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Raising orphan puppies requires great care, time, and vigilance. Puppies must be kept at appropriate temperatures and humidity levels. Hypoglycemia can develop quickly if they are not ingesting food regularly. Orphaned puppies need to be fed appropriate amounts of a commercial puppy milk replacer at regular intervals and can be fed by bottle or feeding tube. After each feeding the puppies will need to be stimulated to urinate and defecate. Around 4 weeks, puppies can start the weaning process onto puppy food by mixing puppy food with the commercial milk replacer to make a gruel-type food. Orphaned puppies need to be dewormed every 2 weeks starting at 2 weeks of age and should start their vaccination series no later than 6 weeks. A veterinarian should be consulted early and frequently throughout the first 6-8 weeks of life.
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Getting a dog is a long-term commitment. Before choosing a pet, consider initial and recurring costs, home environment, size, temperament, and physical characteristics of the dog. Consider training, exercising, and grooming needs, along with your lifestyle.
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Fading puppy syndrome describes puppies that decline in health and die within about two weeks of birth. Neonatal puppies are fragile and so there can be many causes of this syndrome including birth defects, inadequate care from the mother, poor health status of the mother and/or infectious diseases. As well as addressing a specific cause, treatment focuses on maintaining hydration and warmth while providing adequate nutrition. Environmental hygiene is extremely important.
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The goal of feeding growing puppies is to lay the foundation for a healthy adulthood. Proper nutrition is critical to the health and development of puppies, regardless of breed, and it directly influences their immune system and body composition. An optimal growth rate in puppies is ideal; it is a slow and steady growth rate that allows the puppy to achieve an ideal adult body condition while avoiding excessive weight and obesity. Growing puppies need higher amounts of all nutrients in comparison to adult dogs, but excess energy calories and calcium can create serious problems. Together with your veterinarian and veterinary healthcare team, you can help your puppy grow into as healthy of an adult dog as possible.
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Orphaned puppies will need extra care for survival to compensate for the loss of their mother. Puppies must be kept warm, very clean, and fed frequently using an appropriate amount and type of formula by bottle or less often tube feeding. To ensure nutrition is adequate, daily weight checks should be performed for the first 4 weeks, then weekly thereafter. Puppies must be stimulated to urinate and defecate. Environment, feeding instruments and the puppy must be kept meticulously clean as they are more susceptible to infection than puppies cared for by their mother.
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By using positive reinforcement, consistency, and good supervision it is simple to housetrain most dogs. Start housetraining right away, or even before you bring home a new puppy or dog. Most puppies will pause activity, sniff, and sometimes circle before squatting or posturing to eliminate. Other puppies may act generally restless and agitated when they have a full bladder or bowel. Watch closely for these signs, so you can help your puppy be successful. The goals of housetraining are to have your dog eliminate in the right areas, eliminate immediately when asked, communicate the need to eliminate, eliminate on or off leash, and when you are near a person, and hold bladder and bowels when inside/not in the elimination area. This handout describes easy to follow instructions to help housetrain your puppy. If your previously well housetrained dog begins making mistakes, always consult your veterinarian for guidance.
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Hydrocephalus is an excess of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that has leaked inside the skull, leading to brain swelling. There are two main types of hydrocephalus in dogs: congenital and acquired. Small, miniature, and toy breeds seem to be more affected. In the acute or early phases of hydrocephalus, treatment is directed toward reducing CSF production and inflammation. For acquired hydrocephalus, therapy is focused on treating the underlying cause and may range from medications to surgery to radiation therapy. Your veterinarian will discuss your pet’s prognosis and treatment options based on its individual condition.
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Juvenile cellulitis, also known by the name puppy strangles, is an uncommon skin condition of young dogs. Juvenile cellulitis most commonly affects young puppies, between one and six months of age. The first sign of juvenile cellulitis is usually an acute swelling of the face and muzzle. This generalized swelling is typically followed by the development of raised bumps and pustules over the face, muzzle, and ears.
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Juvenile hyperparathyroidism is a rare, inherited condition of German Shepherds and leads to a constant state of elevated parathyroid hormone, affecting calcium and phosphorus balance within the body. It is an inherited, autosomal recessive trait that causes stunted growth. Removal of anywhere from one to three of the parathyroid glands is performed to bring the calcium levels into a more normal range.
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Not all puppy foods are alike. Not all pups are alike. Feeding the right diet to the right puppy is very important, especially when it comes to large or giant breed pups.
