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

504 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
when they ingest colostrum that contains antibodies designed to attack their
red blood cells. These antibodies are manufactured by the dam only if she has
been previously sensitized to the sire’s blood group antigens—which can occur
when fetal cells of a different blood type cross the placenta.
Affected puppies are born healthy and start to nurse vigorously. But once
they drink the dam’s colostrum, the dam’s antibodies begin to destroy their
red blood cells. They start to show clinical signs within hours to days, stop
nursing, and fail to thrive. They develop hemolytic anemia within one to two
days after birth and some or all will die.
Early clinical signs of the disease include dark red-brown urine, weakness,
failure to thrive, and jaundice. Death can occur in 24 hours. Blood tests, urinalysis,
and blood typing can diagnosis the condition.
Treatment: As soon as you suspect hemolytic anemia, stop all nursing and
notify your veterinarian. The puppies may require blood transfusions from a
compatible donor to restore their red cells. Puppies from subsequent litters
should not be allowed to receive colostrum from the dam, unless the sire and
dam have compatible blood types.
UMBILICAL (NAVEL) INFECTION
A common predisposing factor in navel infection is severing the umbilical
cord too close to the abdominal wall. This leaves no stump to wither up and
separate cleanly. Other possible causes are a dam with dental disease who
transmits bacteria when she severs the umbilical cord, and an unclean whelping
box contaminated by urine and stools. An infected navel looks red and
swollen and may drain pus or form an abscess.
There is a direct communication between the umbilical cord and the liver,
which makes even a low-grade umbilical infection potentially dangerous.
Untreated, puppy septicemia is likely.
Treatment: At the first indication of navel infection, seek veterinary
attention for antibiotic treatment. If one puppy has an umbilical infection, it
may also be present in other puppies in the litter.
Iodine applied to the navel stump at birth as a preventive measure reduces
the likelihood of umbilical infection.
PUPPY SEPTICEMIA
Blood-borne infections in young puppies are caused by bacteria that gain
entrance via the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. They occur in puppies
5 to 12 weeks of age. At this age maternal antibodies are in decline and
immunity acquired through vaccinations is not as strong as it eventually will
be. This creates a window of vulnerability.
Very important contributing factors include overcrowding, chilling, poor
nutrition, unsanitary whelping quarters, a heavy burden of intestinal para-