Tough Way To Start the New Year

Kelly had her 10 pup litter early, oddly, and we lost all but a female puppy who was born alone about 20 hours after Kelly's membranes ruptured for the first pup, who died 12 hours later. Due to a multitude of missed cues and indecisiveness about when to do the c-section, we didn't discover until after removing the horns that not only had a puppy been blocking the birth canal for some time, but a cyst had apparently burst in her right ovary at some point, causing high white blood cell readings when she was admitted for the surgery and only one fullterm puppy in that horn. She had also had slightly high WBC prior to breeding, so was likely cystic then. In fact, her first litter in 2003 was also somewhat problematic (5 perfect stillborns in a 100% vaginal whelping session) but we attributed it to stress due to excessive temperatures during 1st trimester for two weeks after the Florida hurricane. In light of this, that probably was secondary.

Of course, I went ahead and had her spayed because she would ALWAYS have problems when bred. She loves her family and is doing pretty well as a mother of one so far, attentive and concerned when she hears her crying from her basket. She has her own issues with just having had a c-section, mostly related to pain management. Also likely that her breast milk is "coming in", which has got to be painful due to swelling, since one puppy can't possibly nurse as much as 10.

We've also run into a loose stool issue with the puppy, related to the antibiotics that Kelly is getting, along with everything else she got yesterday that is leaking into the puppy through nursing. We're trying to address it through supplemental feeding but it is important that she be able to nurse to keep Kelly's milk coming in. I haven't slept more than 2 hours for several days now and not at all during the day, although I may try to take a nap this afternoon :o)

Here are two recipes for milk replacers. The first is thanks to Bonita Snodgrass of Bwana Kennel, from her DVM David Dykes. The second is thanks to Diane Jacobsen of Calico Ridge.

In either case, refrigerate and feed by oral syringe slowly onto the back of their tongues. It should be a somewhat thick consistency, which will cause them to suck rather than gulp. You definitely don't want any to go into their lungs. I sit the pup up vertically to avoid same issue.

Weigh pup before and after every feeding – note that puppies should gain approx 10% of their weight daily, especially in first three weeks (while nursing). Serve body temp by rolling syringe between palms. Do not microwave very small amounts because it will COOK fast, which will compromise its effectiveness somewhat and could make it VERY hot.

If you are merely supplemental feeding and a puppy is also nursing, 1 cc per ounce of body weight should enable weight gain. If not nursing, up it to 1 1/2 cc/oz. If you are having problems like me with diarrhea from Mom's antibiotics, make sure your milk replacer is using yogurt or something else that can help adjust the friendly bacteria in the pup's system and make sure you don't overheat it.

Lion Milk
Courtesy of Bwana Kennel, formula by David Dykes, DVM
1 can evaporated milk
1 can water
¼ c plain (fatted - harder to find than you think) yogurt
2T light karo

Blend until smooth. Add cooled, strained broth from 1# boiled liver. (If you have other dogs, mix the liver itself into their kibble over the next few days but only a little to nursing mom - too rich)

DJ Perfect Replacement
Blend together
8oz plain fatted yogurt (can use vanilla in a pinch)
2T regular mayo
2t lt karo
1 egg yolk
can evaporated milk
8 oz water