mommy dogs nipples

Question
my female boston terrier had her first liter of puppies on christmas day. she had 3, but i was born breached so only two lived. she started weaning the puppies a week ago, and their eating soft puppy food now. today i noticed her nipples are really swollen up, red, and really hot...is this normal? is it something i should worry about?

Answer
Hi Jill.  The symptoms you describe - hard, swollen, red and hot mammary glands are not normal.  This can be a sign that she has an infection and needs medical attention.  Please make an appointment with your veterinarian.

Good luck, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,
Penny Diloreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com