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1 I have two puppies that are a little over two weeks old that I am having to raise by bottle because the mother dog died two days after giving birth despite the vet's best efforts. The puppies are growing but one of the puppies has a lot of problems when it comes to using the bathroom. She seems to stay constipated all of the time. Is there anything that we can do as I am afraid if she doesn't straighten out we will lose her or she will have severe medical problems.

2 We just got a 9 week old chocolate lab puppy. She is doing great..eating, drinking, playing, etc. I noticed today some discharge from her nose, like we would with a cold. Should I be very concerned? She has had her kennel cough vaccine...and not coughing or sneezing, only snorting sometimes.

3 We just brought our 11 week old female cocker spaniel puppy home tonight. She is very laid back, sleeps a lot and hasn't eaten anything since she has been with us. She has gone to the bathroom several times though. Should we be worried about her? What should we be watching for?

4 My Westie pup vomits regularly (2-3) times a week. It is a deep wretching vomit. He is usually lethargic and does not eat for a period before and after the vomiting spells. What could be the cause?

5 If a dog gives birth, will the pups move from the first day of birth?

6 We have two 10 week old puppies who have diarrhea We were giving him plain white rice and boiled chicken. Only one recovered, but the other one did not. What do we do for him?

7 I have an 8 week old puppy. He is a mix part pit bull and part catahoula curr. For the last three nights in a row he has been coughing and not breathing very well. What could be wrong with him?

8 I have a 3 month old Australian Shepherd and have had to have him admitted to the hospital for worms, dehydration, and possibly the Parvo Virus. If he does have the virus what are the chances that he'll get over it?

9 Should my 7 week old Miniature Schnauzer have a veterinary check up every month?

10 My 8 weeks old female Pekingese has a soft lump on her stomach. It does not seem to bother her at all, and it does not seem to get bigger. Can you tell me what it is?

1 I have two puppies that are a little over two weeks old that I am having to raise by bottle because the mother dog died two days after giving birth despite the vet's best efforts. The puppies are growing but one of the puppies has a lot of problems when it comes to using the bathroom. She seems to stay constipated all of the time. Is there anything that we can do as I am afraid if she doesn't straighten out we will lose her or she will have severe medical problems. When puppies are raised by the mother dog she will stimulate them to urinate and defecate by licking the urinary and anal openings until they can do so on their own. Most puppies will begin to eliminate on their own around the time their eyes and ears open-between the second and third week. If one of the puppies is having trouble defecating, this may mean that she needs more help to stimulate defecation. This can be done by cleaning the puppies’ anal area using a swab soaked in warm water.
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2 We just got a 9 week old chocolate lab puppy. She is doing great..eating, drinking, playing, etc. I noticed today some discharge from her nose, like we would with a cold. Should I be very concerned? She has had her kennel cough vaccine...and not coughing or sneezing, only snorting sometimes. When a dog has nasal discharge, it could mean a respiratory infection or even a nasal foreign body. If the discharge is clear and not bloody, it may just be a mild irritation. If however the discharge is dark, has blood in it or is present in large amounts, then an infection may be present. The earlier the problem is diagnosed and treated the better. Please call your veterinarian to discuss the symptoms and schedule a veterinary visit.
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3 We just brought our 11 week old female cocker spaniel puppy home tonight. She is very laid back, sleeps a lot and hasn't eaten anything since she has been with us. She has gone to the bathroom several times though. Should we be worried about her? What should we be watching for? While your puppy may be tired from her journey to your new home and all the excitement, she should be eating and drinking. Make sure that you are offering her food that she is used to eating and is familiar with i.e. canned versus dry. If you find that she is relatively inactive and unwilling to play and interact with you, she may be ill. A veterinary examination should help determine what is going on. It also is helpful to bring a fecal sample so that she can be checked for parasites.
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4 My Westie pup vomits regularly (2-3) times a week. It is a deep wretching vomit. He is usually lethargic and does not eat for a period before and after the vomiting spells. What could be the cause? There could be many reasons a young puppy would vomit after eating. He could have eaten something that upset his stomach. Another common reason that puppy's vomit would be intestinal parasites. If you have not recently done so, have a fecal sample examined by your veterinarian. Finally, a puppy might vomit if they have an intestinal blockage. If the vomiting is repetitive and frequent a veterinary examination is needed to find the cause and prescribe appropriate treatment.
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5 If a dog gives birth, will the pups move from the first day of birth? Newborn puppies still have their eyes and ears closed and are relatively immobile. They are unable to get up and walk, but can make paddling motions and crawl to their mother to get in position for nursing. If any of the puppies are not moving, this is not normal. It is essential that they be examined by a veterinarian immediately to determine the source of the problem.
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6 We have two 10 week old puppies who have diarrhea We were giving him plain white rice and boiled chicken. Only one recovered, but the other one did not. What do we do for him? Diarrhea in a young puppy can be extremely serious because they can quickly become dehydrated and very ill. Any number of things can cause diarrhea including parasites, infection or even food intolerance. It is essential that you take your puppy to your veterinarian to receive immediate treatment to stop the diarrhea and return your puppy to good health.
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7 I have an 8 week old puppy. He is a mix part pit bull and part catahoula curr. For the last three nights in a row he has been coughing and not breathing very well. What could be wrong with him? Young puppies can be prone to respiratory infections. Some are bacterial in nature, but many are viral. If he has not had any vaccinations he could have any number of diseases. Since he is so young, it is essential that he get veterinary attention. A visit to your veterinarian is necessary to obtain appropriate care. If you have other dogs in the household, please keep them separated from the puppy to avoid them getting ill as well.
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8 I have a 3 month old Australian Shepherd and have had to have him admitted to the hospital for worms, dehydration, and possibly the Parvo Virus. If he does have the virus what are the chances that he'll get over it? Parvo virus can be a serious infection in a young puppy. Puppies from places where large numbers of dogs are together are at a greater risk of contracting the disease. If the diarrhea and dehydration are severe, hospitalization is needed to treat the problem. Prompt, intensive hospital care improves the prognosis for recovery. If other dogs are in the home, good disinfection is needed to prevent their infection. Please speak to your veterinarian about appropriate steps to take. In general, virus infections are species specific and do not infect other species.
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9 Should my 7 week old Miniature Schnauzer have a veterinary check up every month? When you first get your puppy he will need a veterinary visit to check out his health and begin his vaccinations. In some cases you may actually return him to the veterinarian nearly every month to finish the vaccination series. Your own veterinarian will inform you of the vaccination schedule that they recommend for new puppies.
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10 My 8 weeks old female Pekingese has a soft lump on her stomach. It does not seem to bother her at all, and it does not seem to get bigger. Can you tell me what it is? It is possible that your puppy has an umbilical hernia. These occur when the muscle of the abdomen does not close completely over the place where the umbilical cord was when they were in the uterus. Depending on the size of the opening it can be come a serious problem because a small piece of intestine could slip through the opening and get caught. Your veterinarian should be able to determine what would be the best approach to treat this problem.
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