The Neonatal Period

Canine herpesvirus is common in adult dogs and usually harmless to them, but it can kill newborn puppies within a day of the first signs. Why puppies under three weeks are at risk, what to watch for, and the isolation,…

Canine herpesvirus and neonatal sepsis in puppies — why infections progress so fast in newborns, warning signs, and why speed matters.

How to tell a puppy is nursing effectively, early warning signs in nursing behavior, and managing teat competition in large litters.

What the first vet check screens for — cleft palate, umbilical hernias, cardiac defects, and swimmer puppy syndrome — and what each means.

Why daily weighing is the earliest objective sign of a problem, expected growth rates, and how to read a weight curve properly.

A ready-to-use daily weight tracking template for each puppy in a litter, with expected growth targets and how to read the curve.

Why colostrum matters so much for puppies, the narrow absorption window in the first 24 hours, and when supplementation needs considering.

A fast-reference guide to hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and fading puppy syndrome — how they connect, and the checklist to act on immediately.

How to identify a weak puppy early, hand-rearing basics for orphaned puppies, elimination stimulation, and when to consider a foster dam.

The canine Apgar score explained — five categories, when to check, what the score means, and why it’s a triage tool rather than a fixed prediction.

Practical hygiene and biosecurity for the neonatal period — isolation, bedding, visitor limits, cord care, and when to ease off.

When and how to supplement or tube-feed a puppy, safe bottle-feeding technique, and how to wean off supplementation.

A ready-to-use template for tracking each puppy’s Apgar score, weight, and temperature through the first two weeks of life.

Why newborn puppies are prone to hypoglycemia and rapid dehydration, how to recognize it, and first-aid steps before the vet.

Target whelping-box temperatures by week, safe heating setup, and how to read piling or scattering behavior as a temperature signal.

The full guide to the neonatal period — the highest-stakes three weeks of a puppy’s life, and why most of the biggest risks are manageable.

What a healthy newborn puppy looks like and does — reflexes, temperature, sleep patterns, and the vet check recommended in the first 48 hours.