Why are my puppies dying one by one? Is it fading puppy syndrome?

I'm so sorry you lost two puppies! Yes, it is entirely possible that these puppies died from fading puppy syndrome, but it doesn't mean the the other two puppies will die as well. I will put a link below to a website that gives more information about fading puppy syndrome. Keep bottle feeding them for now, and start to slowly switch them over to puppy food completely. They should be fully weaned in around two weeks. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/puppy-fading-puppy-syndrome-in-dogs

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!

Wow puppies look happy and healthy. I would not worry if they are growing well, feeding and do not show any other signs. The puppy most likely was affected by the fading puppy syndrome, there should be no reason for the others to have the same condition . Sadly it was just something he was predisposed to.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so sorry!! It is very hard when puppies are this young. The most common cause of illness and death in puppies are infections and congenital issues. Common infections that can affect the respiratory system and or the neurologic system are: Herpes, distemper, bordatella, influenza. Sadly I recommend doing special testing on the next puppy that dies to find out the cause. I would request PCR swabs to send off for a respiratory panel and biopsy any abnormal tissues on autopsy. Sometime we can not save them when we do not know what the disease is. If you can not get to the Vet in town go to a specialist or local Veterinary school. It is important to know what is going on. I hope this helps and I am very sorry this is happening. I suggest that the 3 currently ill puppies be seen at a more specialized hospital. I wish you the best!

I am sorry to hear about your puppy. In a puppy that size we do worry about hypoglycemia, which can present with these symptoms. A severe liver shunt, a cardiac defect, and a toxicity would also be suspected. If you have other puppies I would recommend getting a necropsy done on the puppy who died to try to help identify the underlying cause in case it is something you need to monitor in the other puppies.

If they are all experiencing this, I would be concerned it could be something contagious such as distemper or they may have gotten into something toxic. I think this is a medical emergency, and I feel they should all go to a vet immediately. Please take them into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

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.