Is my non-mother dog's sore, warm nipples a sign of mastitis?

Absolutely keep nursing. In fact try to make the puppies use that nipple the most. Also warm water compress and massage can help too. I would also encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible as she may need antibiotic therapy. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

It could be mastitis but it is hard to tell from the photos. Usually mastitis is warm to the touch and the teat is red/swollen/painful and there may be yellowish/green discharge. You can do warm compresses on it if you think it is mastitis to see if that will help but being that she is pregnant it may be best to have your vet check it out. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

It could be that Nova is suffering from mastitis, which is an infection of the mammary glands. This would be painful to her and would cause her to be lethargic. Unfortunately there are no OTC pain medications you can give her, as many human ones are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. She needs to see a vet immediately. Mastitis is fatal without treatment, and if she is in a lot of pain, she needs veterinary care right away. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Crisco! You can try to apply a warm compress to the area to help with the mastitis a few times a day to see if it improves/resolves. Mastitis typically presents as a red, firm, painful mammary gland. I would also recommend taking her temperature rectally. If she has a fever (>102.5) she really should go see your local vet for an evaluation and medication. Many cases of mastitis require antibiotics. Mastitis can also be very painful, so many patients require pain medication as well.

Mya could have mastitis, that would cause her mammary glands to be hot to the touch and hard. Mastitis is fatal without treatment, so she needs to see a vet now. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

If you are not taking a rectal temperature then you can't say for sure she is having fevers. Many dogs will feel "hot" to the touch but their temperature internally is normal. If you want to check for fever you must take a rectal temperature. As for the mammary glands, she may have mastitis. Without seeing at least a photo of them it is hard for me to say. I think when you have a nursing mother, it is better to be safe than sorry and have her examined by a vet. If you can get a mobile vet to come to your house that would be nice so you don't have to take mom and babies into a vet clinic. Of course, if you can't get a mobile vet you will need to take them in.

While a mammary infection or mastitis could be a possibility it would not be transmitted to the puppies and it would be safe for them to continue to nurse. It sounds like you should have Roush and the puppy with diarrhea examined by your vet. Roush may need antibiotics if she has an infection.