Everything you need to know about babies

Author: Dr. Cheran Radu-Florin-Pet Stuff Hospital

The puppies are considered babies from birth to a maximum of 3 weeks or a month after birth. They are unique patients because Have different physiological and metabolic characteristics by adult animals, which require further treatments.

Babbed puppies are lacking in the ability to perform vasoconstriction to maintain their body temperature and, combined with hype (lack of oxygen), this can lead to bradycardia, bradypnea, reduced muscle tone, weakened immunity, mothers for nurses.

The main characteristics of the puppies that can cause problems in the neonatal period and that the owner must consider are:

• temperature

The normal temperature of newborn puppies is between 35-36 ° C. Hypothermia (low temperature) is very common in puppies because they cannot regulate their body temperature alone, making them vulnerable to environmental conditions, thus requesting external heat sources such as:

• Gloves or bottles with hot water;
• Electrical pillow;
• Infrared lamp;
• Incubator;
• Hot air heater.

Immediately after birth, the puppies must be deleted and dried with a clean towel and positioned in a incubator at a temperature of 32 ° C. It is essential that the heat sources are adequately regulated and positioned to avoid burning puppies.

The position of the nesting place is essential and should be inside the house, in an area without shots, preferably close to a source of heat (heater, radiator). The nest should have an absorbent bed linen that provides a dry and warm environment for both puppies and mother.

The temperature of the puppies can be evaluated using a quick digital thermometer with a flexible head that can be inserted in the anal opening of the puppies. In addition, their behavior can indicate the temperature; If they sleep too strong, it could be too cold and if they sleep too far away, it could be too hot.

• blood sugar level (blood sugar)

Hypoglycaemia is an important factor in the mortality of puppies, which represents a decrease in systemic blood sugar due to the lack of glucose reserves in puppies and their power deficiency. Signs of hypoglycaemia in puppies can manifest themselves as:

• Lack of lower activities or activities than other puppies;
• Reduced reactivity to external stimuli;
• Reduced muscle tone;
• Muscle tremors;
• State in a coma.

In case of signs of hypoglycaemia, it is essential to bring puppies from a veterinarian as quickly as possible to measure blood sugar and administer substances that can increase blood sugar. Honey or glucose can be administered orally until you reach the vet.

• Diet

In the first hours following birth, the mother secretes the colostrum, a product full of proteins and antibodies that provides immunity to puppies in the first months of life until the beginning of the vaccination program. The puppies that are not breastfeeding, especially in the first days after birth, are vulnerable in the following period and have a higher risk of illness.

Breast milk is the main source of nutrition in the neonatal period and guarantees adequate nutrition for the maintenance of physiological functions.

If the mother does not have enough milk, you can opt for feeding with milk substitutes (formula), diluted with water according to the recipe and heated at a temperature of 36-38 ° C. The power supply is made with special canvases or a syringe, but this maneuver is risky since puppies can aspire the milk in their lungs, causing suction lungs, which can be dangerous for life. Therefore, it is advisable that a veterinary medical professional teach you how to feed puppies to avoid complications.

After about 4 weeks of life, the weaning period begins, during which the puppies will show interest in other types of food in addition to mother milk or milk substitutes.

The change in the diet should not be abrupt and initially consume both milk and food.

• weight

Be, the birth weight and the weight acquired in the first days of life are important aspects to be monitored as they can help identify puppies at greater risk of neonatal mortality. At birth, a puppy should weigh between 1-5% of the weight of the specific adult dog for that breed. Daily weight gain should be 2-4 g for each kilogram of the adult dog in that breed, or should earn 10% of their weight/day. Therefore, a puppy should double his birth weight after the first week of life. We recommend every day to weigh on a kitchen scale of each puppy.

Behavior

In the first days of life, the puppies rely on the smell and touch to orient themselves to consume milk from the mother. The puppies are born with closed eyes, so they cannot visually orient themselves. Their eyes will open at 10-14 days after birth and their ears will be completely developed at 3 weeks of age, although both the view and the hearing will initially be rather weak.

Immediately after birth, the puppies will spend most of their time sleeping. In the neonatal period, the main activity of the puppies is sleeping and food, which helps them develop correctly. For this reason, puppies should not be disturbed or stressed, but should be monitored to ensure adequate diet.

Until the age of 4-8 weeks, the puppies will be stimulated by the mother to eliminate urine and feces. If the mother does not take care of the puppies, the genital and perian areas can be stimulated with a compression or cotton wool soaked in hot water. After 4 weeks of age, the puppies are more active and begin to interact with each other and with humans. From this period, the puppies feel the need to play, so it is essential to provide them for suitable toys to consume their energy.

After 8 weeks of life, puppies have a very high learning capacity. Therefore, socialization is crucial both with human beings and with other animals, as well as for exposure to various auditory stimuli to get used to them and not to represent a stress factor in adulthood. Training is essential to teach the puppy what is allowed and what is not.

Visit to the vet

In the first days of a puppy’s life, it is essential to take them for a veterinary consultation to verify their general condition and identify any congenital defects. Ideally, they should be transported with a heat source or, if possible, with the mother.

After the neonatal period (3-4 weeks of life), switching treatments can start. From 6-8 weeks of life, the vaccination program established by the vet may have started to provide them with the necessary immunity against viral diseases.

Consult your veterinarian for advice and recommendations to ensure that both the puppies and the mother pass in this period safely.