Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

C h a p t e r
PEDIATRICS
Healthy newborn puppies are the picture of contentment, sleeping much of
the time and awakening only to eat. For the first 48 hours, puppies sleep with
their heads curled under their chests. While sleeping, they jerk, kick, and
sometimes whimper. This is called activated sleep. It is the puppy’s only way
to exercise and helps develop muscle tone.
A good mother instinctively keeps her nest and puppies clean. By licking
the belly and rectum of each puppy, she stimulates the elimination reflex.
Puppies can raise their heads at birth, but are unable to maintain an
upright posture. By 5 days of age they can support their body weight with their
front legs. Their eyes and ears are open at 10 to 14 days. By 2 weeks of age
they should be actively crawling and may be able to stand a bit. At approximately
3 weeks of age, puppies can sit and are walking normally. They can
also eat from a bowl. Puppies are fully oriented to sight and sound by 25 days.
The heart of a newborn puppy beats at 160 to 200 beats per minute. The
puppy takes 15 to 35 breaths per minute and has an internal temperature ranging
from 94°F (34.4°C) to 97°F (36°C). By 2 weeks of age, the normal heart rate is
above 200 beats per minute and the respiratory rate 15 to 30 breaths per minute.
The temperature gradually increases to 100°F (37.8°C) by 4 weeks of age.
It is best to disturb newborn puppies as little as possible—at least until they
are a few weeks old. Some dams get anxious when their puppies are handled.
There is a theory that too much handling interferes with the process by which
puppies learn to identify and relate to their mothers and littermates. These
interactions are important in establishing normal canine behavior. When
these early imprints do not proceed as they should, a puppy could develop
problems with shyness or aggression at a later date.
Early neurological stimulation may build up a pup’s resistance to stress—
the goal being a dog who handles stress well. Advocated by top breeder and
author Dr. Carmen Battaglia, this program starts with five simple “stressors”
from 3 to 16 days of life. The activities are tactical stimulation between the
toes by gently touching between the toes with a cotton swab; holding the pup
with his head supported in an erect position; holding the pup with his head
489
17