When chihuahua puppies are born, they weigh only a few ounces. Because they are so small, newborn chihuahua puppies are very delicate and require a lot of special care. More often than not, the mother dog will provide the care the puppy needs, but if the mother is absent or unable to care for all of her puppies, the owner may have to help with feeding or potty time. However, children should not handle newborn puppies until they are at least three weeks old.
Things You'll Need
- Dog bed
- Syringe
- Heating pad or hot water bottle
- Towel
- Commercial canine milk replacer
Instructions
Find a place for the puppy's bed that is either on the floor or very close to it. The puppy's eyes will still be closed, which puts him or her at risk of falling, and because newborn chihuahuas are so small, even a short fall can be very dangerous.
Make sure that the puppy's bed area is warm and draft free. Wrap a heating pad or hot water bottle with a towel and place it in the bed. Chihuahua puppies are particularly susceptible to illness if they are not warm enough, so it's important that they don't get cold.
Buy a commercial canine milk replacer specifically formulated for puppies to feed the newborn chihuahua if the mother is unable to feed him or her. Do not use cow's milk or any other milk replacer, because it can give the puppy diarrhea. A bottle can be too big for chihuahua puppies, so you can use a syringe instead. Visit your vet for instructions on bottle-feeding and how to create a proper feeding schedule.
Feed your chihuahua puppy at least every two hours the first week. Then, slowly increase the times between feedings over the next several weeks until you're feeding the puppy every few hours. When your puppy is about four weeks old, soak some dry puppy kibble in warm water and milk replacer to begin transitioning the puppy to solid food. You can offer this mixture to the puppy several times during the day. The amount of milk replacer can be decreased until the puppy is eating dry kibble at about seven or eight weeks old.
Wet a piece of gauze or a soft washcloth in warm water. Gently massage the puppy's urinary and anal areas with the cloth after feeding to help the puppy relieve himself. During the first few weeks of life, the puppy can't do this without help, but by about three or four weeks old, the puppy should be able to go to the bathroom without help.
Handle your chihuahua puppy as little as possible during the first two weeks. Only handle the puppy to make sure it is clean, fed and warm. Don't upset the mother dog when handling the puppy. When the puppy is three weeks old, you can start handling her more in short sessions a few times each day.