3 week puppy with problems plz help!

kimoore · 11-24-2007, 12:30 AM

I just became a member and new to this but i saw that the response rate was amazing so im giving it a shot.. I have a puppy that is 3 weeks (as of today) she was the only puppy born - which was strange because this is mom's 3rd litter and the two before where of 7 and 8 so i knew this was going to be a puppy in need!. this puppy is a female and has a hair lip IT DOES have a cleft pallet (confirmed by two vets) . thank goodness! although for some reason it is having problems with aspiration so i have been monitoring her feeding... THe problem is that she is throwing up EVERYTHING 30 min to one hour AFTER feeding her..... in the past 3 days she has not gained ANY weight.. last night i noticed her turning for the worst and she became really dehyrated even through my attempts to give her pediatlite. i took her to an emergency vet and asked for them to give her the subcontaneous liquid (they showed me how and they added mediine to reduce nausea .. if that's the problem . which hasnt helped today bythe way) and how to tube feed her... we have done that all day today but she is STILL throwing it up, i hate changing up her diet but i just tried giving her puppy mush mixed with pedialite she lapped it up with puppy grace

but i am so affraid she will throw that up too.... i know it is NOT parvo, i have noticed that she has not pooped, so i am wondering if that has to do with it .. she is peeing regularly though. I am soo frustrated i really want this pup to live she has sooooo muh strength its unreal even the vet was surprised to see her strenth in her 1lb 1oz body (she is and american stradfordshire puppy - she should be well over that weight by now) PLEASE if anyone knows of what i can do please offer your addvice!!!!!! Sweet Pea and I would greatly appreciate it!!!!!!

TeddieXRuxpin · 11-24-2007, 12:37 AM

I would start by taking it one day at a time. Since she hasn't been keeping much food down she's not going to be pooping much. Once she starts getting more into her system she will start going to the bathroom more and more.

Now I can't say I've ever been in this situation, but of all things keep the pups separated incase she does have some type of illness because I think we can all agree it's not normal for a puppy to vomit unless her stomach is upset..

Has she only been eating milk form mom and is now trying to eat puppy food?

One thing you can try is mixing a tiny bit, since she's still a very young puppy, of cooked rise to her diet. It will help with fattening her up and sticks to her unlike dog food that will just go through. She's going to need a lot of extra care as I'm sure you know.

What all has the vet ruled out?

kimoore · 11-24-2007, 01:09 AM

thank you soo much for your quick responce!!

Well she was the only pup born so i have been keepin gher worm in a kitten crate with different temperatures of a heating pad and mircowaved uncooked rice and comfy towels..

i have been giving her esbilac thinking that it maybe moms m,ilk that she's not liking, but i am starting to let her nurse from mom,(she had been nursing from mom untill a couple days ago when she got skinny and started throwing up THen i treid the esbilac .. which she seems to not throw up as much...
the pupy food im trying is pedigree .. by the way she threw it up a little but not as much as she has been so thats a relief! so i will try the cooked rice too thank you soooo much!!!
the vet last night really didnt help, he said she has a 50/50 chance of living.but he also had never heard of nursing puppys with goats milk soo he didnt seem like much of an experienced vet -0 he was also very young -- my vet that my family has gone to for over 40 years is on thanksgiving vacation... he ruled out that the puppy had a cleft and only a hair lip, she had good suction so for me to monitor its eating and keep it warm and hydrated, but the puppy just started going down hill a couple days ago.. also this last vet told me that her lungs were ok so he ruled out phneumonia too thank goodness. but ya the vet bill was 160 so i need to help her through this weekend till my vet gets back to his shedule on monday at 8 am.

TeddieXRuxpin · 11-24-2007, 01:16 AM

I would recomend taking her to a different vet because Monday is a long ways away. It really doesn't sound like he knew what he was talking about. If was just ruling things out and had no idea what he was talking about that's a huge problem.

Could she possible have gotten something from mom?

kimoore · 11-24-2007, 01:27 AM

ya i pretty much spent 160 on tools to keep her hydrated.. whih should not have cost that much!! but i couldnt say no.. it was thnksgiving night at 10:30

well mom ws taken to a well known vet in houston who gve her an antibotic because she had an infection and to administer it to mom so that she wouldnt give it to puppy while nuirsing..that was when the puppy was only a day old my experieed vet said that it was ok.. and mom is fine now .. but that was a reson as to why i tried giving puppy the esbilac

im affraid it is internal.... but if it was wouldn't she have passed away by now??

TeddieXRuxpin · 11-24-2007, 02:20 AM

Not necessarily, but if it is something more than an upset stomach it could get worse and worse. And I didn't say that to worry you more, but it is a possibility.

The best thing if you reallyw ant to wait until monday is to keep her hydrated and try to get her to eat a healthy amount of food and to keep it down.

