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ORPHANED
PUPPIES Raising
an orphaned litter is a time consuming although rewarding experience.
Neonates are very fragile and despite all the care and attention, losses
can be inevitable. It is worth bearing this in mind at the outset so that
although strong bonding is likely to occur, you are more prepared for
sudden loss should it unfortunately occur.
Remember we are more than happy to help, assist and guide as necessary. What
problems am I likely to encounter? Several
critical problems must be addressed in caring for orphaned puppies.
Among these are chilling, dehydration, and hypoglycaemia (low blood
sugar). These problems are
interrelated and may often exist at the same time.
Close observation and prompt attention if any of these problems develop
are essential to survival. Needless
to say proper feeding of the orphaned puppy is extremely important. Chilling Chilling
in newborn puppies can lead to significant mortality.
A puppy will dissipate far more body heat per kilogram of body weight
than an adult dog. The normal
newborn puppy depends upon radiant heat from its mother to help maintain its
body temperature. In the absence of
the mother, various methods of providing heat, such as incubators, heat lamps,
or hot water bottles can be used. Rectal
temperatures in a normal newborn puppy range from 35-37.2?C (95?-99?F ) for the
first week, 36.1-37.7?C (97?-100? F) for the second and third weeks, and reach
the normal temperature of an adult 37.7-38.9?C
(100-102.5?F) by the fourth week. When
the rectal temperature drops below 34.4?C (94?F), the accompanying metabolic
alterations are life-threatening. Therefore,
immediate action is necessary to provide the warmth the puppy needs to survive.
A healthy newborn can usually survive chilling if warmed slowly. During
the first four days of its life, the orphaned puppy should be maintained in an
environmental temperature of 29.4-32.2?C (85-90?F.)
The temperature may gradually be decreased to 26.7? C (80? F) by the
seventh to tenth day and to 22.2?C (72? F) by the end of the fourth week. If the litter is large, the temperature need not be as high.
As puppies huddle together, their body heat provides additional warmth. Caution:
Too rapid warming of a chilled puppy may result in its death. Dehydration The
lack of regular liquid intake or the exposure of the puppy to a low humidity
environment can easily result in dehydration.
The inefficiency of the digestion and metabolism of a chilled puppy may
also lead to dehydration and other changes such as those discussed in this
paper. Experienced
breeders can detect dehydration by the sense of touch.
Two signs of dehydration are the loss of elasticity in the skin and dry
and sticky mucous membranes (gums) in the mouth.
An
environmental relative humidity of 55 to 65% is adequate to prevent drying of
the skin in a normal newborn puppy. However,
a relative humidity of 85 to 90% is more effective in maintaining puppies if
they are small and weak. One method
of maintaining the humidity is to put a damp towel or dampened cotton wool near
to the puppy in its container. Remember
the bitch is continuously licking the puppy and herself and creates a fairly
humid, immediate environment. Her breast area is also additionally naturally
moist while she is suckling her puppies. Caution:
The environmental temperature should not exceed 90?
F (32.2?C) when high humidity is provided.
A temperature of 95?F (35?C) coupled with relative humidity
of 95% can lead to respiratory distress. Hypoglycaemia
(low blood sugar) Signs
of hypoglycaemia (abnormal decrease of sugar in the blood) are severe
depression, muscle twitching and sometimes convulsions.
If a puppy shows signs of hypoglycaemia, a few drops of sugar solution on
the tongue can be life saving. Again
if in doubt, please contact us. What
do I feed my orphaned puppy? Total
nutrition for the newborn orphans must be supplied by a milk replacer until the
puppies are about three weeks of age. At
this age, the puppies are ready to start nibbling moistened solid food. Preferred
diets:
1. A commercial puppy
milk replacer, e.g. Welpi, Lactol etc.
2. For short-term
emergencies:
l cup of milk
l tablespoon corn oil
l pinch of salt
3 egg yolks (no whites)
Blend mixture uniformly
or Evaporated milk made up
double strength Is
the temperature of the food important? Since
the newborn may have trouble generating enough heat to maintain its body
temperature, the milk replacer should be warmed to 35-37.8?C (95-100?F ) for the
best results. The milk replacer should be about the same temperature as the skin
on your forearm or slightly warmer. As
the puppies grow older, the milk replacer can be fed at room temperature. How
do I feed my puppy?
