Shih Tzu Mammary Gland Care after Whelping
It is necessary to examine your Shih Tzu matron’s mammary glands daily, directly before whelping and throughout nursing and weaning periods. A secretion of moderately thick liquid clear or brown with streaks of white milk is normal. If this discharge is bloody or yellowish in color you need to consult with your vet. The first secretion, known as colostrums, is normal and present in every new mother. Colostrums contain the mother’s antibodies and are necessary to newborn Shih Tzu puppies, particularly in the first 24 hours of life. If you are tube or bottle feeding, and the Shih Tzu dam has colostrums, express some into the formula. Keep your Shih Tzu dam updated on immunizations prior to mating time. Never vaccinate a pregnant Shih Tzu. The antibodies in the colostrums protect the newborn Shih Tzu puppies against infectious diseases to which the mother is immune.
Shih Tzu matrons will shed hair along the abdomen prior and after whelping. However, since the Shih Tzu has so much hair, it is likely you will need to trim close also. The best is to shave down the entire abdomen and genitalia area just prior to whelping. Shih Tzu puppies can ingest air while nursing if hair remains around the mammaries. The presence of hair also collects milk and promotes rapid bacterial growth and can cause illness in the Shih Tzu puppies, which can lead rapidly to death.
Heavy mammary glands require daily washing and thorough drying of the entire abdominal area until the Shih Tzu puppies are weaned. The Shih Tzu dam’s milk glands should always feel pliable, being moderately soft although heavy and full feeling to your examination. Your Shih Tzu matron is in trouble should there be any hardness in an entire individual gland or row, visible redness and/or red streaks or yellowish or bloody discharge expressed. Placing a bandage over the nipple of the affected teat is usually sufficient to stop very young Shih Tzu puppies from nursing. Use a small amount of camphorated oil of Vicks VapoRub to stop older Shih Tzu puppies from nursing at an infected site. Seek veterinarian care for your Shih Tzu matron. Nursing from infected mammary glands could cause serious illness and diarrhea in the Shih Tzu puppies.
Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Designer pet clothing is available on the website. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
This article is FREE to publish with resource box.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Saving Orphaned Shih Tzu Puppies
Saving Orphaned Shih Tzu Puppies
If you want to save your orphaned Shih Tzu puppies you must be totally dedicated to them on a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week basis for the first few weeks of life. Raising orphaned Shih Tzu puppies is the most challenging and taxing task any Shih Tzu breeder could undertake. Success is gratifying.
Maintain the Shih Tzu puppies in an incubator environment with a temperature of at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit to start out. Reduce the temperature to 85 degrees after three or four successful days and you see the Shih Tzu puppies are stable. Slowly decline the temperature by small increments. After a week the temperature can be slowly declined to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintain this temperature until the Shih Tzu puppies are three to four weeks of age. After four weeks the temperature may be reduced to 75 degrees.
Orphaned Shih Tzu puppies are prime candidates for failure-to-thrive syndrome. Under normal conditions, the Shih Tzu puppy is bumped and shoved instinctively with littermates. These natural instincts insure that the Shih Tzu puppies use their body, pushing toward the dam for nursing, pushing in rivalry against littermates. The dam vigorously washes her offspring, cleaning the Shih Tzu puppies and bringing about elimination. This tactile stimulation is crucial to the development of a strong healthy puppy.
You must effect stimulation by gentle periodic stroking with one or two fingers, awakening the Shih Tzu puppies directly prior to feeding. During feeding periods it is necessary to snuggle the Shih Tzu puppies to simulate the same type of nurturing the dam would have provided. You become a surrogate dam to orphaned Shih Tzu puppies.
Shih Tzu puppies are born with sealed eyes. The Shih Tzu puppy is unable to hear at birth. You as the surrogate dam will need to artificially stimulate the orphaned Shih Tzu puppy to defecate and urinate. You can do this easily by using a cotton swab dipped in baby oil. Gently swab the genitalia and anus area until the Shih Tzu puppy urinates and defecates. The surrogate dam must stimulate Shih Tzu puppies to elimination on the same regular basis as feeding intervals. The orphaned Shih Tzu puppy must be stimulated to urinate and defecate at each feeding interval until able to independently perform these functions.
Consult with your vet as to which puppy milk formula you should use, and the type of feeding method.
Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Designer dog clothes are offered on the website. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
This article is FREE to publish with resource box.
If you want to save your orphaned Shih Tzu puppies you must be totally dedicated to them on a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week basis for the first few weeks of life. Raising orphaned Shih Tzu puppies is the most challenging and taxing task any Shih Tzu breeder could undertake. Success is gratifying.
Maintain the Shih Tzu puppies in an incubator environment with a temperature of at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit to start out. Reduce the temperature to 85 degrees after three or four successful days and you see the Shih Tzu puppies are stable. Slowly decline the temperature by small increments. After a week the temperature can be slowly declined to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintain this temperature until the Shih Tzu puppies are three to four weeks of age. After four weeks the temperature may be reduced to 75 degrees.
Orphaned Shih Tzu puppies are prime candidates for failure-to-thrive syndrome. Under normal conditions, the Shih Tzu puppy is bumped and shoved instinctively with littermates. These natural instincts insure that the Shih Tzu puppies use their body, pushing toward the dam for nursing, pushing in rivalry against littermates. The dam vigorously washes her offspring, cleaning the Shih Tzu puppies and bringing about elimination. This tactile stimulation is crucial to the development of a strong healthy puppy.
You must effect stimulation by gentle periodic stroking with one or two fingers, awakening the Shih Tzu puppies directly prior to feeding. During feeding periods it is necessary to snuggle the Shih Tzu puppies to simulate the same type of nurturing the dam would have provided. You become a surrogate dam to orphaned Shih Tzu puppies.
Shih Tzu puppies are born with sealed eyes. The Shih Tzu puppy is unable to hear at birth. You as the surrogate dam will need to artificially stimulate the orphaned Shih Tzu puppy to defecate and urinate. You can do this easily by using a cotton swab dipped in baby oil. Gently swab the genitalia and anus area until the Shih Tzu puppy urinates and defecates. The surrogate dam must stimulate Shih Tzu puppies to elimination on the same regular basis as feeding intervals. The orphaned Shih Tzu puppy must be stimulated to urinate and defecate at each feeding interval until able to independently perform these functions.
Consult with your vet as to which puppy milk formula you should use, and the type of feeding method.
Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Designer dog clothes are offered on the website. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com
This article is FREE to publish with resource box.
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