Besides vomiting and not pooping what are her other symptoms?

kimoore · 11-24-2007, 02:34 AM

the only thing other than that is that some liquid comes up from her nose too,, thats when she aspirates but when tht happens i take a baby aspirator and clear it out real good.
other than that she seems to be with it.. inquisitive like a 3wk pup should be also can focus too.

other than tht she aspirates the formula or mom's milk - not so much with the puppy mush- thats why i need to wean her early) thats wht my vet told me... but when that hppens i use a baby aspirator and clear her up good. and the pooping problem

but shes inquisitive like a puppy should be at 3 weeks and can focus too.

TeddieXRuxpin · 11-24-2007, 02:44 AM

To be completely honest that sounds like phneumonia like one of my dogs went through as a puppy. I'd take her to a different vet before Monday. I know you just spent a lot of money, but phneumonia can get worse in a matter of hours if not treated. It could also be why she's gotten worse in the last few days.

I replied to a different members thread about his puppy going through phneumonia. He had been vomiting, not eating.. he's now being hospitalized.

When my dog had phneumonia he was put on wo antibiotics and we had to do a steamy shower pat twice a day. We would sit in the shower and get the water as hot as we could and just sit in there and pat him. Not getting him wet, but it helped break down the build up so he could breath. That is something else you can try.

If it is in fact phneumonia it can't wait until Monday. I can't be possitve not seeing or being around her, but that is what it sounds like.

Renoman · 11-24-2007, 10:34 AM

Just my opinion, but the last thing I'd be giving a 3 wk old puppy that isn't pooping is rice. Maybe some baby food? Could be the Pedigree doesn't agree with her, have you tried other dog foods?

I also agree that Monday is too far away to wait to see the vet. If there's another vet nearby you can see, I'd do it.

Good Luck, keep us updated.

digits mama · 11-24-2007, 11:04 AM

I hand raised some puppies and kitties long ago and the vet made a foolproof formula that worked out well for them all. Maybe it will help?

2 ounces of evaporated milk
1 egg yolk (only)
1 teaspoon of Clear karo syrup
1 ounce of water.

It turned out to be much easier on thier stomachs than the store bought formula and is very very close in nutritional value as the mothers milk.

As for pooping...The mother usually laps the youngun and stimulate them to pee and poop. I dont know the circumstances if mom is there helping you with this or not, But even over stimulation may help...massaging the belly ever so gently. And warm baby wipes may help. once i had one that didnt poop well and as a last resort we ran warm water over his bum to get it going. And it did work

I am no way a professional advisor, Just someone who has been there and done that. I hope this helps in some way. Keep us updated

and good luck with your pup.

TeddieXRuxpin · 11-24-2007, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renoman

Just my opinion, but the last thing I'd be giving a 3 wk old puppy that isn't pooping is rice. Maybe some baby food? Could be the Pedigree doesn't agree with her, have you tried other dog foods?

I also agree that Monday is too far away to wait to see the vet. If there's another vet nearby you can see, I'd do it.

Good Luck, keep us updated.

I've never had a problem feeding rice to a puppy and my guess for not pooping would be she has nothing in her stomach... athough that could just be me. But baby food is another great option

Renoman · 11-24-2007, 04:16 PM

Rice, normally given to a dog with loose stool, is very effective in firming up the stool. In a very young pup who isn't eliminating, I would think rice would make it more difficult for them.

007Dogs · 11-24-2007, 04:18 PM

It does not matter if you are feeding homemade formula, esbilac, goats milk or Just Born(by far the best milk replacer I have found), did the puppy get any colostrum from the mother? If not, check with the vet to see if anyone in the area banks canine colostrum. This is very important for the health and development of the puppies imune system.

As far as diagnosing the cleft pallet, all you have to do, is open the puppies mouth and see if there is a hole in the roof of the mouth. If it is a long narrow opening, a really good vet can stitch it shut and greatly increase the puppies odds of survival. The problem with what you said about the fluid coming from the nose. Even though you are cleaning it up, it takes very little fluid to get into the lungs to cause big problems. Is there a specialty vet that you can be referred to in your area?

I hate to be negitive here, but sometimes we humans try to save pups and other animals, which in the end only prolongs the animals suffering with the same end result. I know as a breeder how heartbreaking these things can be and am also guilty of trying to save pups, that in the end had to be put down. I would just try to find another vet that you trust and get a good solid diagnosis and prognosis for the puppy, and then base your decision on that information. Good Luck and hope all turns out well with the pup.

Another thing to think about when you get though this crisis, is spaying the female. I have found that when a female has perfectly normal litters, then when something like this occurs, it is the pattern for future litters. Sometimes it is just not worth the risk of breeding them again.