My pekingese gave birth to 7 puppies today. the 4th is the obvious runt and she is not doing well.?

Question

She is so much smaller then the others. She is having a hard time breathing and is not suckling at all. Cocoa (mom) is not really paying attention to her so I am trying to keep her warm and tried a few drops of puppy formula. Should I keep her seperate from mom and the others and try to save her on my own or should I return her to mom and see what happens. I would hate to loose her...she is such a beauty! Any advice would be great!!
Thank you
Janine

My boys and I are sitting with this wee little one we have affectionately called ANGEL. Her breathing is even more spaced and shallow as before and I can not get a cry out of her anymore. She is not really moving and I know the end is near. We are just going to be with her and let her go peacefully. I know we have tried our best and Thank you to all how answered us. in answer to some of you....I did contact a vet, who said keep her warm and try formula, I was able to make her pee once and I checked for cleft pallet and lip and both were fine. I just think she was too weak and small from the start. We will bury her in the morning(unless we have a miracle) right near our 2 dearly departed dogs. This is so sad but I have to say what a lesson my kids learned today. I just hope I have made her as comfortable as possible and she goes painlessly.
Thanks again to all of you!!!!!!
Janine

SHE IS AT PEACE NOW
Our little Angel passed away at 10:20pm.
I cant believe how much I fell in love with this little who was only in the world 10 hours. I am so heart broken. My boys are I cried but I explained to them it is God's will and we did everything we could. My daughter kept checking in to see how she was doing, I hate to have to tell her this when she gets home.
Thanks to everyone for all your help and kind words.My focus now is to watch Cocoa care for her 6 new lttle ones. She seems to be a very good mother so far.
Janine

Answer 1

My Golden gave birth to 11 and 1 was ALOT smaller than the rest. We got the stronger ones sucking first to get the milk flowing then put her on. THat way she didn't have to try as hard. Did you suction her when she was born, to make sure she doesn't have any fluid in the lungs. I did all of mine although i'm not sure they needed it. The being smaller and mom not paying attn. doesn't bother me as much as the breathing problem. Lily (mom) was horrible the first nite. I had to get up and rotate crying puppies (can you believe how LOUD they are for being so small?!) every 1/2 hour. I was so tired I wanted to cry. But after she got that 1st nites sleep she was the best. So I wouldn't worry about that yet. I would leave her with mom but make sure she is eating enough and doesn't get laid on by too many in the "puppy pile"
GOOD LUCK! Let us know how she is tomorrow!

Answer 2

If you put the pup back with mom she will ignore it, not let it to nurse and just push it away so it gets chilled . She has already decided to let it die. I found six puppies, I suspect, on the day they were born. I nursed them until all but two were adopted at 8 weeks. The only reason the other two were not adopted was because I fell in love with them and I kept those two.

First, keep the pup warm. You will keep the pup if you tried to feed her after she has gotten chilled. If she has gotten chilled warm her up slowly ( over the course of an hour or so). I used a heating pad set on LOW with a towel over it. Don't fold the towel over too many times or she won't get any warmth through it.

Second, keep some karo syrup on hand. Dab a bit in her mouth every hour until she can take some milk. This will keep her from becoming hypoglycemic, which can kill her.

Third, either buy some puppy formula at the store or vets; or make your own. I made my own from 1 can full fat evaporated milk, 2 egg whites, 1 can of boiled (cooled) water, 1 tablesppon karo syrup and 1/2 c. full fat yogurt. Mix together, whisk. It keeps for a couple of days. You can half the recipe for smaller batches. While you are out, buy a baby animal nipple in the animal section and a a syringe.

Fourth, get some Nutri-Cal (Vet or feed store). It is a high calorie supplement.

Fifth, get used the idea of not getting much sleep for the next few weeks and use that time wisely by reading everything on the Internet about nursing orphan pups.

When I began feeding my little orphans I got one of those little animal nipples from the pet area at Walmart. I put the nipple on the end of a syringe and fed them a drop at a time until they were able to start sucking on a bottle. After about 2 weeks I went to small nipples. You will have to make some x cuts with nail scissors to feed the homade formula. The stuff is kind of thick. If the stuff comes out too thick, I would add some baby rice or baby oatmeal to thicken it slightly (make sure it is very well blended or it will clog the hole). I also had some success using disposable vinyl gloves. Go here (http://www.cockerspanielinformation.com/puppies/orphand_puppies.html) for really good information on how to do this; there is also some excellent info. and hand raising pups.

Feed every couple of hours. Overfeeding Can dangerous Feed more often rather then feeding more at one time. Look up a feeding schedule on the Internet after the first week.

