The first two weeks of life for a puppy are called the neonatal period. Puppies are born with their eyes and ear canals closed, and their main activities are sleeping and nursing. They cry or whine to seek contact or care from their mother.
But crying in newborn puppies is generally due to one of a few issues: Hunger. Make sure each puppy is nursing properly and is getting enough nursing time. Watch out for competition from the other littermates and keep an eye out for any issues with the mother dog and her milk.
Just like newborn babies, however, puppies have various wants, needs, and emotions, but they only have so many means to communicate with us. So, they cry, whimper, and whine until we learn how to give them what they need.
If they are crying during or after eating, they are usually becoming ill, are not receiving adequate milk, or the mother's milk has become infected (mastitis). A newborn puppy is very susceptible to infections and can die within a few hours of becoming ill.
If the puppies are not getting enough to eat, they will be restless and cry a lot, and of course, they will not have full bellies. It is at that point that you have to try to feed them some extra milk. You can purchase a puppy milk replacer from a pet store or your vet or make a natural substitute with coconut water.
The common findings are a low birth weight or failure to gain weight at the same rate as their siblings (the 'runt' of the litter), decreased activity and inability to suckle. These puppies have a tendency to remain separate from the mother and the rest of the litter.
Make sure they're comfortable and warm and have their things around them. If they continue to cry for a long time, then there may well be something you need to help them with. If you do go and check, limit your time with them. Check if they need the toilet or if they are hurt, then settle your puppy again and leave.
Puppies: Puppies should nurse vigorously and compete for nipples. Newborns can nurse up to 45 minutes at a time. Be sure to watch puppies nursing at least once a day, if the mother will permit it.
Like raising a new baby, puppies cry and whine to communicate their thoughts and feelings with their new family. Unfortunately, they don't speak the same language as their human roommates, so to get their point across, you'll hear a lot of dog whimpering, whining, yelping and even crying.
If the puppies huddle close to each other under the heat source, it may mean they're too cold and are trying to use the group's body heat to stay warm. If the puppies are scattered in different areas of the box, it could mean they're too hot.
During the first four days of life, the environmental temperature where the puppies are kept should be maintained at 85-90°F (29.5-32°C). The temperature may then be gradually decreased to approximately 80°F (26.7°C) by the seventh to tenth day, and to about 72°F (22.2°C) by the end of the fourth week.
Most pups will cry for around half the time. By the third night it should be just a few hours, and an average pup is quiet for the fourth. Once they are settled, you will actually need to go in at least once overnight to take them out to toilet!
After each feeding, the puppy should be burped. Hold him against your shoulder and gently pat his back.
Milk thistle is one natural supplement known to help nursing mothers with their milk-making. Other dogs benefit from taking zinc while providing for their pups. In small doses, apricot can also increase milk production. Whatever you decide, it's always best to run it by your vet before you begin supplementing.
The failure to thrive in newborn puppies and kittens, or neonates, is known as fading puppy and kitten syndrome. The syndrome can occur from birth to 9 weeks of age. Affected neonates can decline quickly and die, so immediate detection and treatment are key to survival.
What exactly is “littermate syndrome” and is it real? Littermate syndrome can occur when two puppies adopted from the same litter grow up together in the same home. In some cases, these sibling puppies form such a deep bond with each other that they fail to properly socialize with people and other dogs.
Be aware that exceeding the stomach capacity (amount per feeding) may put the puppy at risk of aspiration, vomiting, diarrhea, and gas build-up in the stomach and intestines.
Cold formula, overly rapid feeding rates, and overfeeding can lead to regurgitation, aspiration, bloating, and diarrhea. If the orphaned puppy develops diarrhea, reduce the formula volume. It is better to slightly underfeed than to overfeed neonatal orphaned puppies.
Newborn puppies should nurse at least every 2 hours for the first week or two of life. After this, they can stretch the feeding times to 3-4 hours, as long as they are still gaining weight and doing well. Once the puppies are 3 to 4 weeks old, you can begin the weaning process by giving them access to puppy food.
Once a dog gives birth to her puppies, two different hormones contribute to her motherly instincts. The first is oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone.” It's what drives a mother dog to nuzzle her puppies or wrap around them to keep them warm while nursing.