Caring for Newborn Puppies: Failure to Thrive

Dogs and cats are by far the most common of household pets. Dog owners love their dogs like they do children. Most dog owners try their best to take very good care of their dogs. However, puppy care is different than adult dog care. Puppies need special care and attention. When a pup fails to thrive pet owners must step in to ensure that the pup does not die.

When your female dogs has pups you'll need to be a guardian of sorts to them. Generally when a female dogs has pups there are more than she has tits to feed them. The first thing to know about what you can do to care for your new puppies is to know that sometimes they don't all get enough to eat from their mother.

When there are thirteen or so pups and only eight tits there is a chance that all of the puppies will not get enough to eat. Generally the pups will take turns and will in the end each get a turn to nurse. Sometimes though a weaker or smaller pup won't get a turn because they can not get there first and are not strong enough to push the larger pups aside. When this happens the pup will become even weaker, from lack of nutrition. It only takes a short time of not being able to nurse for a puppy to lose it's strength so it is remarkably important to check the puppies for growth and health at least once per day.

When you check the puppies pick each one up and look it over carefully. The largest ones are the strongest and healthiest. The smaller ones are the ones who risk not getting enough to eat. Set the larger ones aside, in a basket, and allow the little ones to remain with the mother dog so that they may nurse. This will ensure that those littlest pups will not fail to thrive.

Failure to thrive can be prevented for the most part by simply doing that. However, sometimes there will be a puppy that just isn't doing well, is sickly, and cannot nurse from it's mother. Puppies like so are called "runts". They are much smaller that their siblings and should have special attention paid to them by you.

Pet owners can purchase replacement milk for runt puppies at their local pet store. This is just like formula for babies, made to be as close to mothers milk as it can be and full of all those good things that puppies needs to have in order to thrive. When a pup can't nurse it is up to you to feed it. If you don't it will undoubtedly die. Pets stores often carry new puppy packages which come with everything that you will need to care for a runt puppy. This includes bottles, formula, and information.

The most important thing to do to prevent any of your puppies from becoming ill, or weak is to check them often. A runt needs extra special care and attention, as do the other littlest ones. Check them at the very least once per day. Do a head count. Pick them up and look them over. Inspect them for growth and health. Put the larger pups aside for a while and allow the littlest ones to nurse in peace. This will ensure that they do thrive, and that they get enough to eat from their mother. Thanks for reading and take care!