Weak Puppy Maintenance Formula

This formula has saved many a fading or weak puppy.

0 to 48 hours (5% glucose solution)

1 Teaspoon white corn syrup

Few grains each of table salt and salt substitute

4 Tablespoons boiled water

As soon as the whelp is dry and breathing normally, weigh it and give 5 to 6 drops on the tongue and let the whelp nurse.  Take weight every four hours, give glucose solution and let nurse.

NO supplement food for the first 48 hours. 

48 hours to 72 hours

2 Tablespoons Esbilac or First Born

6 Tablespoons boiled water

1 Teaspoon corn syrup

few grains each of table salt and salt substitute

Every 4 hours weigh, supplement and let nurse

72 hours to 1 week old

4 Tablespoons Esbilac or First Born

12 Tablespoons boiled water

2 Teaspoons corn syrup

few grains each of table salt and salt substitute

1 egg yolk (de-stringed) beaten

1/2 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin

Every 4 hours weigh, supplement and let nurse.

1 week to 2 weeks old

4 Tablespoons Esbilac or First Born

12 Tablespoons boiled water

few grains each of table salt and salt substitute

1 egg yolk (de-stringed) beaten

1/2 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin

1 Teaspoon (heaping) plain low fat yogurt

NO CORN SYRUP!!!

Every 4 hours weigh, supplement and let nurse.

2 weeks until gaining weight

4 Tablespoons Esbilac or First Born

12 Tablespoons boiled water

few grains each table salt and salt substitute

1 egg yolk (de-stringed) beaten

1/2 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 teaspoon (heaping) plain low fat yogurt

2 Teaspoons scraped raw beef

NO CORN SYRUP!!!

Every four hours weigh, supplement and let nurse.

The Woods Maneuver

(for when a puppy is partially delivered, but stuck.)

Place mom into a back lying position.  If this is a toy dog, you can probably do this by yourself, but even with the smallest dog, a second person is very useful. Balancing her between two pillows will help to keep her positioned. 

Push both hind legs as far apart as you can safely push them.  This is to enlarge the diameter of the pelvic opening.  One person can manipulate each leg, pulling it first apart, then rotating the hip so that foot comes back more toward the head and the pelvis consequently raises up slightly.  This is an important part of the maneuver....the pushing of the foot/leg toward the head which will raise the pelvis up slightly. 

So far, you have changed maternal positioning in three important ways:

The mom is on her back; not her position of choice.  It is a drastic change for her.

Mom's pelvic diameter has been increased somewhat by pushing the legs apart.

The pelvis has changed in position by being tipped upward ever so slightly.

Now, you want to DECREASE the size of the portion of the puppy which has gotten stuck.  The bulk of the puppies (as well as humans) will get stuck against what most of us call the pubic bone.  Just remember that your own pubic bone is in the front of the very lowest part of your abdomen.  The skin there is covered with pubic hair.  Now, just visualize the corresponding part of the bitch's anatomy to find her pubic bone.   To decrease the size of the portion of the puppy which has gotten jammed against the pubic bone, you want to apply pressure to the abdominal area located directly behind the pubic bone while at the same time keeping mom's hind legs apart and rotated up toward the head.

Next time that you have a really really full bladder, lie on your back and palpate the area immediately proximal (toward the belly button) to the pubic bone.  You can feel a soft swelling there that is your full bladder.  This place is the place on your bitch that you want to apply pressure to decrease the size of the part of the puppy that has gotten stuck.  You are, in effect, trying to "fold" the puppy up a little bit so that he can pass through the now enlarged pelvic diameter which has also been tipped upward just a bit which also serves to shake him loose from the "log jam" against the pubic bone.

Waiting for mom's contraction to occur, you will position mom, and apply pressure while at the same time, pulling gently on the presenting part of the puppy.  You want the puppy to pass under the pubic bone and upward through the opening.

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