On Day Two of thw puppy's life, you'll see that the puppy has lost weight. A new born pup normally loses 10% of its birthweight in the first twenty-four hours, so beginning to-day the weight will start coming back on and by to-morrow they should weigh the same as they did at birth.
You should weigh the puppies every day on a little postal or food scale to make sure they are gaining weight every day.
If you have a puppy who is not gaining as well as the others, then pay special attention to that puppy, and make sure he is not being bullied by stronger pups and is getting his fair share of nursing time.
If he is being pushed off by stronger pups, then you should put the other pups in a clothes basket and let the weak puppy nurse unmolested every two hours.
If he still fails to thrive, take him to your Veterinarian.
Infants get dehydrated and weaken very quickly and Veterinarian attention is needed to save his life.
To-day, Day two, the dam's temperature may still be slightly elevated. By to-morrow it should be returned to normal. If it is not, then you should call your Veterinarian.
The vaginal discharge will continue to be moderately heavy and bloody looking. There should not be any foul odour or green colour to it, however.
If a bad smell or a weird colour develops, call your veterinarian immediately.
This could be a sign of a retained dead puppy and needs immediate attention. Something like this can cause your dam to die.
You should offer food to your dog three times a day, to-day, (day two,) and every day after whelping.
It is very likely she will refuse normal dog food right now. Actually, water is more important at this time.
You can add some yogurt, or cottage cheese or hamburger to it, to entice her to eat.
As the puppies grow, the amount of food for the dam will increase proportionately.
Water should be available at all times for her, but be careful that a puppy cannot crawl into the water and drown.
When you wash her teats to-day, examine them for any scratches or redness.
Puppy nails are very sharp, and can scratch her breasts.
Feel them with your hand. They should be full, but soft, and warm but not hot.
You should examine the breasts every day, the same way.
The puppies' umbilical cords should be quite dry and may be falling off to-day, (day two or three).
To-morrow- day 3 - is the best day to remove dewclaws and dock tails.
I find that the best way to transport them to the Veterinarian is in a large picnic cooler with towels and hot water bottles.
Take along a little stick or a clothes pin to keep the lid slightly open for fresh air.
