Puppies need 3 things to survive after whelping:
Warmth
Energy (sugar)
Water
Some puppies, despite adequate feed, do not thrive and as a result grow poorly. They often suffer from a variety of digestive upsets and respiratory problems as part of their general ill-thrift condition. Sometimes the failure to thrive can affect a single pup in a litter, or, in more severe cases, a number of puppies will develop what is often termed "fading puppy syndrome", and die within 5 - 10 days.
Many of these puppies are vigorous and healthy at birth, but within 2-10 days lose their interest in nursing. They often"cry" in a monotonous way as though they are in pain or discomfort. They lose body weight, crawl into corners away from the rest of the litter and die, despite careful nursing.
Affected young puppies are generally less active, lack vitality, and often fade away, and finally die within 2-3 weeks of birth.
Puppies may die due to developmental problems in the uterus such as a malformed heart or other anomalies. These puppies we cannot help. We may be able to keep them going for a few days, but they will eventually die.
Puppies may die due to infections. Herpes virus is one such infection. We prevent this with proper management of the bitch, the kennel and our show, training and social activities. Unbilical cord infection leading to septicemia is another source of infection for puppies. Proper treatment of the cord at birth, coupled with good sanitation -- keeping the bitch, the box and the puppies scrupulously clean -- will prevent this problem.
Viral Problems:: In most cases, the range of normal canine viruses that are present in the environment can affect the young, new-born puppy. The bitch herself may be immune, but the puppies can be susceptible, depending on their colostrum intake. studies earlier in Australia have shown that the Canine Herpes Virus, a flu-like virus,can be a cause for fading puppy syndrome, with typical signs of lethargy, crying, and oozing of mucus exudates from the nose and eyes. It is most commonly observed in puppies in a crowded nursing area. Usually, puppies are affected under one week of age and die over a two-three week period. Although some puppies may die within 12-24 hours of becoming less active, others may linger on, depending on the amount of nursing and care given to support them. Diagnosis of this type is obviously a job for your vet, and this can help confirm that sickness is caused by a virus present in the kennel group.
Often the weaker and smaller puppies in a litter are the first to fade.
Puppies must get their colostrum from the bitch within their first 12 hours of life. If necessary, colostrum should be expressed from the bitch's breasts and fed by dropper to each puppy to ensure this.
Preventing and treating 'fading puppies'
Fading puppy is not a diagnosis, it is a description. After we exclude the puppies discussed above, which are malformed or infected, we are left with the puppies which are dehydrated, hypoglycemic, or chilled. These are the 'faders'.
It's often said that the 'mother knows best' when a bitch rejects a puppy - as though she has x-ray eyes and can spot a malformed heart or other defect. The fact is the bitch can't tell the difference between a malformed puppy and one that is chilled, dehydrated or hypoglycemic. She only knows that it isn't thriving.
Remove the fading puppy from the whelping box and put it into a small box with a heating pad. Provide different amounts of padding over the heating pad at different parts of the box so the puppy may find the amount of heat most comfortable for it. Partially cover the box with a towel. We must do this because the bitch will allow the puppy to get chilled when it is not as vigorous as the rest of the litter.
Support Theraphy:
If given early enough, a course of antibiotics over 5-7 days can help to delay the onset of secondary bacterial infection of viral damaged tissue in the lungs, gut or liver. However, the most effective supportive therapy, is to give an injection of blood serum from another healthy animal. Collection of the blood and preparation of the serum is a job strictly for your vet. It is best to allow your vet to take a blood sample from a dog that has been boosted recently. Alternatively, one that has a full vaccination course with regular annual boosters against the common viral infections that affect dogs, can be used a s a donor. The bitch herself can be used as a serum donor if she has been vaccinated during pregnancy, and some of the weaker pups did not suckle enough colostrum to give them adequate protection in the first place. However, if the bitch was not vaccinated, or her puppies have received adequate colostrum, and still fade, then she may have low blood antibody levels herself. She would not be a suitable donor in this case.
