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

unabsorbed bile. Dilute the strength of the formula by one-half. Mix one part
water or Pedialyte to one part formula. Gradually return the formula to full
strength as the stools become yellow and firm.
Unchecked overfeeding leads to very rapid transit and depletion of digestive
enzymes and electrolytes. This causes a grayish diarrhea. Eventually,
when there is little or no digestion of formula due to rapid transit, the stool
looks like curdled milk. At this point the puppy is getting no nutrition and is
rapidly dehydrating. This puppy will need to be rehydrated by giving a balanced
electrolyte solution subcutaneously or hourly by stomach tube; this is
best done by a veterinarian.
Any diarrhea that does not respond to diluting the formula—or where the
stools are gray or white—is serious and may be caused by neonatal infection.
Call your veterinarian without delay. This requires professional attention.
Underfeeding
Puppies who are being underfed cry continuously, appear listless and apathetic,
attempt to suckle littermates, gain little or no weight from one feeding
to the next, and begin to chill. Puppies dehydrate quickly when they’re not
getting enough formula. Review your feeding protocol. Check the temperature
of the incubator.
RAISING A SINGLETON
Raising a singleton puppy can present additional challenges. It is important to
monitor his weight carefully, as the puppy will have a tendency to overeat and
become overweight. You may need to bind up some of the dam’s mammary
glands or only allow nursing for short periods.
A single puppy will miss the litter interactions that are so important to the
development of every animal. A stuffed “fake puppy” with realistic heart
sounds can be purchased as a sleeping buddy for the first couple of weeks, to
help mimic a littermate.
If a litter of about the same age can be found and the dam is agreeable, taking
one or two puppies from that litter to foster will be good for the behavioral
development of the singleton. Barring that, it will be important to arrange for
puppy play dates with other litters once they are a bit older. (See The
Importance of Early Socialization, page 512.)
Diseases of Newborn Puppies
NEONATAL ISOERYTHROLYSIS
PEDIATRICS • 503
This is a quite rare but often fatal hemolytic anemia of the newborn that sometimes
occurs when a bitch with one blood type is mated to a dog with another.
The puppies who inherit the blood group of the sire develop hemolytic anemia