Puppy Health By Michelle Mears
Over the years I've noticed that a lot of people get puppies or have a litter, then have no idea how to properly care for them, resulting in a high mortality rate or some sickly-looking dogs. So, I figured I'd sit down and write about some of the most common issues concerning puppy health.
First of all, if you've just had a litter, be prepared to lose one or two pups within the first two weeks. This can be due to any number of reasons, underdeveloped pups; the mother dog might lie on them, or fading puppy syndrome. After those two weeks, the remaining pups should be fine. My main rule, as anyone who's been to my yard can tell you, when there are unvaccinated pups on the ground; I limit the foot traffic in my yard. And everyone has to spray their shoes with an anti-viral solution that I keep mixed in a spray bottle at the gate. I use Parvolan, but there are several kinds available. They kill the Parvo virus, Distemper and a few others. What most folks don't know, is that these particular viruses can be brought into the yard on your shoes. Take extra care, especially when you've been in a vet's office. There are a lot of sick dogs that go there!
Check your pups everyday. Pick each one up and check for dehydration. This is done by pinching the skin on the back of their neck. If the skin snaps back down, they're fine. If it stays up in the pinched position, that puppy is dehydrated and needs to be watched closely. At this young age, a puppy can dehydrate rapidly, so you want to catch any problems as soon as possible. They may look fine, until you actually pick them up and check. A healthy pup is firm, warm and wriggly. Watch the stools, as they can also let you know when something is wrong. If you notice the pups becoming bloated, crying a lot and having abnormal looking stools, there's a problem. Have the ph tested on the mother's milk.
Keep the puppy box and are clean, warm and dry. Newborn pups have no shiver reflex and cannon warm themselves; therefore, they get chilled very easily. Change the bedding often. Young pups will get pus-filled blisters on their bellies from urine scalds due to lying on urine-soaked bedding. If this happens, clean the blisters with surgical scrub such as betadine, and then apply an antibacterial ointment like Neosporin. Dirty living quarters can also cause Coxidia. Pups usually contract this around 4-6 weeks of age or older. It is highly contagious and once diagnosed, you might as well medicate the whole litter. Next to Parvo, Coxidia is one of the leading causes of death among older pups. Watch for bloody looking stools and skinny, dehydrated pups. This is relatively easy to treat, as long as you catch it in time. I use Albon 12%. Sometimes you can get it at the feed store, as it is the same medication used to treat chickens for Coxidia. Check with your vet for dosages.
Next, let's talk about worming and vaccinations. I start worming pus at four weeks. I use Ivomec at a very low dose. A lot of people don't like to use Ivomec at such a young age, but in fifteen years, I've never had a problem. I worm at four, five and six weeks, then again at eight and nine weeks.
NOTE: Do not worm and vaccinate your pups on the same day, as it may be too much for their system. I give vaccinations at 6, 9, 12 and 15 weeks.
By fifteen weeks, the pups have lost all their mother's immunities, so the last shot is very important. I strongly advise against using feed store vaccines. Too many people have had bad experiences, me included. Vaccines have to stay cold!!! As soon as they get warm, they are not good. Unless you know the feed store personnel personally, and can be sure the shots arrive there cold and are immediately refrigerated, then don't use them. Order your own shots. This way you know for sure. Yes, it's a little more hassle, but the shots will be good and they're cheaper too! I order all my vaccines from www.jefferspet.com. Have them shipped next-day air, with extra ice packs. Make sure someone's home when they come. If you can't be home, put a large cooler with ice by your mailbox with a note to the post master to put he package inside it. This is very important, especially for the southern state in the summer months. I also recommend the vaccines that contain Lepto. Hog dogs are very susceptible to this bacterium.
Lastly, keep you pups flea and tick free. Small pups can become anemic quickly. You can safely bathe them in liquid ivory dish soap for the fleas and use Sevin 5% dust in their box to kill ticks. Also, clip their nails once a week. Those little nails are like needles, and your gyp can get a nasty infection from scratches on her teats.
Well, I think I've covered all the most important things on puppy health. I've raised hundreds of pups and have learned all of this from experiences, good and bad!
Good luck!
