Weight gain for newborn pups

[coralee]

Hi there - I haven't been online for ages - hope everyone is well and happy. Much has happened since my last visit and I'm looking for a little advice.

Harvey and Cocoa (my friend's cocker spaniel) have produced a beautiful litter of pups. Born on Friday.

Cocoa is a great Mum, pups are doing well and gaining weight, except from one, who was gaining weight up until Tuesday, but has since lost 13g and is now 391g - the others range from 393-508g, but all gaining.

Pup that has lost weight is feeding alongside her litter mates, and seems to get her fill - but does whine...I was with her pretty much all night trying to get her happy with her Mum - once we help it to the nipple, it's fine.

My question is, how much should pups gain (ball park) a day? (I know it varies, but is there a guide?) I spoke with the vet this morning who doesn't think there's a reason to worry, and says as long as they're gaining I shouldn't get worked up about it - but I am!!

Also - Cocoa - Mum, has never been a big eater (unlike Harvey!) she won't eat a decent amount of anything we're giving her. She refused the puppy food (meat) and puppy food (kibble) - we then went on to tuna and rice, but she's now turned her nose up at that - we gave her boiled chicken, a mix of veg and rice this morning, she left everything except the chicken. What else can we give her? She's OK in herself and the vet doesn't want to see her unless that changes, but she's just not getting the food or liquid in - she's drinking, but, just the same as she normally would.

Would be really grateful for any advice - I think we'll be going to vet this evening anyway, as we're worried, but in the meantime, your advice would be most appreciated.

[Jane S]

Vets sadly aren't always experts in puppy rearing so sometimes their advice isn't the greatest Having said that, there is no set guide on how much pups should gain each day - it's v much a case of close observation of each puppy. A puppy that is getting enough will be content - they might cry if they get knocked off a teat but they shouldn't cry otherwise. A vet check to rule out a cleft palate might be a good idea as even small clefts can stop a pup taking in enough milk to satisfy them. If there is no cleft, it may just be a case of putting the smaller pup on a teat regularly and making sure they stay there for long enough and are not getting knocked off by bigger pups

Mum's mouth may be sore from cleaning the pups which can cause them not to eat well at first. Soft warm foods like scrambled egg might go down well (eggs being one of the best sources of protein available) but it's often trial and error - we give chicken, tripe, cooked fish etc New mothers don't actually need huge quantities of food to begin with (especially if they've eaten the afterbirths) so it may be that she is eating enough at the moment.

[Ninasmum]

As Jane suggested i would get the vet to check the puppy out just in case she has a cleft palate (hopefully she hasn't). 
Put her on one of the back teats for feeding & move the other puppies out of the way for her, so she doesn't have to use her strength to 'push in'. 
As long as you can get some weight on the puppies i wouldn't worry. 

When Jo Jo had puppies we fed her at least 5 times a day, she was ravenous    although she also refused her normal dog food.  She spent the next 4 + weeks being fed boiled chicken breast/rice, coley fish steaks/rice, pasta & small amounts of puppy food    Once she stopped feeding the puppies we gradually put her back to her normal food.   

[coralee]

Thank you both for your advice, mucho appreciated 

She's decided that Cesar dog food is teh only dog food she'll eat! Also fish and yoghurt - so we're getting there - hopefully she'll get back a much better appetite now.

I re-weighed the puppies yesterday afternoon and all had gained from very first thing yesterday (which put my mind at ease!) I think I'm just going to be one of them worriers! 

[coralee]

Just another query!

We've discovered that Cocoa loves puppy milk, which is a relief for me, as I was sure she wasn't drinking enough! She's just lapped up a small carton of it (200ml) - she never ever does this with anything, so I'm keen to keep giving her it - but don't want to overdo it - how much can I give? The box says it can be fed "as often as you like" - but I don't want to cause her tummy upsets...

We have a goat farm down the road, where I often get milk from - I wondered, maybe we could try this? Will help with fat intake?

Sorry to be a pain asking, but the vet I think, thinks of me as a fusser, - which I am and admit to it - I just want it to be right for Cocoa and pups!

This morning she's had two scrambled eggs, half a breast of chicken and a carton of puppy milk

[Sharon]

I would get one of the bigger pups to start suckling from a full teat, then swap them over.  I think if the pup had CP she wouldn't have gained any weight, or definitely would have lost more than 13g, especially as she's now a week old.  You just need to be with them 24/7 and keep putting the smaller pup on to feed at every opportunity.  My Summer had a pup that was 226g born and she dropped down to 195g, but with perseverance and a very aching back after sitting in the whelping box for best part of 10 days, latching the pup on, she picked up and we didn't look back.

[Jane S]

I thought this was your friend's litter, Coralee? Isn't she able to look after the litter at all - sounds like you've taken a lot on if this isn't your litter

[coralee]

Thank you Sharon 

Yes, it's my best friend's litter, Harvey (my cocker) is the dad. I have the luxury of being able to work from home, whereas my friend has to go into work, so I'm taking on being there as much as I can during daytime, and doing a couple of nightshifts just so my friend isn't a zombie at work. Am trying to ease the pressure a bit as it's easier for me to be there, and of course, I don't want to miss any of it!