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Raising orphan puppies requires great care, time, and vigilance. Puppies must be kept at appropriate temperatures and humidity levels. Orphaned puppies need to be fed appropriate amounts of a commercial puppy milk replacer at regular intervals and can be fed by bottle or feeding tube. This article provides care guidelines. A veterinarian should be consulted early and frequently throughout the first 6–8 weeks of life.
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Demodectic mange is caused by a parasitic mite that lives in the hair follicles of dogs. As long as the body's immune system is functioning properly, these mites cause no harm. Demodectic mange most often occurs when a dog has an immature or weakened immune system, allowing the number of skin mites to increase rapidly. Topical, oral, and injectable medications are available to treat demodectic mange.
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Distemper virus is a highly contagious disease that can affect multiple body systems and is potentially fatal. Puppies are most susceptible, and respiratory, gastrointestinal, or neurologic signs may be seen. Vaccines are available and are highly effective at preventing disease.
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Fading puppy syndrome describes puppies that decline in health and die within about two weeks of birth. Neonatal puppies are fragile and so there can be many causes of this syndrome including birth defects, inadequate care from the mother, poor health status of the mother and/or infectious diseases. As well as addressing a specific cause, treatment focuses on maintaining hydration and warmth while providing adequate nutrition. Environmental hygiene is extremely important.
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The goal of feeding growing puppies is to lay the foundation for a healthy adulthood. Proper nutrition is critical to the health and development of puppies, and it directly influences their immune system and body composition. Work with your veterinary healthcare team to give your puppy the best chance for success at growing into a healthy adult dog.
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Orphaned puppies need extra care to compensate for the absence of their mother, and this article outlines the basics, including how and what to feed, how to monitor their weight, how to help them eliminate, and how to keep them safe from infection.
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Food-related aggression describes aggressive behavior when a dog is approached while eating. Dogs give subtle signals of discomfort first; these signals are your dog's attempts to communicate a need, politely and clearly. Recognizing these signs when they are subtle and intervening early is vital for preventing or addressing food-related aggression.
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Giardiasis is an intestinal infection caused by a microscopic protozoan. These parasites attach themselves to the intestinal wall and the damage causes an acute, sudden onset of foul-smelling diarrhea. Diagnosis may be by routine fecal flotation or presumptively based on clinical signs. Fenbendazole and metronidazole are the drugs most commonly used to treat giardiasis.
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Canine herpesvirus, or canine herpes, is a systemic, often fatal disease of puppies caused by the canine herpes virus. It may remain latent in tissues after a dog is infected and may be passed on to other dogs, particularly to fetuses developing in the mother's uterus. Clinical signs in puppies include difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, anorexia, soft stools, crying, seizures, and sudden death. Symptoms in adult dogs include coughing and sneezing, miscarriage, lesions on the external genitalia, conjunctivitis, and corneal ulcers. The disease may be prevented by avoiding contact with infected dogs. Pregnant dogs should be isolated to prevent infection.
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Hookworm is a parasitic infection of the gastrointestinal tract. The parasites have hook-like mouthparts they use to anchor themselves to the lining of the intestinal wall. This handout outlines clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
