Fading Puppy Syndrome-Overview
The most common cause of this type of fatal syndrome is Canine Herpesvirus. It can cause some respiratory, digestive and other symptoms in adult dogs, but is managed fairly well by healthy adult immune systems. The virus is transmitted to pups at birth, and is carried indefinitely by infected adults. This would be something that can be passively "caught" from other adult dogs through casual, non-sexual contact...there is no vaccination available in the U.S. at this time.
Infected pups can develop symptoms pretty quickly after birth...yellow diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, abdominal pain, and "blah" limpness are common.
Because pups younger than 3 weeks of age do not yet have brain systems in place that regulate body heat from within, it is necessary that a litter suspected of battling a viral illness (parvo, distemper, coronavirus, herpesvirus, etc) be given an "artificial" fever by providing additional heat. Maintaining a room temperature at 85F degrees must be supplemented with hot water bottles (wrapped in towels to prevent burns) in the nest box. Be sure to heat only one side of the nest box so that dehydration from overheating does not occur and pups can roll back and forth to stay comfortable.
Intestinal parasites like coccidia and giardia can also attack pups aggressively. These parasites can be treated with antibiotics, but will also "hide out" in your adult dogs. Periodic re-treatments are required, especially for immune-compromised pets (for example: those with Irritable Bowel Disease). These bugs can be identified by sending a stool sample from suspected females to a laboratory for analysis. As with Herpesvirus, once it's with you, it's generally assumed to be Home to Stay.
Puppy Information and Resources
Coccidia
Coccidia is a one-celled organism that inhabits the digestive tract of mammals. It causes diarrhea and serious illness in very young puppies and immune-compromised adults. It is contracted by exposure to infected stool, and is commonly found in large breeding facilities where disinfection is difficult or impossible to maintain.There is evidence that these, and other related protozoans, can actually take up permenant residence in the body...so complete erradication may not be possible.Sulfa-based drugs are used to treat it. Milder medicines like Albon (by Pfizer Animal Health) are prefered, but sometimes stronger formulations are needed for resistant strains.Follow your vet's instructions about medication and follow-up testing.Article Index for This Page:
Canine Herpesvirus--Breeder Info and Advice
This virus can be Extraordinarily Hard to control in a large dog population: it does not ever "die" in the body, but can break out during any time of stress or illness. It is Super-Contagious and will spread in cyclic waves, carried in body fluids (stool, sneezes, etc.).
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available in the U.S. at this time.
Outbreaks are frequently seen during physically stressful times like pregnancy, delivery and in newborns that have immature immune systems and cannot mount their own fevers. Unfortunately, pups that begin to show symptoms (yellow, odorless stool, abdominal pain, and/or respiratory congestion) do die quickly (within 24-48 hours), not giving us very much time to intervene.
For active breeding programs try the following action:
***Stop all breeding plans until reasonable control is achieved in adults.
***Put each adult dog on a course of L-Lysine. This is an amino acid that is known to "starve" the viral replication mechanism...100 mg for each 10 pounds, 4x daily during outbreaks, pregnancy, lactation, and once daily for maintenance in healthy, non-stressed dogs. Likewise avoid L-Arginine, since viruses are known to use this amino acid in their replication process.
***Maintain breeding adults on the highest-quality food available...I like very much the research and thought put into Dr. Tim Hunt's Momentum: human-grade ingredients are formulated into dog-sensible quantities that are highly nutritious while creating a small stool volume (I really do feed each dog 25-50% LESS of this food than even other premium brands!). Probiotics are included to maintain digestive health.
***Welping box (indoors) confirmed to be at 95F degrees during delivery and first 7 days...at 90F degrees during weeks 2-3, then reduced SLOWLY thereafter. Cover pups and reinsulate if any signs of illness begin. Overheating must be as carefully avoided as underheating...overheated pups are BRIGHT RED (instead of deep Pink), and will have moisture around the lips. Heating must be provided in such a way that pups can roll toward and away from Warm and Cool, as needed, without having Hot or Cold spots on the surface. Sick pups should be maintained no higher than 100F degrees, and only this high for 2 days at most.
