Why Does My Female Dog Have 7, 9, 11 or Odd Number of Nipples? can dogs have more than 9 nipples ? Is it Normal or Something to worry About? Well, Nipples produce milk for babies. The same is the case for female dogs. During the heat cycle of a female dog or when she is lactating, her mammary glands swell and the nipple can be easily visible from a distance.
Female dog nipples – A complete Review
Usually, we see a female dog having a number of nipples but this count for nipples depend on the breed of the dog. This number can range anywhere between 6 and 10.
The majority of dogs have an asymmetric count of nipples i.e. 6, 8, or 10, in some cases 12 (even number). But, there are some situations where the number of nipples count is symmetric too.
The reason behind so many nipples is that dogs have the capacity to produce more than two pups at a time. On average, a female dog gives birth to two to eight puppies.
Since all the puppies need nourishment and milk, there are plenty of nipples present in a dog mom. It is said that by counting the number of nipples we can guess how many puppies the dog will give birth to.
How many nipples do cats have?+Can a cat have 7,9 odd nipples?
Cats have 6-10 nipples as they can give birth to a large litter. Humans have two nipples hence, usually then give birth to one or two babies at a time.
A weird thing about dog nipples is that sometimes you can find them in some unusual places like inside your dog’s legs. Yes, you read it right!
But why does this happen?
During the placenta development, there is a line that nipples follow. This line extends from the arms and goes towards the feet. This line is responsible for the place where the nipples are, but sometimes there is a singular nipple that grows in an unusual place.
If you ever find a bump on the inside of the dog’s leg or any odd place, check for another one on the opposite side.
In the case of an identical one then there is a chance that it is your dog’s nipple. If you do not find such, then get your dog checked by a vet.
Why does my dog have 9 nipples?
Depending on the dog’s breed, female dogs can have anywhere between 6-10 nipples.
This is an interesting tidbit of information that can help people better understand their pets!
Female dogs, like most mammals, often develop two sets of nipples. This means that a female dog can have an extra set of nipples that males don’t have.
Therefore, the number of nipples is usually relevant to how many offspring a mammal can produce in general.
For example, humans have two because a human female typically produces one or two babies at a time; dogs, on the other hand, can have multiple offspring at any one time which allows them to breed much more quickly and efficiently.
Is it normal for female dogs to have 9 nipples?
When a dog has more than eight nipples, it is usually nothing to panic about. The reason dogs have nine nipples is because, while they are in the womb, they have the ability to have many more nipples than their littermates.
This is because their bodies are not able to tell how many pups will be inside the womb at one time.
So dogs have the ability to have up to 18 nipples! The extra nipples usually disappear, because they are not needed. It is not a rare thing to find extra nipples, but it is also not very common.
What is important to remember is that a dog’s body is made to accommodate many puppies and will have enough nipples to do so. There is nothing wrong with your dog for having nine nipples!
Can a dog have more puppies than nipples?
The answer to this question is yes. Some female gods can have 12-16 pups at a time.
If there are more puppies than the number of nipples, this will affect the puppies’ nourishment. The mother dog will not be able to feed the puppies properly.
This is an uncommon case where your dog will have more puppies than nipples.
If this happens with your dog, then you must take extra care to see that every pup is getting the desired milk and nourishment.
Mastitis in dogs+How to recognize Mastitis?
Mastitis is a bacterial infection that can result in shortening your dog’s life if not treated well or in time.
Female dogs are more exposed to this infection than male dogs. The female dogs who have recently given birth had a false pregnancy, or haven’t been spayed.
During a false pregnancy, the mammary glands of your female dog swell as if she is about to have puppies. And this happens at the end of her heating cycle.
During this time, your female dog may start protecting her toys or other possessions as if those are her puppies.
We think we spay our dogs, they are out of any danger. But that is not true. If you have spayed your female dog, still she can have mastitis.
Mastitis can happen to your nursing female dog if she has a wound on one of her nipples. Poor hygienic conditions can also cause mastitis in your female dog.
Some of the most common indications of Mastitis include –
- Pus from mammary glands
- Swollen mammary glands
- Dog lacks appetite
- Dogs’ become lethargic
- Dog refuses to feed the puppies
Antibiotics are the most common way to treat your dog from Mastitis.
Another health issue related to dog nipples
Mammary cancer
It is a common thing in dogs that the mammary tissues can get cancer. The category most risk dogs getting mammary cancer include the dogs who have been neutered very late in their lifespan or those who haven’t been spayed.
During the heat cycle of the dog, the mammary glands start growing to some extent, and sometimes it results in abnormal growth that leads to cancer over a period of time.
According to Plos journal, spaying a dog while he or she is young reduces the chances of having mammary cancer.
The main cause of mammary cancer is a high level of estrogen and spaying decreases the estrogen levels in your dog’s body. Hence it can prevent the chances of your dog having mammary cancer.
An interesting thing is that estrogen also has the capability to play a protective role. It can prevent your dog from having mammary tumors and your dog can live longer. Male dogs can rarely get mammary cancer.
How to recognize mammary cancer?
In women, we can recognize if there is a cancer issue by feeling the area around their breasts. The same case is with female dogs.
If you notice any lump or bump then you must take your dog to a vet so that the vet can examine her and find if any indication of mammary cancer is there or not.
If the nipples of your dog are significantly changed in appearance then you should get your dog checked as soon as possible.
Caution: If you notice a change in color or size in your dog’s nipple then track it for one to two weeks. If it does not come to the normal size and grows even more then ask your vet for help immediately.
Final words
Dogs having asymmetric nipples is not a problem in most cases. Their nipples indicate the number of puppies your dog going to give birth to.
Dog nipples are similar to human nipples but are more prone to health issues like mammary cancer and mastitis.
If you have a female dog then you must keep an eye on the health of her nipples to prevent any health issues.
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