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Help! - constipated neonate puppies - anyone dealt with this?

  • 1.  Help! - constipated neonate puppies - anyone dealt with this?

    Posted 06-13-2020 10:02 PM

    Hi folks,

    I have a litter of seven 17 day old puppies, they weight average 2.6 lbs.  I am not new to dogs or rescues or training but I am new to neonates and despite tons of research I have not found a vet experienced with young puppy problems - so here I am today. I am not judging vets or anyone, just worried for these little guys. I need advice from people with EXPERIENCE successfully raising neonates.

     I have the Mom, and all 7 pups, shepherd hound mix (Mom looks just like a black Pharaoh hound would, 45 lbs.) all seeming healthy and growing fast from birth. Mom was not dewormed, so now has giardia popping up  in her stool, she has had diarrhea more than not no matter what I try and despite loads of nutritional nursing bitch food and supplements her milk is almost nonexistent, probably due to the parasitic stress and she is a naturally thin, athletic 2 year old. Per a vet's recommendation we bottle fed them on Esbilac, which I learned from breeders can make them bloated and gassy.

    As a result of their parasite load (they were dewormed on pyrantel at 2 weeks), and being kept a little too warm (live and learn) after day 10, and the goats milk esbilac, they are terribly constipated. They have very healthy appetites, and now NOT dehydrated, but I never see them poop and their abdomens are tight. FYI I switched to Myra's formula and they love it. https://www.facebook.com/myra.savantharris/posts/10154675900560704

    A week ago they were crying and panting it was so bad, now that I know what the problem is per my vet I began giving the poor things warm water enemas with a tad of mineral oil. It works for some, so far I get results for 1-3 pups at a time. Been doing this for 2.5 days.

    The crying has mostly stopped, a little panting still (the room is cool) but they are now toddling around so that is good, but I still never see them poop without aid of an enema. Sure I may miss a poop if the mom cleans up, but usually I can see signs of a BM on the towel in their whelping box even when she does.

    One breeder vet I emailed said fluids -"orally or sub-Q" are the best the thing for constipation, so I have begun giving them water with about 15-20% formula so that they drink some. Since they are not crying I hesitate to go to the vet to do sub-Q fluids.

    ANYONE ever had to deal with this? They do not look like they are in pain any more, but they are not pooping normally yet whatsoever and I can't keep giving enemas for too much longer. I hope it resolves with the milky water (the get formula during the day too) and time, but at this point I don't know.

    Thanks in advance!


    #neonate
    #enema
    #PetHealthandNutrition
    #constipated
    #puppy