Just like humans, pets also have an instinct to care for their young ones immediately after birth (speaking of the mothers now), although not all animals carry this trait that is a topic for another day. But for common household pets like dogs and cats who are known to have a natural love for their newborns, one would be left surprised to find out that the mother is avoiding the newborn or trying to seperate them from the others.
This could be triggered by various reasons but in this post, I will be focusing on the fading puppy syndrome as one of the reasons why a pet would abandon her puppy after birth.
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What exactly is fading puppy syndrome?
This term is used to describe puppies that are normal at birth, but gradually begin to fade and eventually die within the first to the second week of their existence on earth. This happens because, during the first two weeks, puppies are usually very vulnerable to illness, and environmental stress since they cannot regulate their body temperature yet.
Also, when the puppies are very young, they cannot appropriately regulate fluid and energy balance, with all this we know that their immune system is not functioning well yet and this means their protection from infections is highly limited as a regards, they could die as a result of various factors.
At the time the signs of a fading puppy syndrome become obvious, it is usually too late to save a puppy. What you would most likely notice is the inability of the pup to gain weight at the same rate as the other siblings, there will be an inability to suckle as well as limited/reduced ability from the other litters, the pup would cry restlessly, temperature level may either be too high or too low.
Some factors contribute to fading puppy syndrome and here are some of them;
- Infection.
- Inadequate consumption of milk.
- Low birth weight.
- Poor-quality milk.
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Even if there is an acquired maternal immunity from the puppy while growing in the uterus, most cases are acquired through the colostrum which is the first milk, if a puppy does not get this first milk in an appropriate amount, he will be vulnerable to infection. Mastitis is an infection of the breast that could also cause problems with the pups, so a test must be conducted for an abnormal teat discharge or other illness.
As a result of the body's weakness and the immune system that is not appropriately developed yet, there i often a quick response to death. If the mother is not properly vaccinated and is carrying a virus, they will most likely contact an infection or even have a weaker immune system.
This fading puppy syndrome can happen very fast without any form of warning, so looking for ways to prevent it from happening at all is highly significant, these tips could help too;
Before deciding to breed, check the mother for the presence of vaginal E.coli bacteria.
Provide a clean and spaced-out whelping box for mothers and puppies, providing them with sufficient warmth, and ventilation, and avoiding being crushed.
Make sure that you weigh puppies regularly to ensure they are appropriately gaining weight.
Observe puppies for any sign of dehydration or chilling.
Unless an expert vet asks you to do so, do not administer antibiotics to your pet before or after labor.
For deworming medications too, follow the advice of your vet.
If you are lucky to notice the signs on time, you could carry out certain acts to give the puppy a chance to live. Apply immediate warmth if the pup is struggling with temperature, make sure the temperature i warm and not hot. A heating pad or a warm water bottle that is wrapped around a towel can be used to gently warm the puppy.
You may also need to carry out assisted feeding if the mother puppy is unwilling to nurse. Try out bottle feeding with a suitable puppy milk replacer or a tube if the puppy is very weak. You need to make sure the puppy is resting comfortably and in a clean space always.
Just like humans, puppies thrive properly when they are in a supportive and loving environment. Spending time to interact and play will generally help their development.
vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/puppy