Dehydration in Newborn Puppies

Definition

• Dehydration is the loss of body salts and fluids that are critical to normal body functioning. It occurs when more body fluid is lost than taken in. When a newborn puppy does not have enough fluids in his body to function properly, he is considered dehydrated.

Causes

• Dehydration in puppies occurs when they are not being properly nursed. Improper nursing happens for several reasons: the mother does not produce an adequate amount of milk, the mother refuses to nurse her puppies, the mother's milk is tainted due to illness or other causes, or the mother dies. Also, sometimes a puppy is born sick, and he may vomit and have diarrhea. This also leads to dehydration.

Symptoms

• There are several ways to determine if a puppy is dehydrated. Normally, newborn puppies have extra skin on top of their heads and at the base of their necks that is easy to grasp. If you pinch the skin on the back of the puppy's neck and the skin stands up but does not snap back into position, then the puppy is dehydrated. If the puppies are being nursed but still appear abnormally skinny, that's another sign of dehydration. Other symptoms of dehydration include bright yellow urine, sunken eyes, dry mouth, weakness and a bright pink tongue.

Prevention

• The are several conditions that lead to dehydration. If you watch for these conditions, you can prevent the onset of dehydration. Sick puppies are prone to vomiting and diarrhea. This eventually leads to dehydration, so watch for loose stools and any signs of sickness, including a high temperature. The early detection of warning signs in sick puppies gives you a chance to start issuing more fluids before dehydration occurs.

Treatment

• In cases of severe dehydration, you will have to take your dog to the vet to receive fluid therapy. Fluid therapy involves giving a puppy replacement fluids intravenously or orally. If the signs of dehydration, are mild then you can use a supplemental milk replacement to increase hydration. The milk replacement will have the nutrients a puppy needs for development. This is especially helpful in situations where the mother is not providing milk to her puppies. You can find a milk replacement product at stores that sell pet supplies. Some replacements are made with goat's milk, which is much gentler on a puppy's stomach. Also, there are natural milk replacement products and regular dog milk replacements on the market. There are specially designed dog feeding bottles to assist with giving milk replacements to small puppies. These are also found at pet supply stores.