My newborn puppy is struggling to breathe, no vet open. What can I do?

Oh no. Breathing issue in a newborn are considered critical. Take a pediatric bulb syringe and suction out the nose and throat area for any residual liquid. I suspect that your puppy may have gotten fluid in the lungs. There could be a congenital defect (i.e. cleft palate) that could have caused this or it could have been accidentally done by aggressive feeding from the mother where milk went down the trachea instead of the esophagus. It is critical to take puppy to your ER vet if he continues to having difficulty breathing after you suction everything out well. He may need oxygen support (if tongue is blue or not oxygenating well) and antibiotics if he is found to have aspiration pneumonia. Constipation is also a concern but doesn't take precedence over the breathing problems. Please get puppy help asap because he is considered to be in critical condition and in need of medical assistance.

If the puppy is deceased then there is little to no chance of regaining a heart beat. If the pup has a heart beat but not breathing then gently blowing breaths into the nose / mouth may stimulate breathing. Also using a nasal aspirater to suction any fluids from the mouth and pharynx can be helpful. Of course taking the pup to a veterinarian immediately would be it’s best chance of survival, but the chances are still very low. I’m sorry you are going through this. Take care and thank you for using Pet Coach.

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 that is a birth deformity and there may not be much you can do without surgery. She may also have a cleft palpate which can be very serious and lead to aspiration. I recommend to have Lalasa examined by the veterinarian to figure out to what extend she may be abnormal. She likely cannot nurse well because it sounds like she can’t breath out of her nose. Some of the puppies can be tub fed but the veterinarian will need to show you how and if that will work. Best of luck and I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor puppy. Yes open mouth breathing and raspy breaths indicates that puppy is not getting enough oxygen, which can be due to either fluid in the lungs, congestion in the upper nasal passage or some other birth defect. I would recommend having this puppy examined by your vet soon! I do hope that your pup has a mild issue that can be treated for. Best of luck and take care.

Poor girl. The only thing you can do in the meantime is to try and unclog her airway. You can do so by using a humidifier or placing her in the bathroom with the hot shower running for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day. You can also use a pediatric syringe to help remove any mucous plugs. However, it sounds like her infection is quite severe, so I would look into taking her to another vet who can get her in sooner. Young puppies do have a tendency to develop pneumonia quickly after a prolonged upper respiratory infection that is left untreated, so its best to get her seen right away. I hope that Kylie feels better soon. Best wishes and take care.

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear that Cookis is so sick! The difficulty breathing and vomiting in a young puppy is very concerning to me. You need to take Cookis back to your veterinarian as it sounds like X-rays need to be done. She may have developed pneumonia or have a blockage in her gastrointestinal tract. It is very important to have Cookis seen by a veterinarian as I'm concerned it sounds like she is very ill. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do at home to help at this point without knowing what exactly is causing these issues. I hope Cookis can get to veterinarian, get the care she needs and is feeling better soon.