Observe that a newborn puppy not nursing is cause for alarm. The first stage of a puppy's life is a very delicate moment in which many risks are taken and in which the little one must be able to learn on his own to live outside the mother's womb. One of the first things she does as soon as she is born is to find her mother's breasts to feed herself, protect herself in her mother's lap and feel her warmth.
However, there are times when this step is not completed successfully and the puppy is unable to settle down and feed properly. This is a clear sign that something is wrong. Although the most reasonable thing to do in this situation is to consult the vet as soon as possible, in this article on our site we want to resolve one of the first questions that often arise after birth, Why does my puppy newborn not eating?
We will explain what the warning signs are and what to do when a newborn puppy does not suckle. We will also do a general review so you know what the care of puppies is.
Warning Signs
If newborn puppies are not fed well they will become dehydrated, which can cause them to die quickly, as they do not have energy reserves like adult dogs. The weakness of newborn puppies can appear in just a few hours if they are unable to feed or receive warmth from their mother.
However, how can we know if our little one is in danger? Here are some warning signs that should not be ignored:
- The newborn puppy doesn't want to eat and is listless.
- We can observe the weak muscles.
- Puppies are vomiting or have diarrhea.
- The puppy is coldand his muzzle is also very cold and dry
- We observed a strange and unusual discharge from the umbilical cord.
- The newborn puppy doesn't want to eat, just sleep.
- Unable to suck or weak reflexes when trying to suck.
- The newborn puppies they cry a lot.
If you have observed one or more of the symptoms mentioned, you are probably wondering what to do when a newborn puppy is dying. If this is your situation, do not hesitate: go to the vet urgently, these signs are serious and can put the life of the little newborn puppy at risk.
Causes why a newborn puppy does not eat
In most cases the mother takes care of the little ones, however, in some cases it will be necessary for us to help the dog to take care of her puppies, especially when one cannot suck, when he rejects them or we observe a he alth problem.
There are various reasons why a puppy does not want to suckle, but to solve it, we must first reach a diagnosis, which It can only be offered to us by a veterinarian. Depending on the diagnosis, the specialist will recommend one treatment or another.
Even so, below we will talk about the causes that can cause a newborn puppy not to eat:
- Full Stomach: Sometimes what happens is that the puppy just feels full and refuses to eat. If it has been less than 4 hours since your last feed, chances are you are not hungry.
- Gases: Gas is very common in puppies, especially if they are bottle-fed. This can cause a lack of appetite, discomfort and could even explain why newborn puppies cry.
- Premature Puppies: If the puppy was born prematurely or has a malformed nose, throat or jaw, they may refuse to eat or that it is impossible.
- Disease: It may be the case that one of the puppies was born with he alth problems and cannot suckle on its own. If you notice any strange signs, such as fever, diarrhea, muscle weakness and / or cold, it is possible that what happens is that he is sick. Go to the vet immediately.
- Cold or weak: If he has been separated from the rest of the puppies and from the mother, it may be that what he does not want to eat is because he is cold, since he is unable to regulate his temperature. The cold can weaken and dehydrate the little one in a very short time, and even suffer hypoglycemia, a sudden drop in blood sugar that will put the puppy's life at risk. If his temperature is lower than 34ºC, his digestive system will slow down and will not work properly. To measure their temperature, you can use a digital pediatric thermometer and insert just the tip into the rectum with the help of a little lubricant.
- Low sugar level: if you notice that the puppy has a suitable temperature, but is weak, lethargic, does not nurse and even has seizures or abnormal tremors, it is very likely that what is happening is that you have hypoglycemia.
- Rejection of the mother: it may happen that the mother rejects one or more of the puppies and decides to stop feeding them, either for pathological reasons or by instinct. If your little one does not cuddle up with his mother and the rest of the puppies, he will be in danger of not getting the food and warmth necessary for his survival. This situation is very delicate, since not only is it dangerous that she does not want to breastfeed them, but she can also be aggressive with them.
