For the best results in rescuing fading puppies (puppies that are dying even though they are born flawless and will die within a few weeks), contact your vet the first time you notice symptoms of a problem, such as crying too much or having difficulty feeding. Your best bet is to ensure that the puppy is nursing, maintain a temperature, and provide emergency care. While these steps can help improve a puppy's health, be aware that not all puppies survive childbirth. Convince yourself that you did your best if the puppy was not saved.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Consult a Veterinarian
Step 1. Monitor the puppy closely
Look for odd traits in your puppy such as not wanting to breastfeed, crying too much, and physical defects such as a flat chest or lack of body parts. Get emergency help right away if you feel something odd. Be prepared to report your observations to the vet.
- Measure the weight of each puppy after birth. Continue weighing it twice per day thereafter. Within 24 hours, a puppy may lose less than 10% weight, but will gain steadily after the first day.
- Take the temperature of the pup and mother dog at least twice a day. A puppy's normal rectal temperature starts at 35-37 degrees Celsius during the first week from birth, and 36-38 degrees Celsius during the second and third weeks. Adult dogs and puppies over 4 weeks old have temperatures between 38-39 degrees Celsius.
- Be prepared to explain the mother dog's diet to the vet. Pregnant and lactating dogs require a special diet, which should include a high-quality diet containing 29% protein, 17% fat and less than 5% fiber.
- Monitor breastfeeding closely and make sure it starts within 12 hours of birth. This is because during this time the mother dog will produce colostrum, mother's milk that is rich in nutrients, to improve the health of her puppies. Pay attention to whether the mother ignores or refuses to breastfeed or care for her young.
- Be prepared to explain any interactions a pregnant dog has with other animals in the weeks leading up to delivery. This will help the doctor diagnose any diseases that may affect the puppy, such as a viral or bacterial infection. Mothers can also transmit intestinal parasites to their offspring.
Step 2. Call the vet if the puppy is separated from his siblings or is crying too much
Newborn puppies should not only suckle and sleep, and cry only a little. Puppies should “struggle” with their siblings and not crawl out of the crowd. If your puppy is behaving inappropriately, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Step 3. Prepare a whelp box for carrying animals
The veterinarian will most likely ask you to take the mother and cubs for examination. Use this box to move the mother and puppies.
- It's a good idea to build a birthing box instead of setting up a special place for the mother dog to give birth to her puppies. This way, mother and puppies can be moved more easily in case of an emergency.
- You can use a shallow cardboard box with drawers or a separate area where the puppy can go while the mother sleeps (to prevent the puppy from being crushed when the mother rolls over while sleeping).
- Cover the box with a few sheets of newspaper or puppy pad before the mother gives birth, then replace it with a thinner sheet, such as an old sheet, after delivery.
Step 4. Test the mother dog for malnutrition and infection
The vet will examine the mother's blood for iron and protein deficiencies and ask about her diet. He will also check for birth defects and viral and bacterial infections, such as E. coli and parvovirus.
This step will help the vet determine whether antibiotics need to be given to the dog
Method 2 of 3: Separating the Puppies from their Siblings
Step 1. Separate the dying puppy from his siblings
If your puppy shows signs of fading or cries too much, separate him from the rest of the puppies and call the vet. Depending on the symptoms reported, your vet will have you take the dying puppy for emergency treatment or suggest trying another feeding method.
Step 2. Put the dying puppy in a separate box
After separating the dying pup from his siblings, place them in a separate delivery box. Line the box with a bath mat or newspaper.
Use newsprint if your puppy is leaking fluid or soiling himself. Thus, dirty paper can be quickly replaced with clean ones
Step 3. Keep the dying puppy warm
Use a heating pad to warm a separate container. Use the back of your hand to ensure as often as possible that the pad and box are not too hot to the touch. Keep the newborn puppy's temperature in the range of 35-37 degrees Celsius.
Place a heating pad under the box floor mat, or if you're using a wooden box, place a heater under the box so the wood conducts heat. However, make sure the heating pad doesn't cover the entire area. This way, the puppy will still be able to crawl away from the heating pad if it gets too warm
Method 3 of 3: Providing Emergency Care
Step 1. Check if the puppy is dehydrated
Gently pull the skin between the dog's shoulders. The skin should return to its place quickly. Otherwise, it looks like the puppy is dehydrated.
Under the guidance of a veterinarian, you can try using a clean pipette to rub a small amount of corn syrup on the pup's gums and then using the dropper to drink the water. You can also use a milk substitute for puppies
Step 2. Warm the puppy gradually if it is too cold to feed
Chilling puppies cannot suck milk and digest food, but it is dangerous to warm them too quickly. Holding the child against a large area of your skin to warm it gently and gradually is the best way to go. This way, your body will transfer the temperature to the puppy without overheating.
If a puppy gets too cold, he can't suck or digest food and he dies. Puppies less than a week old who are too warm cannot pant to reduce their body temperature
Step 3. Give the puppy a sugar or honey solution
If your puppy is dehydrated or you've never seen him breastfeed, call your vet and ask if you need honey, corn syrup, or a sugar water solution. If your vet allows it, put on surgical gloves and put some syrup on the puppy's gums every few hours. Do not apply alternative feeding methods to puppies without veterinary approval.
Step 4. Feed the puppy colostrum
For 1-2 days after delivery, the mother dog produces a special milk called colostrum. Puppies consume this fluid within 12 hours of birth to obtain antibodies from the mother's bloodstream. If not fed immediately, puppies are susceptible to infection along with dehydration and malnutrition.
If you don't have a supply of colostrum, try taking it from the mother's nipple to the dropper and manually feeding the non-lactating pup. Doctors can try implementing this process. Maybe he has a supply of colostrum, or can provide a dying puppy with blood plasma from a healthy dog
Step 5. Inject subcutaneous fluid
Under the guidance of a veterinarian, use a sterile syringe to inject Ringer's lactate solution subcutaneously (under the skin). Make sure the solution is warm, and never give cold solution. Try not to touch the tip of the syringe so as not to be contaminated.
