Why are my newborn puppies' stomachs purple and bloated? Are they dying?

Internal hemorrhage is possible but in a young puppy it would usually happen secondary to a blood clotting disease like hemophilia, ingestion of a toxin like rat bait, or a severe infection. Blood loss could happen from intestinal parasites but I wouldn't expect a purple belly. An intussception is an intestinal problem that could cause an obstruction and result in a perforation of stomach or bowel leading to the signs you noted. GDV would be very very unusual in a young puppy, typically larger breed older dogs are affected. If you noticed signs only two hours before he died (and since it sounds like he is a young puppy) I think the likelihood of him surviving regardless of the cause would be pretty low if you had made it to the hospital - I am making a wild guess here without knowing what may have happened but I would say 2-4/10. If this happened recently you may be able to have a necropsy (animal autopsy) performed which might reveal a cause of death - talk to your regular veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian if you are interested.

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!

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.

I'm very sorry this puppy is so sick! Newborn puppies are extremely fragile, and when they are sick, they have to see a vet immediately. She needs medical treatment from a vet right away for her best chance of survival, and I would take her into one now.

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.

Yes, I would be worried that that is a bruise. I recommend to take her quickly into your veterinarians office to check for any internal bleeding. Hopefully it is nothing that serious but with these very small puppies, they are fragile. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If your dog has recently been in an accident or possibly ingested a toxic substance, blue or purple discoloration can be caused by bruising or internal hemorrhaging. Otherwise, this could be a condition called cutaneous hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation is seldom a disorder in its own right, but rather a result of another medical condition. This can include conditions such as bacterial infections, [allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-allergies/), [Cushing's disease](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/cushing-s-disease/) and [obesity](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/obesity/). Inflammation is typically responsible for the emergence of hyperpigmentation, unless your dog is a Dachshund. Hyperpigmentation is a primary disorder for Dachshunds. Signs of [hyperpigmentation](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pigment-changes-of-the-skin-and-coat) include a dark purple, blue, or sometimes black or pale brown color to the abdomen, limbs, and groin. Texture changes may also occur to the skin, in which case you will notice the skin becoming more dense and course. Regardless of the cause, I recommend that you have your dog examined by your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause of the color change in your dog's skin.