can suffer from mammary tumors.
If this is recognized in good time by you and your veterinarian, an operation is usually successful.
And how many teats does my dog have?
The dog’s teats do not require any special care. However, you should always keep an eye on your pet‘s teats. In this way, you can immediately identify any abnormalities.
If you want to know exactly, you can simply count it. Then you will know how many teats your dog has.