How Do You Stop a Newborn Puppy From Crying?
Is your newborn puppy crying itself to sleep? Are you constantly disturbed by the piercing snobs of your tiny newborn pup?
Well, if your answer to either of the above questions is yes, then, you definitely need to dig a little deeper in this matter.
Yes, crying comes naturally to newborn pups just like newborn infants, but this can be a matter of concern if the crying is excessive and is practically unstoppable.
There may be a few basic reasons why your puppy is crying so much, a few of which are listed below for your quick reference.
Summary
- Check if the puppy is nursing
- Check if the puppy is cold
- Check if the puppy is too warm
- Check if the puppy needs to eliminate
- Check if the puppy has a medical issue
- How to stop a newborn puppy from crying
1. Check If The Puppy is Nursing
A newborn pup resembles a newborn infant in a number of ways and there are ample of chances that he is crying tirelessly because of not getting proper feed.
There may be an issue with the mother’s milk production or the puppy may be too weak to suckle or there may be a malformation making nursing difficult or impossible.
If your newborn puppy is crying a lot, it's probable that he isn’t receiving enough food and the pup is feeling hungry all the time.
Don’t ignore such symptoms and seek veterinary help if your puppy seems unable to properly nurse.
2. Check If The Puppy is Cold
Puppies cannot regulate their body temperature during their first two weeks of life.
If your newborn puppy is crying a lot, it may be a sign of the lack of warmth he is feeling.
You must have observed that newborn pups have a tendency of cuddling with their mothers and usually stay close to their siblings in order to feel warm at all times, but there may be chances that your pup isn’t getting the right kind of warmth and thus is crying all the time to convey you the message that she's getting cold.
Puppies need to be stay warm in order to digest their food. If your puppy is not staying close to the others or mother dog is pushing him way, please seek prompt veterinary help.
3. Check If The Puppy is Too Warm
On the other hand, it's also worthy evaluating if the puppy is too hot.
As a general rule of thumb, consider that overly warm pups spread out around the whelping box while overly chilled pups will huddle and cry.
4. Check If The Puppy Needs to Eliminate
When puppies are in their mother's care, mother dog licks their bottom to stimulate them to eliminate.
If the puppy is orphaned, it's the caregiver's duty to help the pup eliminate otherwise the puppy will develop a large, bloated belly.
When the puppy gets bloated, he may be colicky which leads to pain.
The caregiver must therefore encourage the newborn pup to suckle since the food will trigger the gastro-colic reflex which helps the stool is moved into the rectum.
At this point, the pup must be stimulated to potty by gently passing some warm gauze on his rear to encourage him to have a bowel movement.
This warm gauze and gentle movement will mimic mother's dog tongue and should stimulate the puppy to eliminate.
On top of needing help to eliminate, some puppies may need to be burped if they get air bubbles.
Mother dog stimulates her puppies to eliminate
5. Check if The Puppy Has a Medical Issue
Crying for newborn pups can be normal just like human infants, but if your newborn pup is crying for long intervals in a scorching and piercing voice then, you’ve definitely got something to worry about.
Puppies should be checked for any birth defects such as cleft palate or a missing opening in the rear end.
In some cases, it could be the puppy is experiencing tummy troubles and gas.
Newborn puppies have delicate digestive systems. Feeding a newborn puppy cow milk for instance, may lead to diarrhea and digestive upset.
Also, persistent, relentless crying can be a symptom of hypothermia or hypoglycemia.
Where on one hand, hypoglycemia indicates low blood sugar levels, hypothermia involves low body temperatures.
Both these medical issues need instant attention from you and veterinary care as both of these conditions can take a toll on your newborn pup’s life.
6. How Do You Stop a Newborn Puppy From Crying?
As seen, there are several reasons newborn puppies may cry, and several of them are serious, it is therefore important carefully evaluating what is amiss.
Following are several questions about common reasons newborn puppies cry and what to do about them.
My Newborn Puppy is Not Nursing, What To Do?
If your puppy is trying to nurse and cannot or has given up nursing, it's important evaluating what may be going on.
This can be a milk production issue, where mother dog is not producing adequate amounts of milk, or the puppy may be unable to suck because too weak or because of some type of genetic malformation (like cleft palate) that disables vacuum creation and suckling. explains veterinarian Dr. Ivana Crnec.
In these cases, it's important to see the vet to determine the underlying problem.
Puppies without a suckle reflex often need to be tube fed, which is a challenging process.
My Newborn Puppy is Cold, What Can I Do?
Check the temperature. The room that you keep the puppies in should be free of drafts or breezes, as they must stay very warm.
Consider that the normal ambient temperature for puppies is around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, warmer than most of us keep our houses.
Mother dog usually does well keeping the pups warm, but the pups may need additional heat through a heat lamp.
Make sure when using a heat lamp that mother and pups can choose to be in the heat or away so they don't get too warm.
Use extreme caution, as it's very easy for the puppies to get burnt.
Should I Feed Chilled Newborn Puppy?
If a puppy becomes chilled, a cascading chain of events takes place.
The puppy will lose his suckling reflex, his intestinal system begins to shuts down, and his stomach will fail to push food forward into the small intestine for digestion, explains Myra Savant-Harris in the book: "Puppy Intensive Care, A Breeder's Guide to Care of Newborn Puppies."
For this reason, it is imperative to never feed a chilled puppy.
How to Reduce Crying When I Need to Weigh the Puppy?
If a pup must be separated from its litter (as it can happen with bottle feeding, weighing, special care) make sure it has a familiar scent near that will put it at ease and help it relax.
For such purpose you can use a blanket from the litter box or some old t-shirt of yours. Although small, pups recognize your smell and seek comfort in it, further adds Dr. Crnec.
Disclaimer: this article is not meant to be used as a substitute for professional veterinary advice or behavioral advice. If your dog is acting sick or aggressive please consult with a qualified professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.
