Page 291 - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition

296 Small Animal Clinical Nutrition

VetBooks.ir Box 16-1. Puppy Behavior from Birth to 12 Weeks of Age.

Three phases of puppy behavior are described during the first 12 become older. They no longer cry consistently when hungry or sep-
weeks of life: arated from littermates, but will cry when placed in an unfamiliar
• Neonatal period: From whelping to when the eyes open at about environment, even if warm and fed. Puppies begin to respond to
13 days of age. visual stimuli when their eyes open. Puppies first start to play fight,
• Transition period: From when the eyes open to three weeks of clumsily pawing and mouthing at one another during this period.
age. Tail wagging also occurs.
• Socialization period: From three weeks of age to weaning. The first teeth may begin to erupt during the third week of life.
Puppies lose the need for perineal stimulation to eliminate. Sucking
NEONATAL PERIOD on objects other than the bitch’s nipples progressively decreases.
A newborn puppy has two basic activities: sleeping and nursing. By the end of the transition period puppies begin to lap liquids. A
Puppies quickly learn to find the bitch’s teats when the bitch lies gruel or milk replacer should be presented in a bowl or saucer at
down for nursing. Nursing should be vigorous and active, and after this time; ground meat or thick gruels can be handfed.
nursing, the puppy’s abdomen should be enlarged. Following nurs-
ing, puppies usually return to sleep. Neonates spend more than SOCIALIZATION PERIOD
80% of their time sleeping. However, a healthy puppy never sleeps After a puppy can see and hear, it begins more active social inter-
deeply and quietly. Involuntary muscle contractions such as jerks actions with its dam, littermates and people. Social bonds are
and twitches (especially of the facial muscles) and irregular respi- formed and social hierarchies are begun. The critical period for
ration are common. This pattern of activity is called “activated socialization lasts until about 12 weeks, and exposure to people and
sleep” and should not be mistaken for shivering, a reflex that is not other dogs is essential. Puppies achieve the full-grown dog form of
operant until about seven days of age. A puppy sleeping without locomotion, although they are still clumsy and have little endurance.
these movements may be ill and should be observed closely. Play fighting among puppies becomes a predominant behavior dur-
Puppies start crying when hungry or away from the litter; however, ing this period. Eruption of deciduous teeth is complete by the first
healthy puppies will stop crying soon and sleep again, even without half of this period. Puppies no longer eliminate reflexively when the
nursing.Weak puppies may also have an enlarged abdomen but are perineum is stimulated and they leave the nest box to do so. During
restless and continue to vocalize. Such vocalizing is a constant the socialization period, puppies develop the ability to lap liquids
high-pitched crying and is different from the crying of healthy pup- well and are able to eat solid foods. The dam becomes less tolerant
pies when they are hungry. to nursing.
TRANSITION PERIOD The Bibliography for Box 16-1 can be found at
Puppies become more responsive to their environment as they www.markmorris.org.

However, because puppies depend on bitch’s milk during the
PATIENT ASSESSMENT
neonatal period, assessment must always include a thorough
History evaluation of the health and maternal behavior of the bitch.
When raising puppies, owners should be encouraged to main- The most important areas of evaluation of nursing puppies
tain a logbook that may provide important information about are assessment of body weight and condition (especially with
the health and nutritional status of the puppies and dam. respect to temporal changes), body temperature and other
Owners should record birth weights of the puppies followed by physical parameters.
their body weights every one to two days for the first four weeks Orphaned puppies should be thoroughly evaluated when
of life, which also helps with socialization. Changes in behavior first seen. A careful physical examination of neonates and the
and other indicators of health such as opening of eyes, eruption bitch, if available, should be performed to detect the potential
of teeth, consistency of feces and food intake should also be cause for abandonment. Particular attention should be given to
recorded. Box 16-1 provides a brief review of normal behavior detect common problems such as hypothermia, hypoglycemia,
for nursing puppies. Table 16-1 lists normal physiologic values dehydration and congenital defects.The nutritional and hydra-
for neonatal puppies. Puppies should be identified in some tion status should also be noted.
manner (e.g., with a colored collar, nail polish, etc.) to facilitate
easy recognition (Box 16-2). Body Weight
Low birth weight is highly correlated to neonatal mortality.
Physical Examination Low birth weight puppies are particularly prone to hypo-
The goal of a physical examination is to assess indicators of glycemia and sepsis, and are less likely to survive without spe-
impaired health that may reveal serious metabolic perturbations cial care. Table 16-2 provides birth weights for selected dog
such as hypoglycemia, hypothermia and dehydration. Special breeds. Nursing puppies should be weighed daily or every other
attention should be paid to assessing puppy behavior, environ- day on a gram scale. Monitoring the puppies’ weight is a good
mental conditions and hygiene. These parameters are impor- way to evaluate the quality and quantity of milk the bitch is
tant markers/risk factors for potential health problems. producing and the milk intake and health status of the puppies