How To Care For Newborn Puppies And Their Mother?
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Those of you who have been assigned the undertaking of caring for infant pooches are extremely lucky. But, this opportunity arrives with an enormous responsibility. It’s thrilling but can be overwhelming and time-consuming at the same time. There are a lot of things you need to take into account to raise a strong, healthy, and playful dog.
If you are a first-time dog caretaker, then you might be thinking about how to care for newborn puppies and their mother, where they will sleep, what they will eat, and much more. To take proper care of them, you will need to provide them a healthy environment, a well-balanced and nutritious diet, vaccination, and many other things.
In this guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about how to take good care of pooches and bitches. So, continue reading.
Week By Week Development Of Infant Puppies
One Week Old Pup
Their main job is to eat, sleep, and defecate. They can move around a little bit but can’t walk. At this stage, their eyes and ears are closed.
Two Weeks Old Pooch
Now, their eyes and ears are opened, and they can start to stretch their legs and move a little more.
Three Weeks Old Canine
At 3 weeks, he will become more movable and start exploring his surroundings. At this phase, their personalities will switch, and the first teeth will also come out of the gums.
Four Weeks Old Doggie
It is the optimal time to teach him how to drink puppy milk replacer and water.
Five To Six Weeks Old Puppy
Now, you can transition him from milk to soft food, such as wet food and moistened kibble.
Seven To Eight Weeks Old Mutt
During this period, they will be able to eat soft kibble and dry food by the end of the 8th week.
How To Care For Newborn Puppies And Their Mother?
Mom’s Responsibility
Once the female dog has delivered her puppy, she will nurture him during the initial few weeks of life. She will keep them warm, feed them, and clean them by licking them. She will also safeguard them whenever required.
Taking Care Of The Bitch
First of all, you will have to examine her nipple and mammary gland at least once every day for inflammation, discharge, firmness, or flashing colors. If the breast tissues are inflamed, you should notify the vet immediately. If detected early, you can milk out the infected gland and apply warm compresses to help prevent the spread of the inflammation. Sometimes, vets recommend feeding antibiotics as well.
If she gets multiple inflamed glands, you will need to bottle-feed the newborn puppies. Make sure to cut their nails every week starting from their birth to prevent scratches on the mother’s mammary glands. The teeth will start coming out of the gums around the 11th day. It is vital to examine the mother dog’s glands regularly for bite marks. After giving birth, she will experience heavy bloody discharge from her vulva for a few days.
After two to three days, the discharge will become darker and reduce in amount. During pregnancy, the odds are that her hair coat will become thicker. However, when the weaning process starts, she starts to shed the thicker hair coat. You should not be worried about the extreme loss of hair coat because it is a natural process and will be back to normal in almost five months. Some female dogs also become bald.
Furthermore, you will have to provide her sufficient amount of nutritious food and water so that she can produce and feed enough milk to her puppies. You will also need to take her outside every day for physical activities so that she can relieve herself. It is better to keep her in your own yard instead of taking her to the neighboring park. After delivery, try to keep her away from other mutts as much as possible. The trips should not be too long, and she should return to her newborns as soon as possible.
Maintain A Whelping Box
Your next task would be to keep the whelping box neat and clean. When the bitch is outside, you can take advantage of that chance to change out the blanket in the whelping box. Also, modify the newspaper lining and put new bedding while you wash the dirty one.
Vital Things To Do To Raise A Healthy And Playful Puppy
These are the essential things you need to do to raise a healthy puppy.
Clean Environment
They will spend the initial few weeks of their life in the whelping box, so you should choose that box carefully when getting ready for their arrival. There should adequate space inside the box so that both the puppy and his mother can lie down and stretch out comfortably.
Also, it should be effortless for them to come out and go inside the box. The box should be easily accessible because you will have to change the blanket every day.
Health
Newborn puppies can develop diseases and infections easily; thus, you will need to keep a strict eye on them. Make sure to take them for regular examinations to watch for signs of any serious disease or infection.
Any unusual conditions such as vomiting, weight loss, weight gain, or inappropriate growth should be described to the vet immediately. The vet will prescribe antibodies to help shield them from ailments in the first few weeks. Also, they will receive their first round of vaccinations in the first six to eight weeks.
Warmth
Newborns are unable to fine-tune their body temperature, so you should protect them from breezes. Although they will cuddle up with their mother and get heat from her body. However, you can also utilize a heating source such as a lamp, blanket, etc., during the first four weeks of their life.
Place the heating source high above the whelping box to prevent the hazards of burning the canines and bitches. Also, make a cooler corner in the box, so they can crawl to that part if they get extremely warm. In the first week, the box’s temperature should be 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Gradually, reduce the heat to 75 degrees by the end of seven days.
Nursing And Nutrition
During the initial days, he will be dependent on his mommy’s milk. Nursing demands a lot of energy and calories, so the mother will be less active during this period. To guarantee they get enough nutrition throughout the nurturing phase, the mother must be fed high-quality food multiple times a day. Consult with your vet about the amount and type of food to serve the bitch.
After the 4th and 5th week, young pups will begin getting their teeth so that you can initiate the weaning process. Once you witness the canines beginning to eat their mother’s food, it is the best time to give them their own bowl of superior quality puppy food.
Conclusion
Newborn doggies are delicate, but they can be strong. Make sure they acquire enough amount of food, and their environment is also neat and safe. If you educate yourself on how to care for newborn puppies and their mother, you will have playful and healthy mutts.