What to do when a newborn puppy won't eat?
Depending on the severity of the condition, it will be essential to go to the vet. For the moment, and if it does not show signs of seriousness, you can follow these tips that will help you protect the little one:
- Full Stomach: Waits for a while to offer you the next shot. Puppies usually eat every two to four hours, so it may be too early.
- Gases: if, despite the fact that the dog is not eating, it is fine and does not show any signs of concern, in addition to tummy is a little swollen, you can help him expel gas by gently stroking his stomach to make him burp or stimulate his anus with a warm, wet cloth to help him defecate.
- Premature puppies: In this situation, the only thing that can be done is to take premature, lethargic or malformed dogs to the veterinarian to assess your situation.
- Disease: The only person who can help you solve this problem is your veterinarian. Go to him or her as soon as possible to remedy. Remember that newborn puppies are especially delicate!
- Cold or weakness: when we observe that the newborn puppy does not stop crying, we can suspect that he is suffering from cold or weakness. Remember that you must keep the little one warm. You can bundle him up and place him on your chest for warmth or use a bag of warm/hot (not boiling) water and place the puppy on a towel on top of this bag to gradually warm up. Do not use a heating pad or cushion, as this could overheat the puppy or raise his temperature too quickly, leading to serious problems. If you notice that the puppy is panting, it is too hot. Lower the temperature a bit. When the puppy recovers its ideal temperature, it should show interest in feeding. If he doesn't get better, take him to the vet for a checkup.
- Low sugar level: It is always best to go to the vet.
- Mother Rejection: If this is the case, you may need to purchase special nursing formulas for rejected puppies and offer it to the puppies with a bottle. You must carry out exhaustive control and surveillance in these cases. You may need to put a muzzle on your dog to prevent her from hurting you if she shows behavioral problems. Consult your veterinarian as soon as possible so that he can offer you the most appropriate solution.
Bottle-feeding a newborn puppy
Although ideally the puppy (or puppies) should receive both the mother's warmth and her breast milk, since this food is essential to develop their immune system, sometimes this cannot be fulfilled, either due to rejection, disability, illness, disease and even death of the parent.
If the possibility of being with the mother has been ruled out or after a while with her the little one has not been able to join her and feed himself, it will be time to have replacement formula, also known as as artificial milk formula.
We can find milk for puppies in pet stores and veterinary clinics, however, we recommend you visit a veterinarian so they can explain how much milk a puppy drinksdepending on your age and current state of he alth.
To offer it, follow these steps:
- Choose a suitable formula for your puppy, which is also of good quality.
- Use a syringe or bottle, always depending on the size of the puppy.
- Make sure you are using the appropriate size syringe or teat for the size of the puppy, if you have any doubts consult your trusted veterinarian.
- Follow the directions for preparing the milk and give it warm, not too hot.
- The little ones, together with their mother, feed continuously. For this reason, we must feed the homeless puppy including every three or four hours at night.
- Do not use cow's milk or other substitutes, as this can cause digestive problems in puppies.
Finally, we must not forget stimulate the genital area of the abandoned little one to help him urinate and defecate:
- Gently rub cotton wool soaked in lukewarm water over the child's genital area.
- Clean the genital region once you defecate or urinate with a clean piece of paper or cotton.
If any of the steps above don't work or you notice anything abnormal during the process, take your newborn puppy to the vet to have the situation evaluated. A puppy with he alth problems needs immediate attention.
Puppy dog care
Now you know different causes that can cause a puppy not to want to eat, along with the possible solutions, however, if you want to know more about the subject and delve into the care of puppies, do not miss the following tips:
- Check the puppies carefully on a daily basis.
- Write down the daily weight of the puppies in a notebook.
- Make sure they are all nursing and maintain a stable temperature.
- Do not separate them from their mother prematurely.
- Go to the vet at any of the above signs.
You can also visit our article about feeding a newborn puppy.
