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

492 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
Contented newborns.
reserves are limited. Therefore, the potential for low blood sugar must be offset
by frequent feeding. A puppy who does not nurse frequently, for whatever
reason, is headed for trouble.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WEIGHT GAIN
After birth, puppies should gain 1 to 1.5 grams a day for each pound of anticipated
adult weight, and should double their birth weights in 10 to 12 days.
The anticipated adult weight is the weight of the dam. So if the dam weighs
30 pounds (13.6 kg), the puppies should gain 30 to 45 grams per day. (One
ounce equals 28.35 grams.) A steady gain in weight is the best indicator that
a puppy is doing well.
It is important to weigh each puppy at birth and 12 hours later on a scale
that measures grams or ounces. You will need a scale that measures fine increments,
because, initially, the gains are such small amounts. Then weigh each
pup daily for the first two weeks and every three days thereafter until the puppies
are 1 month old. Failure to gain weight is a cause for immediate concern.
Notify your veterinarian.
When several puppies in the litter are not gaining at the expected rate,
consider a maternal factor such as failure to produce enough milk (see
Agalactia, page 486). A nursing dam needs two to three times more nutrition
than a typical adult dog. If the mother is not getting enough calories, her milk
supply will be inadequate to support a large litter. How much to feed during
lactation is discussed in chapter 16.