My 1-week-old puppies are restless with purplish skin. Is this normal?

Hello. Is this the only puppy that looks this way? It is possible that there is a circulatory or vascular problem such as a heart defect in this little one. Honestly, there is not much you can do at this point in time other than to make sure he is not rejected by his mother. If he is, you might be able to hand raise him. Some problems may not be overly serious, some may require intervention as the puppy ages. The first several weeks of a puppies life is the most critical, even under normal circumstances. Just give this little one the best TLC that you can. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The picture shows skin that has a pink tint to it on my screen. But a purplish color could indicate issues with anemia or the red blood cells. I would recommend that the breeder have the puppy examined by a vet to see if it is significant. A CBC and examination of a blood smear will help determine if there are any red blood cell abnormalities.

It is normal for the hair coat to thin out and then appear bald in places after the puppies are weaned. The change in color and odor can be a sign of an infection though. You can try a medicated bath until you can get her to the vet to check for an infection

If all the puppies are affected and some are dying, it would be best to seek veterinary care in person immediately. It is possible they have all contracted something, have an illness or injury, or some other issue going on which needs to be seen and treated by a vet ASAP, especially if they are in visible pain, not thriving, turning blue or purple or are passing away.

Hello. The amount of blood flow to the mammary glands ( not boobs ) has increased tremendously & this can cast a bluish tinge to the tissues. As long as the tissues seem soft & pliable, there is no pain & your dog seems comfortable nursing, then this is normal. Signs of infection in the glands ( mastitis ) would be pain, erythema ( redness ), lethargy, a reluctance to nurse, possibly a loss of appetite, a red discharge from the nipples, & ulceration of the tissues. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This may be a normal aging change for her. As puppies lose their puppy coats the adult fur can change color and the skin pigment can darken also. If the skin looks normal with no sores I wouldn't worry about it. If she is itchy that may cause changes in the skin color. A veterinary visit is indicated if you are seeing abnormal areas on the skin.

Poor puppies. It is hard to say what exactly was the underlying problem but these puppies undoubtedly suffered from fading puppy syndrome. Fading puppy syndrome affects puppies during the first 2 weeks of life and can be caused by a multitude of things including: cleft palate, infection, pneumonia, or other congenital abnormalities to their physical structures. on average we see about a 30% loss of life and puppies during the first two weeks. Although in your case this % is much higher. I don't know what you mean by your statement "the other two couldn't understand"? Unfortunately in most of these situations the puppies cannot be saved despite our best efforts. However you can do your part to give them the best chance of survival, by: 1) Providing warmth but don't overheat 2) Feed every 2 hrs if mama dog isn't nursing well 3) Stimulate to pee and poop every 2 hrs if mama dog isn't doing so 4) Get puppies checked out by the vet if any aren't eating well, appear blue in color (means not getting enough oxygen) or are not active (good energy level). Here is an excellent resource website to help guide you along the way. Hopefully you won't lose any more puppies from this litter and they all grow up to be happy healthy dogs. Best wishes!