What is wrong with the puppy that latches on to mom, takes a couple of swallows and then lets go? The puppy tries to nurse again; and again the same thing happens. This is a common problem, leading to malnutrition and weak puppies. What can you do?
Puppy Won’t Nurse
Why is my newborn puppy not nursing? There are several reasons this can occur.
Start with opening the pup’s mouth(s) and using good lighting such as a lamp or flashlight, checking the roof of the mouth for a cleft palate. This will appear as a slit down the center of the roof of the mouth. If you are unsure about the appearance, check a different pup that is successfully nursing. If there is a cleft palate, contact your veterinary professional for assistance. You may choose to tube feed the pup, use a cleft palate style nipple, or have the pup euthanized.
Some of these puppies can’t breathe through their noses. They must pull a vacuum when nursing; they swallow twice, run out of air and let go. They have to make a choice: they can either nurse or breathe; they can’t do both at the same time.
Puppies in Watch
High-risk puppies are the pushed-in nose breeds like Bulldogs and Pugs, but also puppies that are still nursing and have respiratory issues, eye irritation or are coughing.
How Do I Get My Newborn Puppy To Nurse
- Flush the nose with a Saline and drip drops into the nose.
- Use Saline solution (0.9% NaCl)
- Put in bottle and use in nose.
- Treat all the puppies once, then treat the ones with issues twice daily for three days – longer if needed.
Should you be unable to help the pups latch and continue nursing, bottle or tube feeding the pups may be required.
Summary
Raising puppies is about getting puppies growing and keeping them growing. Puppies are often diagnosed as dying from malnutrition, but that is not the cause. The cause is failure to catch the “snuffed-up nose”; the problem that keeps them from nursing! This quick treatment solves the issue of not breathing and prevents malnutrition from ever becoming an issue.
If you need help with a newborn puppy that won’t stay latched on, call us at 800.786.4751.
LEARN MORE:
Newborn Puppy Care: Managing Neonates and High-Risk Puppies
Improve neonatal survival outcomes when puppies are in trouble. Dr. Greer provides resources to measure and strengthen the health of newborn puppies.
Newborn Puppy & Kitten Care: The First 72 Hours
The first three days are critical for newborn puppies. There is a lot that goes into caring for a newborn puppy or kitten. Learn how to keep them warm, how to care for the umbilical cord, what to feed them and more.
How to Help a Weak Newborn Puppy
Learn the ABCD's of helping a weak newborn puppy. Dr. Greer discusses how to help a newborn puppy struggling to breathe or a newborn puppy too weak to nurse.
My First Litter: Newborn Puppy Care
How do I take care of newborn puppies? From puppy umbilical cord care to feeding, vaccination schedules and deworming newborn puppies. Learn answers to your newborn puppy questions.
Written by: Marty Greer, DVM
Director of Veterinary Services
Marty Greer, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, has 40+ years’ experience in veterinary medicine, with special interests in canine reproduction and pediatrics. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1981. She’s served as Revival’s Director of Veterinary Services since 2019. In 2023, Dr. Greer was named the Westminster Kennel Club Veterinarian of the Year.