Help, please! Babies losing weight - YorkieTalk.com Forums

angelbaby's mom · 03-14-2007, 04:03 AM

I'm bottle feeding 2 of the 3 c-section pups (one of them started nursing last night). Anyway, I have to FORCE them to drink 1 cc of milk, because they fight it from the start. I have been feeding them every 2 - 2 1/2 hours, throughout the night, and I weighed them this morning. Reminder: they were born yesterday morning, 7:45am.

Girl: birth weight was 6 oz. She now weighs 5.2 oz
Boy: birth weight was 7 oz. He now weights 6.1 oz

I will call my vet when they open, in 30 minutes, but I just need opinions from the pros, please.

YorkieRose · 03-14-2007, 04:13 AM

Some drop a bit the day after...give them to mom and keep putting them on the nipple..they should start gaining today...

angelbaby's mom · 03-14-2007, 04:18 AM

Pat, thank you. Before bottle feeding them, I alway sat there and put them up to the nipple to encourage nursing, for about 5 minutes, but they would turn their head, mouth clenched shut, and refuse to nurse.

Almost an entire ounce, when she only weighed 6, seemed like a big percentage to lose in 24 hours. I knew human babies always lost a little the first day or so . . .

Again, Pat, thank you.

Oh - - is one cc enough every 2 - 2 1/2 hours???

YorkieRose · 03-14-2007, 05:15 AM

Luckily, they have started at a good weight...if you can picked up the skin and it does not bounce back, they can be getting dehyrated. If they are not crying, warm, keep watching for nursing...I do not have the correct amount in front of me...ask the vet when they open. I think they may be getting some from mom and aren't eager for the bottle, but you are being careful to watch for a problem...

akuzak · 03-14-2007, 06:01 AM

I feel you concern. You are lucky because your babies are good weight, but make sure you watch them closely all the time. I am struggling with a tiny pup not gaining weight for over a week. On 3/5 (Monday) this singleton puppy was delivered through c-sec. It took over an hour to revive this baby. I don?t even know what its weight was at birth because I was fighting for its life for first couple days. On day 3 it weighted only 3.1 oz. I had to help it nurse every couple hours but obviously it was too weak to get enough. The weight wasn?t going up. It got dehydrated on Saturday so I had to take it to the ER for a shot. Since Saturday besides helping it nurse I am supplementing every 2-3 hours after it nurses. Today it was only 3.4 oz., but it is better than nothing to me. I pray for my baby and I hope it will survive. Did anyone have a tiny puppy like mine that grew up to be a healthy yorkie?

daisy mae06 · 03-14-2007, 06:06 AM

I have heard some times if you try to express just a little milk then put the pup to it they will try harder and want it more. good luck. I am sure it is alot like human babes they drop a little from birth and then start to gain.

JeanieK · 03-14-2007, 06:29 AM

Just wanted to wish you luck. I hope they start nursing soon.

KELLY353 · 03-14-2007, 07:06 AM

Me too, Wishing you luck! Hope they start nursing for you....keep trying sweetie!

Susan123 · 03-14-2007, 08:43 AM

Wishing you the best, keep prying their mouths open and putting in the teat. Eventually they'll catch on, hopefully.

akuzak - I had a 1 ounce pup that I had to tube feed for a few days that grew very well and is in her new home. She was one of the biggest in the bunch. There's many more that have them very small and they do quite well.

YorkieRose · 03-14-2007, 10:08 AM

I have had many tinies at birth grow up perfectly normal...some were only 1 oz..most of mine average 3 to 5 oz..had some bigger, but that is the norm for me..
Have you used Nutra DROPS...works well for a nursing tiny..
I did have a singlton sectioned out at 8 oz..KC grew up to be a 3 pound adult and died at 14 yrs..Sending you good thoughts...

Yorkiedaze · 03-14-2007, 10:13 AM

Use the moms milk if you aren't already. Just keep feeding them regardless if they don't want to nurse. I hope all goes well so they can get back to the mother.

ARCHIE · 03-14-2007, 10:46 AM

I just wanted to wish you well and hope all your little ones
grow up to be big ones.

Start nursing little pups there a whole world out there waiting
for you.

angelbaby's mom · 03-14-2007, 11:38 AM

Thank you everyone. They are still not nursing. But mom does lick their little bottoms as soon as I'm finished feeding them and put them back with her. Today, they are nuzzling up to mom, rooting and acting like they might open up and nurse. They just haven't yet.

I've been pulling the 3 bigger, nursing pups off mom for an hour or so at a time, keeping them in a separate box with a heat lamp. They just puppy-pile and sleep soundly! That way, the smaller 2 get full attention from mom for a bit. That's when they will nestle with mom.

I've pried their little mouths open and put them on her, but they scream at me like I'm hurting them. I'm afraid I might, even though I feel like I'm being so incredibly careful.

myteddybear · 03-14-2007, 12:17 PM

Are giving them anything to up thier energy? A drop of kayro syrup might give them a little burst of energy enough to want to nurse. It's what used to do with my Maltese babies and it always worked very well.

Kim

angelbaby's mom · 03-14-2007, 01:10 PM

Kim, I did that (w/ maple syrup) the first day, but since I've been feeding them, I haven't tried the syrup again.

Maybe that will stir the tummy juices a bit and make them nurse. I'll try it.

Thank you.

03-14-2007, 04:03 AM	#1
angelbaby's mom YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: OK, but Texas soon! Posts: 326	Help, please! Babies losing weight I'm bottle feeding 2 of the 3 c-section pups (one of them started nursing last night). Anyway, I have to FORCE them to drink 1 cc of milk, because they fight it from the start. I have been feeding them every 2 - 2 1/2 hours, throughout the night, and I weighed them this morning. Reminder: they were born yesterday morning, 7:45am. Girl: birth weight was 6 oz. She now weighs 5.2 oz Boy: birth weight was 7 oz. He now weights 6.1 oz I will call my vet when they open, in 30 minutes, but I just need opinions from the pros, please.