Maintain Warmth:
It is most important of course to keep puppies warm for the first week to ten days of age. During this time they rely on external warmth to keep them warm, either from the bitch curled up around them, or the bedding. If puppies are not gaining weight and suckling properly, then they should be considered to be abnormal and require investigation. Most health young puppies will double their birth weight in the first 7 to 10 days of birth and then double it again within the next three weeks. Normally, younger puppies have a lower body temperature of 36.5 -37 degrees C., which begins to increase after the first two weeks of age. This is because puppies lose a lot of heat into the environment, and their body temperature is lower. Once they start to generate their own heat from metabolism, and can shiver from about two weeks of age, they maintain a higher body temperature of 37.5-38 degrees C.
Maintain Fluids and Energy:
Pupies that are under stress of disease, or are losing body weight, have a much better chance of recovery if they are given fluids to prevent dehydration. It is best to give fluids warmed to body heat. This is best gauged by adding clean, warm water until drops of the fluid placed on the bare skin the underside of your wrist do not feel cold or hot. Although a sugar solution, to provide energy and fluids, made up by adding one and one half teaspoons of glucose per 100ml of boiled water (seven and one half percent glucose), is the optimum concentration. It is best to provide electrolytes as well with the glucose drink. A rehydration fluid, such as Recharge is ideal, as it contains glucose and electrolytes in the combined formulation. However, it must be diluted before giving to puppies and extra glucose must be added.
Add 5ml of "Recharge" to 100ml(about half a cupful) of boiled water that has been cooled to blood heat. Mix 5g (one teaspoonful) of glucose powder into the 100ml of made up Recharge. Stir well and ensure it is at blood temperature before feeding. This energy and electrolyte solution can be given with a small nursing bottle and teat to puppies that can still suckle, or with an eye dropper to puppies that are too weak.. I normally recommend that you carefully pick up the puppy by wrapping it in a small towel-type face washer and gently hold it with its head upright when giving it the rehydration mixture. After the puppy has been given the mixture, it will normally want to sleep. Place it back gently in a warm place, still wrapped in the face washer, with its head out.
As a guide, puppies should be given about 10-15ml of the mixture per 100g of body weight over a 24 hour period, or roughly 5ml(I teaspoonful) per 100g bodyweight very 6-8 hours.
It is important to consult your vet immediately, if a puppy develops diarrhea or becomes dehydrated and less active, despite your expert nursing care.
Warmth
Energy (sugar)
Water
Some puppies, despite adequate feed, do not thrive and as a result grow poorly. They often suffer from a variety of digestive upsets and respiratory problems as part of their general ill-thrift condition. Sometimes the failure to thrive can affect a single pup in a litter, or, in more severe cases, a number of puppies will develop what is often termed "fading puppy syndrome", and die within 5 - 10 days.
Many of these puppies are vigorous and healthy at birth, but within 2-10 days lose their interest in nursing. They often"cry" in a monotonous way as though they are in pain or discomfort. They lose body weight, crawl into corners away from the rest of the litter and die, despite careful nursing.
Affected young puppies are generally less active, lack vitality, and often fade away, and finally die within 2-3 weeks of birth.
Puppies may die due to developmental problems in the uterus such as a malformed heart or other anomalies. These puppies we cannot help. We may be able to keep them going for a few days, but they will eventually die.
Puppies may die due to infections. Herpes virus is one such infection. We prevent this with proper management of the bitch, the kennel and our show, training and social activities. Unbilical cord infection leading to septicemia is another source of infection for puppies. Proper treatment of the cord at birth, coupled with good sanitation -- keeping the bitch, the box and the puppies scrupulously clean -- will prevent this problem.
Viral Problems:: In most cases, the range of normal canine viruses that are present in the environment can affect the young, new-born puppy. The bitch herself may be immune, but the puppies can be susceptible, depending on their colostrum intake. studies earlier in Australia have shown that the Canine Herpes Virus, a flu-like virus,can be a cause for fading puppy syndrome, with typical signs of lethargy, crying, and oozing of mucus exudates from the nose and eyes. It is most commonly observed in puppies in a crowded nursing area. Usually, puppies are affected under one week of age and die over a two-three week period. Although some puppies may die within 12-24 hours of becoming less active, others may linger on, depending on the amount of nursing and care given to support them. Diagnosis of this type is obviously a job for your vet, and this can help confirm that sickness is caused by a virus present in the kennel group.
Often the weaker and smaller puppies in a litter are the first to fade.
