Our 1-year old rescued dog, Bella, turned out to be pregnant. She has been with us since about Oct 20. Bella has had a couple of trips to our local...

Our 1-year old rescued dog, Bella, turned out to be pregnant. She has been with us since about Oct 20. Bella has had a couple of trips to our local veterinarian since then for routine things: de-wormer, exam, shots, etc. We expected her to give birth this week, which she did tow nights ago. The puppies (4) are fine. We have had dogs before but never any who gave birth, so this is new to us. My wife is quite protective, so she is worried that Bella is in pain from nursing. She is not really showing any signs that I can detect. The puppies are nursing a lot and so I am sure her nipples are getting tender, but I need to assure my wife that all is, hopefully, well, She noticed that the two mammary glands farthest back toward her hind quarters are rather hard (or just full perhaps?) toward where they join the body proper and is worried. They do seem larger than the more frontal ones. I had her gently feel and they are warm, but not hot.

I have two photos.  Would you look at them and see what you think?

Okay. Is the fact that they are quite firm where they join the body proper normal?

Our local vet service is closed. Our only alternative is the clinic fifty miles away. If the mammaries is question are warm, but not "hot", and there is indication of firmness in the upper region of the two mammaries in question, , and if I believe that the pups have not been using those two most rear ones as much s the others, does that sound like we could wait until tomorrow? I know that's asking a lot without ctually seeing her, but that's why I phrased what I said as "seems like".

Okay. Thank you for your time and ssistance.  Bob and Carol Kloppel