If the pup aspirates the formula (coughing and choking) hold her carefully with her head supported in the palm of your hand and gently swing her with her noise facing down. this can help bring the milk out of her lungs using gravity and the force of the momentum.

Make sure to wipe the baby's bottom with a warm washcloth or cotton ball to make her urinate and defecate. If she becomes constipated- add more water to formula, feed more often, less at one time. If she becomes runny- add baby rice cereal to formula and or baby medicine for diarrhea.

If it comes down to it a vet can show how to tube feed.

Good Luck.

PS. My orphan pups are now 10 weeks old and 18 lbs. It seems I did not rescue puppies, I rescued horses!

Answer 3

I would NOT nurse or supplement the runt unless he looks, weak, hungry, skinny or crying as if he is NOT getting enough milk. If you are nervous..you can buy the supplies to have them on hand just in case... But do not start supplementing if you do not see any initial problems. Just like human breastfeeding..you do not want to start mixing bottle and breast. The reason for this is you will intterupt mama's milk supply. This is important because her body is like a computer system..Right now it is determinning how much milkik it need to make by how much suckling is taking place. How much suckling is determined by kitten appetitie. If you start messing with the kittens appetites by supplementing the hungriest kittens......even though you THINK you are helping, in the end you can be damaging mom's milk suplly. This is very important in a few days when the kittens will depend on it. The first day or so mostly colostrum is there and a little milk. But after a few days the milk TREALLY comes in and you don't want to be messing with her milk supply. Unless the kitten is in danger of starving to death let it be. I have seen too many kittens supplemented, ending up with gassy tummies on kitten supplemnt and then mother's milk suplly depleted when all would have been better without interference. If all is well enoough...leave out of it. The runt will catch up fine. Get a gram scale to weigh the kittens every day...then you can actually monitopr how much they are growing and see if the runt is picking up weight at the same rate as his littermates and make a more informed decision. He may always be a little smaller..But he should grow at the same rate. Eventually he should also catch up. Having to "fight" harder for his supper you may notcie he may end up being a little feistier than the others as well, which is always peculiar and cute in runts.

Answer 4

I've had the same problem with litters. She may be destined not to make it... she may not have developed properly. I would not give her back to the mother as she has already decided. Keep the puppy warm, feed it warm puppy formula as often as directed on the can. After you feed the puppy, get a washcloth wet with warm water and wash it's belly. The puppy will think this is it's mom and will peepee...just do it. I would take the puppy to the vet on monday just in case. After a week or two you may be able to reintroduce the puppy to the litter. Be prepared to feed every hour or couple of hours though!

Answer 5

Take her to the vet asap, you may have to play mommy for the puppy until it is big enough for solides. Not easy. I had to help with a litter kit's. You have to feed them every 2 hours i think and you have to make them go potty too, by using a warm soft rag and wipping tboth spots since that stimulates them to go, before and after each meal. . keep them warm and clean. If others are not geting enough milk you may have to do it for a few other also. Keep an eye on them.

Just have your vet talk you through hand raising the pups that cant get enough milk from mommy.

Answer 6

She could have a cleft palate or a cleft lip which wouldn't allow her to latch on. If this is the case a vet can usually correct this type of birth defect with surgery. Take the pup to the vet as
soon as possible to have it checked. Newborns are rather fragile.

Answer 7

Take it to the vet and see what is the matter, It sounds like she was born prematurely, or try to take care of it yourself for awhile until the baby grows up a little bit then return it to her mom and see what cocoa does and I have the perfect name for her Addison Claire. Good luck and I will be praying for her.

Answer 8

janine, she will prob. die. and its not your fault...its nature :( you should make sure she is warm the most important thing !! either with a heat lamp or pad.... but dont burn her. also if she can't suckle try a drop of corn syrup on her tounge to give her energy then if it works put a teet onto her mouth if that doesnt work a couple drops of puppy milk try to make her suck it b/c you can drown her if she isn't swallowing it. dont hold her upside down. hold het feet down when feeding. god speed :)

Answer 9

can you call a vet? it sounds like you really need to.....not to make you feel bad but it sounds like she needs more help than we can provide....till you can get a vet on the job, yes, keep her alive no matter what it takes.....a lot of my dogs (form the shelter and cats...have been the runt...) and they have lead long and I must say very happy lives....sounds like you already know the right thing to do for her, right this second....save her...it's a life..all of life is worth saving.....I root for the "under dog" always.....please call a vet ASAP....good luck...really, good luck.

Answer 10

Take her to a vet as soon as possible