Puppies must get their colostrum from the bitch within their first 12 hours of life. If necessary, colostrum should be expressed from the bitch's breasts and fed by dropper to each puppy to ensure this.
Preventing and treating 'fading puppies'
Fading puppy is not a diagnosis, it is a description. After we exclude the puppies discussed above, which are malformed or infected, we are left with the puppies which are dehydrated, hypoglycemic, or chilled. These are the 'faders'.
It's often said that the 'mother knows best' when a bitch rejects a puppy - as though she has x-ray eyes and can spot a malformed heart or other defect. The fact is the bitch can't tell the difference between a malformed puppy and one that is chilled, dehydrated or hypoglycemic. She only knows that it isn't thriving.
Remove the fading puppy from the whelping box and put it into a small box with a heating pad. Provide different amounts of padding over the heating pad at different parts of the box so the puppy may find the amount of heat most comfortable for it. Partially cover the box with a towel. We must do this because the bitch will allow the puppy to get chilled when it is not as vigorous as the rest of the litter.
Support Theraphy:
If given early enough, a course of antibiotics over 5-7 days can help to delay the onset of secondary bacterial infection of viral damaged tissue in the lungs, gut or liver. However, the most effective supportive therapy, is to give an injection of blood serum from another healthy animal. Collection of the blood and preparation of the serum is a job strictly for your vet. It is best to allow your vet to take a blood sample from a dog that has been boosted recently. Alternatively, one that has a full vaccination course with regular annual boosters against the common viral infections that affect dogs, can be used a s a donor. The bitch herself can be used as a serum donor if she has been vaccinated during pregnancy, and some of the weaker pups did not suckle enough colostrum to give them adequate protection in the first place. However, if the bitch was not vaccinated, or her puppies have received adequate colostrum, and still fade, then she may have low blood antibody levels herself. She would not be a suitable donor in this case.
Maintain Warmth:
It is most important of course to keep puppies warm for the first week to ten days of age. During this time they rely on external warmth to keep them warm, either from the bitch curled up around them, or the bedding. If puppies are not gaining weight and suckling properly, then they should be considered to be abnormal and require investigation. Most health young puppies will double their birth weight in the first 7 to 10 days of birth and then double it again within the next three weeks. Normally, younger puppies have a lower body temperature of 36.5 -37 degrees C., which begins to increase after the first two weeks of age. This is because puppies lose a lot of heat into the environment, and their body temperature is lower. Once they start to generate their own heat from metabolism, and can shiver from about two weeks of age, they maintain a higher body temperature of 37.5-38 degrees C.
Maintain Fluids and Energy:
Pupies that are under stress of disease, or are losing body weight, have a much better chance of recovery if they are given fluids to prevent dehydration. It is best to give fluids warmed to body heat. This is best gauged by adding clean, warm water until drops of the fluid placed on the bare skin the underside of your wrist do not feel cold or hot. Although a sugar solution, to provide energy and fluids, made up by adding one and one half teaspoons of glucose per 100ml of boiled water (seven and one half percent glucose), is the optimum concentration. It is best to provide electrolytes as well with the glucose drink. A rehydration fluid, such as Recharge is ideal, as it contains glucose and electrolytes in the combined formulation. However, it must be diluted before giving to puppies and extra glucose must be added.
Add 5ml of "Recharge" to 100ml(about half a cupful) of boiled water that has been cooled to blood heat. Mix 5g (one teaspoonful) of glucose powder into the 100ml of made up Recharge. Stir well and ensure it is at blood temperature before feeding. This energy and electrolyte solution can be given with a small nursing bottle and teat to puppies that can still suckle, or with an eye dropper to puppies that are too weak.. I normally recommend that you carefully pick up the puppy by wrapping it in a small towel-type face washer and gently hold it with its head upright when giving it the rehydration mixture. After the puppy has been given the mixture, it will normally want to sleep. Place it back gently in a warm place, still wrapped in the face washer, with its head out.
As a guide, puppies should be given about 10-15ml of the mixture per 100g of body weight over a 24 hour period, or roughly 5ml(I teaspoonful) per 100g bodyweight very 6-8 hours.
It is important to consult your vet immediately, if a puppy develops diarrhea or becomes dehydrated and less active, despite your expert nursing care.