dogs nipples are red

Question
my dog gave birth to 6 lovely puppies 20th June 2008. they are all putting weight on. but my dogs nipples are red and the bottom two are very large compared to the other 6 is this normal.

Answer
Hi Clair

The back teats are usually the largest and hold the most milk. To keep the teats supple and ease the pain for your female, you can rub some aloe vera onto the nipples to keep them from cracking.

What you want to watch for is if they become hot and hard. This is a sign of mastitis which can be potentially fatal.  It's good maintenance to wipe them and check them daily.  Also be aware of puppy scratches as they can become infected.  If a pup does scratch (which they will do) Polysporin is the best defensive.

Good luck.