How to Take Care of Newborn Dachshund Babies

Dachshunds make wonderful companions. They are lovable and playful. They are good with children and do well in many home environments. If your dachshund is expecting a litter of puppies, it can be an exciting experience. But you will want to ensure you are ready to help the newborn dachshunds survive. Although the mother will do most of the work, a newborn dachshund puppy is small and helpless for the first few weeks and will need your help, too.

Things You'll Need

  • Towel
  • Brandy
  • Eyedropper
  • Baby bulb syringe
  • Iodine
  • Dental floss
  • Heat lamp
  • Thermometer
  • Newspaper
  • Scale
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Instructions

  1. Immediately Following Birth

    • 1

      Watch for any puppy that seems to be struggling to start breathing.

    • 2

      Rub the puppy with a rough towel to stimulate it. Place a drop of brandy under its tongue if the towel does not work.

    • 3

      Provide CPR to puppies who struggle to breathe, if all else fails.

    • 4

      Suction out the nose and throat of any puppy that sounds congested, by using a baby bulb syringe.

    • 5

      Swab any umbilical cord that seems to be bleeding too much. Use iodine to swab it and dental floss to tie it off.

    • 6

      Encourage the puppies to nurse immediately.

    Warmth

    • 7

      Because they cannot regulate their own body temperatures, prevent chills that can cause illness or death in newborn puppies.

    • 8

      Keep the whelping box heated with an electric bulb to a temperature of 85 to 95 degrees.

    • 9

      Ensure the light bulb is out of reach of the puppies to prevent injury.

    • 10

      Reduce the heat slowly over the fifth through tenth day of life until you reach 80 degrees.

    • 11

      Continue to reduce the heat over the next few weeks until you reach 75 degrees at around the end of the fourth week.

    Clean and Healthy

    • 12

      Line the whelping box with newspaper.

    • 13

      Change the newspaper daily.

    • 14

      Monitor the babies daily when you change the newspaper. Weigh the puppies and record their weight.

    • 15

      Bathe the puppies as necessary after feedings, but do not interfere with the mother's cleaning and licking, which induces bowel movements and urination.

    • 16

      Contact your veterinarian immediately if any puppy is losing weight, not consistently gaining weight, crying nonstop, or if the mother is neglecting any puppies.