1. Spoon feeding is
slow, requires great patience and
can be dangerous. It is not to be
recommended. Each spoonful must be slowly "poured" into the puppy's
mouth to prevent liquids from entering the lungs. The puppy's head must not be elevated, or the lungs may fill
with fluids. Newborn puppies
usually do not have a well-developed gag reflex to signal this.
2. Dropper feeding is
marginally easier than spoon feeding but can result in the puppy ingesting air
which can cause colic.
3. Feeding bottles
made for puppies can be used quite successfully in most situations.
There are two types, the open ended feeder with the flow of milk
controlled by the finger over the open opposite end. The size of the hole in the nipple is critical . If it is too
large and milk is dripping from it, this could drown the puppy.
If it is too small the puppy
will be discouraged from suckling. The apertures can be enlarged by using a hot
needle and puncturing the nipple several times or alternatively a slit can be
made with a razor blade. When the
puppy stops suckling the small slit closes and thus drowning is prevented.
The other type of feeder is the closed ended feeder which has a nipple on
either end. The larger nipple is
squeezed in order to force milk through the teat at the other end which has the
appropriate holes made in it. Again
the rate at which the food is delivered is critical and should be checked
carefully.
4. Tube feeding (gavage)
is the easiest, cleanest and most efficient method of hand feeding.
However, it requires proper equipment and skilled technique to prevent
putting milk replacer into the puppy's lungs.
If bottle feeding is not successful, we will supply the equipment and
demonstrate the proper technique. This
is not a difficult procedure, so do not hesitate to ask about it if you feel it
is needed.
When
and how much do I feed? Commercial
milk replacers have directions on their labels for proper amounts to feed.
It is necessary for the puppy's weight to be obtained properly in ounces
or grams. Electronic kitchen scales or postal scales are useful for this
purpose. The amounts on the labels
are based on the puppy being fed only the milk replacer.
The amounts given are also for a 24 hour period.
That quantity should be divided by the number of feedings per 24 hours.
Four meals, equally spaced during a 24 hour period, are ample for feeding
a puppy when adequate nutrients are provided.
Six or more feedings may be necessary if the puppy is small or weak.
Hand feeding can generally be ended by the third week and certainly by
the fourth. By this time the puppy should be able to
eat from a dish. How
do I get the puppy to urinate and defaecate? The
puppy's genital area must be stimulated after feeding to cause urination and
defaecation. The genital area should be massaged with a moist cloth or
cotton wool to stimulate action. This
cleaning should continue during the first two weeks.
If this procedure is not followed, the puppy may become constipated. When
does the puppy start to eat from a bowl? As
soon as the puppy's eyes have opened at 14-16 days , it is worthwhile starting
the weaning process. First place
the milk replacer in a flat dish and either dip the puppy's nose into it or
smear some round its mouth with your finger.
By three weeks the puppy can start to eat food from the dish along with
the milk replacer. A gruel can be
made by thoroughly mixing a puppy food (canned or dry) with the milk replacer to
reach the consistency of a thick milk shake.
The mixture should not be too thick at first or the puppy will not
consume very much. As the
consumption of food increases, the amount of milk replacer can be gradually
decreased. By
four to four and a-half weeks, the orphaned puppy can consume enough moistened
solid food to meet its needs. It
is better to avoid starting a puppy on a baby food regimen.
This creates extra work and can also create a finicky eater.
Many such foods will not meet the nutritional needs of a growing puppy. Should
my puppy be treated for worms? We
routinely treat puppies for worms from 2-3 weeks of age.
Weekly or fortnightly wormings should be carried out until the first
vaccinations at 6-8 weeks. It is
then worth consulting the veterinary surgeon regarding future worming programmes.
When
is the first vaccination given? The
first vaccination is normally given to puppies at 6-8 weeks of age.
However, if your puppy did not nurse from its mother during the first 2-3
days after birth, there may be no protective immunity passed on to it.
In that case, the veterinary surgeon may advise earlier or more frequent
vaccinations to complete the programme. |