***Monitor Mother's health obsessively! Make sure she stays hydrated, well-fed and as free from stress as possible. A struggling mother will produce poor milk. Any first litter from a female is at Highest Risk for mortality...subsequent litters can fare better since antibodies will be in better supply (although this cannot be 100% trusted--vigilance is a must!).
***Plan to reduce breedings to every 3-4 cycles to give females time to regain health and vigor. Attempts to breed while you've got a Rogue Illness in the kennel would lead to an increase in miscarriages, mummified fetuses, stillbirths and other fatalities. (Note: females suffering from Zinc and Folate deficiency will loose more litters and whelp smaller-than-usual litters: I like to give freeze dried chicken livers to my ovulating and pregnant females to supplement both of these nutrients in good supply, and get large vigorous litters out of two smaller breeds! You could also try a vitamin-mineral supplement...always choose a supplement that lists a guaranteed analysis of ingredients, and consult with your veterinarian to get the dosing right for your dogs. You can cook chicken livers yourself, but some nutrients are lost.)
I cannot guarantee results--all the Bad Stories about Herpes are True, but this routine may be worth a try to rescue an otherwise successful breeding program. Antiviral drugs (Acyclovir, etc) are VERY expensive, but you may need to investigate this avenue through your veterinarian if outbreaks are intractible.
Start a real conversation with an experienced breeder or veterinary professional now:
Giardia
Giardia is a one-celled organism that can infest the digestive system of mammals. Some animals carrying this microbe show no symptoms; some animals with symptoms that do not correspond to other illness or do not respond to treatment of other conditions do respond well to anti-giardia treatment.The symptoms produced can include: diarrhea, vomit, generalized malaise, poor-doing young or older hosts. This parasite can be extremely difficult to find on a routine stool screen!Giardia can be contracted by drinking contaminated water, such as is found in ponds, untreated wells and other similar types of stagnant reservoirs. If this organism is living in well water that supplies your house, you will continue to reinfect the dogs (and yourselves).What to do About Giardia:
1) Do follow your veterinarian's treatment instructions closely.
2) Do be sure that your dog's water supply is clean and fresh every day...change the water and wash the bowls twice daily.
3) Do be sure to protect your dog(s) from stagnant water sources...rain puddles, ponds, etc., and be careful to not leave pets outside in wet weather. Dogs living outdoors may never be successfully treated.
4) If you have a well for water supply at your property, have it tested for Giardia. Or call your local water department to have public water tested.
5) Use a quaternary ammonium cleaner to disinfect kennel and other surfaces.
The Bare Bones About Treats
A lot of discussion has been taking place since the massive pet food and treat recalls of 2007. What is the common sense approach to treats, either homemade or store-bought?
I personally understand folks who want ot avoid foreign-produced treats and chews, as they often are processed with chemcials you would not want your pet to ingest, and which may be illegal to use in U.S. processing plants (for example: ALL "pressed" rawhide products are manufactured outside the U.S.). Asking for information about chews before purchasing, and examining labels (not present on all items! Buyer Beware) is an important and easy step you can take when shopping with your favorite pet supply outlet.
Essentially, if you wouldn't eat it yourself, consider passing it up for your pets as well! Freeze-dried treats are often well-preserved and nutritious, but be sure that the label does not list any artificially engineered flavorings or other chemicals--good quality meat treats should be attractive to your pets without added flavors or salts. Avoid processed treats or homemade recipes that list onion or garlic--these can be toxic to pets, even in small amounts.
Teething pups or dogs with separation anxiety may appreciate their bones being kept in the freezer to facilitate numbing of the gums or cooling of the mouth.
Shih Tzus should not eat any foods or treats that contain red food dyes--these chemicals are known to cause serious irritation of the digestive linings that can account for chronic vomit and soft stool problems. Soy may produce a lot of uncomfortable intestinal gas or other symptoms of intollerance or allergy; soy has also been implicated as a nutritional hazard during canine pregnancy.
Companies that have nothing to hide will list contact information on their web pages, so you can send an inquiry about treat ingredients...a quick and professional reply should answer all your questions in detail.
Still have questions? Want to talk to a live person who will understand your pet? We invite you to start a conversation with a Dog Expert online now:
