My dog just had a tiny, wrinkly puppy. Will it survive and thrive?

Hello. There always seems to be one puppy that just seems to struggle, but this does not mean anything is wrong. As long as you see the mother dog nursing her, cleaning her, & not ignoring or pushing this puppy to the side, then she will be fine. Often these slow starters will easily catch up to their littermates in time. Just keep a close eye on everyone. Buying a small digital kitchen scale & taking weights 2 times a week will make sure everyone is growing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If the mom is not producing enough milk then you need to supplement and bottle feed them with a puppy milk replacer. You should also be weighing them daily to monitor their weight gain. If the puppies continue to have problems then they should be examined by a vet to determine the cause.

Hi, so sorry to hear that the puppy is not doing well. If the puppy is cold to the touch try to warm him or her with a blanket and make sure the airway is clear by gently opening the mouth. In some cases, we have to use a bulb syringe to remove saliva or secretions from the airway. Then attempt to get the puppy to nurse. If the puppy fails to show interest in nursing you should purchase a baby bottle and formula (Esbilac) and attempt to feed every 2 hours using. Also, stimulate the puppy to urinate and defecate by gently wiping the anus with a warm wet washcloth. If the puppy fails to show signs of improvement contact your veterinarian.

It can be hard to read their minds sometimes! Mom may feel like that individual pup is defective or not hers, hence the reason she keeps pushing it away. However, if the pup seems to be growing adequately, this isn't a concern. You may want to start weighing the puppy daily on a small kitchen scale to monitor its growth to make sure it is getting enough milk. Talk to your vet about how much it should gain per week. Smaller puppies (or "runts") can still grow into heathy adult dogs.

Sometimes the mother will reject puppies that she feels won't make it, and in a large litter with such a small breed dog I would not be surprised if some of the pups just weren't viable. Your best bet in the future is to make sure the puppies are kept well-warmed - a heat lamp is good for this - and also watch the mom closely, especially in the first few days, to make sure that her mothering instincts are taking over and she's not trying to sit on any of the puppies. If you find some of them unresponsive, wrap them in a warm towel and try stimulating them by vigorous rubbing. You can also gently blow into their mouths, and use a bulb syringe to suction any accumulated mucous from the airway.

Unfortunately this little puppy looks very premature, I have my doubts if it will be viable. If they are born too early their lungs won't work properly. If the puppy is struggling I would take it into the vet, they will be able to advise if it can survive. Otherwise keep it warm and you should feed it puppy formula every 4 hours and use a wet cotton bud to rub on its genital area to stimulate urination.

This may be completely normal and could be due to the competition for space inside the uterus. Monitor his food intake and his body weight intensively for the first days and make sure he stays in a warm place all time. He could easily put on weight in the future and his size could result normal after few months.