How to Care for a Premature Puppy

Puppies born before the end of the 63-day gestation period are called premature. Dogs born more than five days early rarely survive. If they are within a couple of days of the due date, they will be small, weak and have less sucking instinct and ability. These steps give you a good chance of saving such puppies.

Things You'll Need

  • Rough towel
  • Blankets
  • Heat lamp
  • Scale
  • Baby bottle
  • Puppy formula
  • Iodine
  • Dental floss

Instructions

  1. What to Do to Help a Premature Puppy Survive

    • 1

      Check the puppies. If they aren't breathing or sound congested, rub each puppy with a rough towel or swing each puppy over your head in a wide arc downward to dislodge mucous and get the lungs working.

    • 2

      Premature puppies must be kept warm. Raise the temperature of the room and make sure they are nestled close to their mother. If she neglects them, you'll need to make a nest of blankets and use a heat lamp.

    • 3

      The digestive system is usually not well-formed in a premature puppy. It can't digest its mother's milk. You need to feed it a puppy formula such as Esbilac, using a bottle or a catheter.

    • 4

      Use a scale to keep close track of the puppy's weight. This will help you determine how much to feed it and tell you if it is gaining weight.

    • 5

      If a puppy bleeds excessively from the umbilical cord, clean the cord in iodine and tie it off at the base with dental floss.