So things have been going along with little change since yesterday. Every 2-3 hours there's a visit with Roxie and her pups, and a pup 4 feeding while the other two nurse. At the 3 & 5am feedings this morning, pup 4 seemed to be making a breakthrough - he could find a nipple himself, and he knew that when he found one he should open his little mouth and try to grab it - but his little grabber muscles still weren't working correctly, or else he didn't really know to use them. So, he was on the verge of nursing on his own. But since then today he seems to have really regressed, and the last two feedings he's been kind of a limp noodle. He's continuing to take swallows of milk from the syringe, but not much, and not with much enthusism.
I'm guessing/hoping that his body just needs more time to heal and recover - if we can buy him time by keeping him going for a few more days, maybe that'll do the trick and he'll come back to being a (semi-?) normal puppy. Both vets have told us that it's just a wait-and-see situation; nothing more can really be done for him other than making sure he gets milk every few hours.
I'm going to be posting a few more puppy photos that I took today. Pups 2 and 3 are becoming plump little tanks of lovable puppiosity - each of them is nursing great, and often, and putting on lots of weight. It's easy when you're so worried about one to kind of not notice and enjoy the rest - I'm trying to be sure to take more time with each of them, and also make time in each visit just to focus on Roxy and give her lots of loves and pets. She's such a good girl!
1 comment:
Maybe Pup 4 had other things going on that you couldn't see...?
Post a Comment