Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Record book
- Blankets
- Rectal thermometer
- Nail trimmers
- Canine milk replacer (optional)
- Bottle (optional)
- Wash cloth or cotton ball (optional)
- Towel (optional)
- Heating pad or hot water bottle (optional)
Instructions
Weigh your puppies daily and record the weight in a record book. Puppies should immediately begin gaining up to 20 ounces a day, and their weight should double by eight to 10 days old. Make sure the dam has plenty of fluids to help keep up her milk supply. If your puppies are not gaining enough weight, contact your veterinarian.
Keep the puppies warm by covering the floors with blankets and keeping the temperature in the room above 70 degrees. Chilling, or being too cold is one of the leading causes of death for puppies following birth. If the puppy feels cold to the touch, take its temperature rectally. The rectal temperature should be between 98 degrees and 100 degrees. If the temperature is too low, try placing the puppy closer to the dam, and if the puppy still is not warming up contact your veterinarian.
Cut the puppies' nails each week. If the puppies' nails begin to get too long, they can scratch the dam's teats and she may try to wean the puppies early. Trim the puppies nails near or inside their whelping room and with the dam nearby. She will be concerned that you are handling the puppies, so be sure to reassure her often. Clip off the curved part of each nail. Do not cut too short, or the nail may bleed.
Feed the dam more food as needed. Don't worry about her gaining too much weight. She needs the extra food and fluids to keep up her milk supply. Encourage her to stay with the puppies, so feed her in the room with the puppies but allow her out for bathroom breaks and to bond with the rest of the family.
Take care of the puppies if there is no mother. The dam should take the lead on caring for the puppies, however sometimes the dam is not available either because of sickness or abandonment. If this is the case, feed the orphaned puppies a commercial canine milk replacer by bottle every two hours. After feeding the puppies, stimulate the urinary and anal regions with a warm washcloth or cotton ball to help the puppies urinate and defecate.
To help keep the puppies warm, use a heating pad on low heat or a warm water bottle wrapped in a towel. Do not overhandle the puppies. Only handle them when feeding, cleaning or keeping warm. Take the orphaned puppies to the veterinarian if they have a lack of appetite, no weight gain or weight loss, difficulty breathing, or unusual discharge.