What should I watch for in the first few weeks after birth?
During the first three weeks, puppies require little care from the owner, provided the mother is doing her job. However, there are some things you should monitor to ensure your puppies are healthy and growing.
Monitor the puppies’ eyes. Puppies are born with their eyes closed, but they open after one to two weeks. If there is swelling or bulging under the eyelids, discharge, pus, or other abnormalities, the eyes should be opened immediately. Ideally, your veterinarian should open the eyelids, but if that is not possible, you can do this by gently massaging the eyes with a cotton ball or soft cloth dampened with warm water.
If the swelling is due to infection, pus will emerge as the eyelids open, and in this case it is critical to contact your veterinarian immediately. If the eyes have not opened by two weeks of age, or if you are concerned about any discharge from the eyes, seek immediate veterinary care.
Monitor the puppies' weight. Most puppies will double their birth weight in the first seven to eight days. You can monitor their weights using a digital kitchen scale. Be sure to record each puppy’s weight so you can identify any changes as soon as possible. A puppy that fails to gain weight or loses weight is cause for alarm; contact your veterinarian for instructions, as puppies that begin losing weight may die within 48 hours if the condition is not reversed.
Monitor the puppies’ development. As soon as the puppies’ eyes open, they rapidly mature physically. By two weeks, they should be alert and trying to stand. By three weeks, they should be trying to climb out of their nest or whelping box. By four weeks, the puppies should be able to walk, run, and play. A puppy that fails to meet these basic developmental milestones is at significant risk for death or permanent impairment. Notify your veterinarian if you observe any abnormal development in your puppies.
Should the puppies be treated for worms?
Common intestinal parasites are transmitted to puppies across the uterus before birth or through the mother's milk after birth. Puppies can be treated for worms as early as two weeks of age, but it is more common to treat them when they are three weeks and six weeks of age. It’s important to obtain accurate weights for the puppies to ensure the proper dose of medication. Your veterinarian can prescribe the most appropriate medication.
How should the mother’s diet change?
- The diet for all pregnant or lactating dogs should contain optimal levels of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a nutrient essential for developing the puppies’ brains and eyes. She should be fed a high-quality, energy-dense, nutritionally balanced diet, as your veterinarian recommends. Toy- and small-breed dogs often prefer canned foods, while the larger breeds often do better on dried food.
- Two or three weeks before the mother is expected to give birth, her food volume should be increased, ideally by increasing the number of meals instead of the volume of each meal.
- After giving birth (whelping), the mother dog needs even more food, as she produces increasingly more milk as her puppies grow. Peak milk production is about three to five weeks after the puppies are born. Depending on the breed and litter size, she may eat up to four times her normal maintenance ration, divided into four meals a day.
- The mother may not eat much during the first 24–48 hours, but after that she should regain her appetite. If the mother does not want to leave her puppies to eat or drink, then you must bring food and water to her.
- Adequate fluid is essential for the mother dog, especially if she is on a dry diet. Make sure she always has access to clean drinking water. You will be surprised how much she eats and drinks while feeding her puppies.
- To avoid intestinal upset, do not change the mother’s diet too suddenly, especially immediately after whelping. Eating the afterbirth (placenta) helps to stimulate milk production, but also tends to cause diarrhea, so your veterinarian may recommend you prevent your dog from eating placentas.
Should I feed the mother dog milk or a milk replacer while she is lactating?
No, if the mother is fed an excellent, veterinary-recommended diet, water is all that is necessary to drink. Please consult your veterinarian before giving any nutritional supplements or vitamins to the mother dog or her pups.
How and when should I wean the puppies?
Weaning is the process of transitioning a puppy from its mother’s milk to solid puppy food. Weaning naturally begins as soon as the puppies start to develop teeth, typically at three to four weeks of age. At that point, suckling irritates or hurts the mother, and she will move away and leave her puppies for longer periods. The sooner the puppies are weaned, the less strain is on the mother, and the sooner she will return to normal condition. A mother weans her pups by regurgitating her food for them to eat; this is a natural maternal function and nothing to be worried about.
To help wean the pups, start by putting puppy milk replacer in a flat saucer. A 50:50 mixture of milk replacer and water is recommended. Do not use goat’s milk or cow’s milk. Dip your finger in the formula and wet the puppies’ noses and mouths. Repeat this process two or three times a day until they begin to drink the milk replacer on their own; this usually takes one to four days.
Next, try offering canned puppy food mixed with the milk replacer. As the puppies lap at the liquid, they will also ingest the food. Decrease the amount of milk replacer each day until they eat the canned food with little or no moisture added, ideally at four to six weeks of age. Then, feed the puppies small amounts approximately four to six times a day.
If the puppies have been fed by hand (hand-raised) for any reason, you can begin the weaning process sooner. It is worthwhile to begin offering soft foods as soon as their eyes are open.
How long do puppies need a special diet, and how often should I feed them?
Weaning puppies onto a high-quality diet formulated for puppy development ensures balanced nutrition. Puppy diets are available in dry and canned formats. By the time the puppies are completely weaned from their mother, at about eight to ten weeks of age, they should receive about four meals daily.
By three months, you can increase the quantity of food per meal and reduce the frequency to three meals a day. Most breeds then progress to two meals a day by four to six months. Some slow-maturing breeds, particularly the giant ones, may require more frequent feeding until nearly two years old. Different breeds develop at different rates, with small breeds like Chihuahuas maturing much faster than large breeds like Great Danes. Your veterinarian will recommend the best time to transition your puppy to two meals based on your puppy's breed and specific needs.
When can puppies leave their mother?
Puppies should ideally remain with their mother and littermates until they are about 7 to 10 weeks old. This period allows them to properly wean and begin their social development, which is crucial for their behavioral health. Puppies separated earlier than this may face behavioral issues later in life.
When should I have the puppies vaccinated?
Puppies generally need to start their vaccination series between 6 and 8 weeks and often the first vaccination is done when puppies are still living with their mom. Ask your veterinarian when your puppies should be vaccinated.
