Well, the pups have been born. The pet’s caregiver and mother dog have to ensure that all the pups have the best chance of surviving and being healthy. Before we deal with pup ailments, it may be better to describe what is normal – relative to newborn puppies.
Let us answer two of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which have been posed to me by worried caregivers:
Is it normal for my
newborn pups to sleep for almost the entire day?
Well, yes. When they are not nursing, newborn puppies tend to sleep most (90%) of the time.
Usually, a pup, (according to researchers – yes, they research everything, and that is good for neonates) sleeps with its head curled up under its chest.
You may note that while sleeping, puppies (like human babies) twitch, move their lips and even moan/whimper. All this activity is normal. I suppose that is the pup’s/baby way of exercising but, more importantly, it is associated with its eventual development and motor skills. My two-month-old grandson – Taj, Jacob – from birth has been moving his hands and feet constantly as if training to become a cyclist or swimmer!
P.S. I have observed that in America (probably elsewhere), paediatricians constrain this activity in babies by swaddling the young active neonatal as if it were an Egyptian mummy. My daughter explains that the ‘mummification” makes her baby sleep better and allows her to get more rest. Relative to neonatal puppies, it is not necessary (and is even and ill-advised) to wrap up twitching/jerking puppies.
How does the caregiver know if the neonate is thriving?
The caregiver must recognize that newborn puppies do not have the innate ability to deal with environmental stress. However, we can reduce the number of neonatal deaths by continuously monitoring certain factors, namely;
Are the newborn puppies nursing vigorously and latching strongly to the mother’s nipples? Are they successfully competing with the other littermates? If not, support a not so successful pup by placing it onto a free nipple. All pups must exhibit an interest in suckling.
Does one (or several) pups constantly cry? Does it remove itself from the competition with littermates? Any sign of such distress must be rectified by the caregiver’s intervention – as described at i) above.
Does one (or more) pup feel colder to the touch as compared to other litter mates? You would recall my earlier advice on having a thermometer in your medical kit if you are rearing companion animals. The newborn pup will normally have the same body temperature (BT) of its mother. Right thereafter, its BT will dip a bit and then increase to about 94℉ (≈20 ℃). Within 2-3 weeks, the BT further increases to 95-98℉ (≈22 ℃). BT might reach 100℉ (≈32 ℃).
You may wish to keep measuring the BT. For puppies, we recommend the mercury thermometers (inserted gently into the anus) or the digital thermometers inserted into the ear.
Does the 3-week old pup seem dehydrated
(not getting enough
liquid – milk)?
See PET CARE column of July 26, 2020.
How do you know if your pup is dehydrated?
Simple, pull a fold of skin away from the pup’s ribcage. When released, the skin must fly back into place immediately. Check also if the pup is experiencing diarrhoea; there may be some “pasting” of the stool around the anal area. Of course, if the mother is extremely caring and attentive, she may lick away the pasty stool. In any case, at this point, you may wish to consult your vet.
Are the pups gaining weight?
They started off being round and plump. If during the first three weeks, you can actually see the ribcage and the pup’s backbone, and the pup is listless, it is time to get the vet involved.
We have already dealt with the possibility of hand-rearing a distressed pup (See Pet Care column of July 26, 2020), and we discussed, among other things, the “formula” which you can use.
Next week, we shall close off on this issue of your management of the newborn pup by advising on how to administer the formula. Subsequently, we shall discuss the ailments/diseases commonly affecting newborn puppies.
