Fading Puppy Syndrome in Litters(Why a week old pup may die).

Hi friends and lovers of pets, thanks for visiting my page again today, remember the last post I wrote about my friend whose dog gave birth to cute little pups she was asking for tips on how to keep them healthy, and she wanted to sell them and she was already making plans on what she would do with the money she makes from the sales. Unfortunately, she called me today to inform me about the death of one of the pups, according to her, the one that died was the weakest and the smallest of them, she noticed yesterday that the mother was trying to separate her from others and she couldn't explain the reason, with all the description she made, I could tell that the pup has FADING PUPPY SYNDROME, and that is the topic I would be exploring today.

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Fading puppy syndrome happens when there is a sudden or early death in puppies, the death of the puppy is usually followed by a very short sign of illness which is common during the first week of life, and could also happen within the first 2-3 weeks. The syndrome is significantly used in the description of puppies that are normal at birth, but with time, begin to fade and die, this happens because puppies are still highly vulnerable to environmental stress and illness as they are unable to independently regulate fluid and energy balance. Also, their immune system at that point is not fully functional and they naturally have limited protection from occurring infections, this will make puppies subjected to die from different causes.

In most cases, when it has gotten to the point when you can visibly observe clinical signs of fading puppy syndrome, it is usually too late to save them, they are often associated with low birth weight or refusal to gain weight like their siblings. Sometimes, they do not have the strength to suckle and they stay away from their mother and the rest of the puppies, often crying weakly in a high-pitched tone. There are times when the mother will also fail to care for the weaker or the smaller litter, and normally, these puppies have poorly developed immune systems, they only get antibodies from the milk the mother dog produces after birth, these antibodies are called COLOSTRUM.

When puppies do not nurse properly, the antibodies from the milk produced will not be made available to them and this will expose them to serious infection, when the mother has breast infection or calcium deficiency, the mother's supply of milk will be limited. Another problem that could cause fading puppy syndrome is a canine herpesvirus, the virus could be passed from the mother in utero or from infected fluids after birth, it may not be seen in adult dogs as the disease is often symptomatic in adults because it causes the death of puppies born weak.

Death of the pup is usually preceded by low weight and inability to thrive, it may not be up to or more than 24 hours after some of these symptoms show before the puppy dies;
Difficulty breathing, Consistently crying, ignored by the mother, low weight compared with others, soft stools, salivation.
Hi friends and lovers of pets, thanks for visiting my page again today, remember the last post I wrote about my friend whose dog gave birth to cute little pups she was asking for tips on how to keep them healthy, and she wanted to sell them and she was already making plans on what she would do with the money she makes from the sales. Unfortunately, she called me today to inform me about the death of one of the pups, according to her, the one that died was the weakest and the smallest of them, she noticed yesterday that the mother was trying to separate her from others and she couldn't explain the reason, with all the description she made, I could tell that the pup has FADING PUPPY SYNDROME, and that is the topic I would be exploring today.

pexels.com

Fading puppy syndrome happens when there is a sudden or early death in puppies, the death of the puppy is usually followed by a very short sign of illness which is common during the first week of life, and could also happen within the first 2-3 weeks. The syndrome is significantly used in the description of puppies that are normal at birth, but with time, begin to fade and die, this happens because puppies are still highly vulnerable to environmental stress and illness as they are unable to independently regulate fluid and energy balance. Also, their immune system at that point is not fully functional and they naturally have limited protection from occurring infections, this will make puppies subjected to die from different causes.

In most cases, when it has gotten to the point when you can visibly observe clinical signs of fading puppy syndrome, it is usually too late to save them, they are often associated with low birth weight or refusal to gain weight like their siblings. Sometimes, they do not have the strength to suckle and they stay away from their mother and the rest of the puppies, often crying weakly in a high-pitched tone. There are times when the mother will also fail to care for the weaker or the smaller litter, and normally, these puppies have poorly developed immune systems, they only get antibodies from the milk the mother dog produces after birth, these antibodies are called colostrum.

When puppies do not nurse properly, the antibodies from the milk produced will not be made available to them and this will expose them to serious infection, when the mother has breast infection or calcium deficiency, the mother's supply of milk will be limited. Another problem that could cause fading puppy syndrome is a canine herpesvirus, the virus could be passed from the mother in utero or from infected fluids after birth, it may not be seen in adult dogs as the disease is often symptomatic in adults because it causes the death of puppies born weak.

Death of the pup is usually preceded by low weight and inability to thrive, it may not be up to or more than 24 hours after some of these symptoms show before the puppy dies;
Difficulty breathing, Consistently crying, ignored by the mother, low weight compared with others, soft stools, salivation. Fading puppy syndrome can be of two types, either it is infectious or congenital, when it is infectious, it poses a more strong danger to other members of the litter and when it is congenital, it means it is either a birth defect or a runt that was underdeveloped at birth.

The most contributing and common causes of fading puppy syndrome are; Birth defects, inadequate feeding time compared to the other siblings, lack of milk production in the mother, viral infection usually inherited from the mother, intestinal parasite, and neonatal septicemia.
In most cases, there is no time for diagnosis as death occurs very fast, but it is still good to take the litter for posthumous examination, this will help determine the cause and of course, save the other litter from possible infection. Checking for signs of illness or any form of abnormal behavior is also highly relevant, the vet will check for signs of maturity or uterine infection, also possibilities of glandular issues that would cause low blood calcium during lactation and result in poor milk production.

Depending on the result of the test carried out, the vet will give instructions on how to care for the remaining puppies, these instructions will limit the instances of fading puppy syndrome. Young puppies will have to maintain a temperature of around 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit. Heating lamps will help a lot, especially when you notice that the mother is neglecting or pushing away some of the puppies, these ignored puppies may require bottle feeding to help supplement nutrition, also remember to change and clean the puppy's bedding constantly.

Conclusion.

To manage early death in puppies, it is best to prevent them from happening, remember that you have the job of consistently watching over them. Ensure the health of the mother is maintained during the period of gestation and lactation, also practice good health when handling puppies as this will help limit the spread of infection.

References.

https://wagwalking.com/condition/early-death-fading-puppy-syndrome

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/puppy-fading-puppy-syndrome-in-dogs

https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?pId=11343&meta=generic&catId=34559&id=5124261&ind=61&objTypeID=17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fading_puppy_syndrome