My pregnant dog has inverted nipples. Can her puppies nurse?

She still has a few days for the milk to come in. Often it doesn’t really start until the birthing process and will increase once the pups start to nurse. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jenny.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Normal pregnancy length in dogs is 60-63 days. If she mated right before adoption then she could be pregnant. Puppy heart beats can be detected on ultrasound at 28 days gestation and we can see their skeletons on X-rays around 50 days. She could be pregnant or she could be suffering from a false pregnancy which occurs after they have a heat cycle from a hormonal imbalance. This imbalance causes the body to think it is pregnant when it actually isn't. The dog can develop mammary glands, produce milk, nest, carry stuffed animals around like babies, act anxious. It resolves with in 2-3 months. I would make an appointment with your Vet to see if you can confirm or deny pregnancy. I wish you the best!

This looks quite normal, except that your dog has two inverted nipples. The puppies can probably suckle them and if not, they may cease giving milk. Inverted nipples are a congenital malformation of the nipples.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I hope you meant 37 days and not weeks, since a dog's pregnancy is about 60-65 days. Scratching should not harm the puppies as this is a normal behavior in dogs so the body is prepared for that movement. I would recommend making sure she isn't scratching for medical reasons that need to be addressed, like fleas. Good luck and kisses to Irie!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The gestation period for dogs is around 60 days long, so if she were mated on March 6th, she may indeed be pregnant and is getting close to giving birth to her pups. To be sure, you can have Honeii seen by her veterinarian for an exam and x-ray or ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy. I hope this helps!

In a [pregnant dog](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pregnancy/), milk can be produced a week or so before delivery. A dog’s gestational period is about 63 days. You can also [take her temperature](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-take-your-pet-s-temperature) twice daily at the same time each day to determine when she will go into labor A dog’s normal temperature is between 100 to 102.5F degrees. Her temperature may fluctuate during this time, but once her temperature falls below 99 degrees, she should go into labor in the next 24 hours.

A normal healthy dog is pregnant for about 63 days before going into labor. If you know when she was bred you can count the days to see how far along she is. It can be normal to not be able to palpate the pups in her abdomen, especially if she is a big dog. It can also be normal for the mammary glands to leak a small amount of milk prior to the pups being born.