38 Tips forHealthier Puppies

Looking for a few tips on navigating the first days and weeks with your new litter? Let us help you by sharing some of our helpful hints.

Ensure that youhave a warm, comfortablewhelping box.

Tip 1

Rub each puppyvigorously with a towel.Place head slightly down to stimulate breathing.

Tip 2

Use an umbilicalcord clampto prevent bacteria fromentering the body.

Tip 3

Warm chilled newbornsgradually in an incubator@ 100º F.

Tip 4

Cover a hot water bottlewith a light towel and placeit inside a covered box towarm puppies

Tip 5

Monitor chilled puppiesconstantly so that they do notget too hot as you warm them.

Tip 6

Return the puppy to momwhen its internal temperaturereturns to 100º F.

Tip 7

Rub mom’s mammary glandand tummy to encourage herto let the milk down.

Tip 8

If mom is not milking,you will need to providecolostrum replacer for the puppies.

Tip 9

If mom is not producingenough milk, or if a puppyis too weak to nurse, you will have to bottle feed.

Tip 10

All bottles and feedingequipment should bewell-cleaned and sanitized.

Tip 11

Use a milk replacersuch as Foster Care™ withbalanced fat and proteinfor better results whenbottle feeding.

Tip 12

Gently rub the puppy’sface sideways on the nippleto get them to attach.

Tip 13

It is better to feedsmaller meals more oftenthan to run the risk ofdiarrhea or sudden death.

Tip 14

Feed until the tummystarts to distend.

Tip 15

Always feed puppiesupright on the sternum.Never hold a puppy onits back while nursing.

Tip 16

Thump the puppieswith a finger, keeping theirheads up, to help themget rid of the gas bubbles.

Tip 17

If they spit up after feeding,back off on the volume forthe next feeding.

Tip 18

If puppies are uncomfortableand cry a lot after feedings, theymay be sensitive to themilk replacer.

Tip 19 a

If you are using a cow milkbased replacer, switch to onewith a goat milk base.

Tip 19 b

If constipation occurs, mix in 25% more water untilstool appears normal, thenmix in 10% extra wateruntil weaned.

Tip 20

If the baby criesbefore the two hour feedingand has an empty tummy,feed again and increasethe amount slightly.

Tip 21

Until the baby isfive days old, feed everytwo hours or when the babystarts to get restless andits tummy appears empty.

Tip 22

From day four on,you can skip feeding every twohours between the hours ofmidnight to 6 a.m.

Tip 23

Keep electrolytes on hand fordehydrated babies.

Tip 24

Give a probiotic likeDoc Roy’s GI Synbiotics gelon days 2 and 3 to seed healthy gut bacteria.

Tip 25

®

A few doses ofKaolin Pectin and a probioticwill solve most diarrhea issues.

Tip 26

Keep a Saline/Lincocinmixture on hand to flushthe nasal cavity.

Tip 27

Once the baby is onthe ground and nursingtreat the umbilicus with strong iodineor Vetericyn Super 7+ Navel Dip.

Tip 28

Watch to see howthe mom takes care ofthe puppies.

Tip 29 a

If she is notcleaning them or encouragingthem to nurse, you will haveto step in.

Tip 29 b

Puppies primarily sleep and nurse.They spend most of their timeas a group and cry onlybriefly when hungry.

Tip 30

Let puppiesexplore their environment(with supervision)!

Tip 31

Make sure everythingvaluable or dangerousis out of puppy’s reach.

Tip 32

Teach the puppies toaccept human contactfrom a young age.

Tip 33

Anyone who handlesnewborn puppiesmust wash their handsbefore touching them.

Tip 34

Avoid pine oils,phenols (Lysol ), chlorine bleachand quaternary ammoniumanywhere near babies.

Tip 35

®

Chlorhexide Solution issafe to use, even to wipepuppies off or disinfectan umbilical.

Tip 36

If raising bulldog puppies or another snub-nosed breed,be on the lookout for nursingand respiratory issues.

Tip 37

Know the symptomsof Upper Respiratory Infection,and be on the lookoutfor an outbreak.

Tip 38

Article available at RevivalAnimal.com/articlesUpper Respiratory Infections.

Remember to consultyour veterinarian beforemaking drastic changesto your kennel program.

We love helping raise healthy puppies!

If you want to learn morefeel free to visit the education section of ourwebsite at RevivalAnimal.com/articles