03-14-2007, 04:13 AM	#2
YorkieRose No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,577	pups Some drop a bit the day after...give them to mom and keep putting them on the nipple..they should start gaining today...

03-14-2007, 05:15 AM	#4
YorkieRose No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,577	pups Luckily, they have started at a good weight...if you can picked up the skin and it does not bounce back, they can be getting dehyrated. If they are not crying, warm, keep watching for nursing...I do not have the correct amount in front of me...ask the vet when they open. I think they may be getting some from mom and aren't eager for the bottle, but you are being careful to watch for a problem...

03-14-2007, 06:01 AM	#5
akuzak Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Schiller Park, Illinois Posts: 86	I feel you concern. You are lucky because your babies are good weight, but make sure you watch them closely all the time. I am struggling with a tiny pup not gaining weight for over a week. On 3/5 (Monday) this singleton puppy was delivered through c-sec. It took over an hour to revive this baby. I don?t even know what its weight was at birth because I was fighting for its life for first couple days. On day 3 it weighted only 3.1 oz. I had to help it nurse every couple hours but obviously it was too weak to get enough. The weight wasn?t going up. It got dehydrated on Saturday so I had to take it to the ER for a shot. Since Saturday besides helping it nurse I am supplementing every 2-3 hours after it nurses. Today it was only 3.4 oz., but it is better than nothing to me. I pray for my baby and I hope it will survive. Did anyone have a tiny puppy like mine that grew up to be a healthy yorkie? __________________ I with all of my .

03-14-2007, 06:06 AM	#6
daisy mae06 Kodi & Pixie 2 Donating Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: NEBRASKA Posts: 14,766	I have heard some times if you try to express just a little milk then put the pup to it they will try harder and want it more. good luck. I am sure it is alot like human babes they drop a little from birth and then start to gain. __________________ OK Yorkie Rescue - http://okyorkierescue.org LorisCritterSitter.com

03-14-2007, 04:18 AM	#3
angelbaby's mom YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: OK, but Texas soon! Posts: 326	Pat, thank you. Before bottle feeding them, I alway sat there and put them up to the nipple to encourage nursing, for about 5 minutes, but they would turn their head, mouth clenched shut, and refuse to nurse. Almost an entire ounce, when she only weighed 6, seemed like a big percentage to lose in 24 hours. I knew human babies always lost a little the first day or so . . . Again, Pat, thank you. Oh - - is one cc enough every 2 - 2 1/2 hours???

03-14-2007, 06:29 AM	#7
JeanieK Donating YT 12K Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Council Bluffs Iowa Posts: 12,552	Just wanted to wish you luck. I hope they start nursing soon.

03-14-2007, 07:06 AM	#8
KELLY353 I LOVE my Yorkie Babies! Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: KS Posts: 1,895	Me too, Wishing you luck! Hope they start nursing for you....keep trying sweetie!

03-14-2007, 08:43 AM	#9
Susan123 YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 1,455	Wishing you the best, keep prying their mouths open and putting in the teat. Eventually they'll catch on, hopefully. akuzak - I had a 1 ounce pup that I had to tube feed for a few days that grew very well and is in her new home. She was one of the biggest in the bunch. There's many more that have them very small and they do quite well.

03-14-2007, 10:08 AM	#10
YorkieRose No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,577	size I have had many tinies at birth grow up perfectly normal...some were only 1 oz..most of mine average 3 to 5 oz..had some bigger, but that is the norm for me.. Have you used Nutra DROPS...works well for a nursing tiny.. I did have a singlton sectioned out at 8 oz..KC grew up to be a 3 pound adult and died at 14 yrs..Sending you good thoughts...

03-14-2007, 10:13 AM	#11
Yorkiedaze My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca. Posts: 12,228	Use the moms milk if you aren't already. Just keep feeding them regardless if they don't want to nurse. I hope all goes well so they can get back to the mother.

03-14-2007, 10:46 AM	#12
ARCHIE No Longer A Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 16,218	I just wanted to wish you well and hope all your little ones grow up to be big ones. Start nursing little pups there a whole world out there waiting for you.

03-14-2007, 11:38 AM	#13
angelbaby's mom YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: OK, but Texas soon! Posts: 326	Thank you everyone. They are still not nursing. But mom does lick their little bottoms as soon as I'm finished feeding them and put them back with her. Today, they are nuzzling up to mom, rooting and acting like they might open up and nurse. They just haven't yet. I've been pulling the 3 bigger, nursing pups off mom for an hour or so at a time, keeping them in a separate box with a heat lamp. They just puppy-pile and sleep soundly! That way, the smaller 2 get full attention from mom for a bit. That's when they will nestle with mom. I've pried their little mouths open and put them on her, but they scream at me like I'm hurting them. I'm afraid I might, even though I feel like I'm being so incredibly careful.

03-14-2007, 12:17 PM	#14
myteddybear Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cambridgeshire, England Posts: 1,208	Are giving them anything to up thier energy? A drop of kayro syrup might give them a little burst of energy enough to want to nurse. It's what used to do with my Maltese babies and it always worked very well. Kim __________________ Please help save Lennox! http://www.savelennox.co.uk/ Let your voice be heard so Lennox can go home

03-14-2007, 01:10 PM	#15
angelbaby's mom YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: OK, but Texas soon! Posts: 326	Kim, I did that (w/ maple syrup) the first day, but since I've been feeding them, I haven't tried the syrup again. Maybe that will stir the tummy juices a bit and make them nurse. I'll try it. Thank you.