Early Neonatal Puppy Care
Day 1-12 post birth + 12-35 Puppy Care
The real test of a bulldog breeder begins when the puppies are born. Newborn English Bulldog puppies require high levels of medical knowledge and intensive care. We hand assist all of our newborn nursing sessions for the first 12 days. Yes, you read that correctly 🙂 Every single nursing session is monitored and assisted for the first 12 days. Here are are few of the more important factors.
After the puppies return home from their c-section there is a flurry of activity. Pups are all weighed digitally, check for abnormalities, clean umbilical cords with iodine and begin their first nursing session.
The first 15 hours are critical for colostrum absorption as this is the time period that puppies can absorb these critical nutrients. A bulldog mom’s colostrum provides critical levels of iGg or antibodies that protect against bacteria and virus infection. This provides protection to young puppies until they can develop their own immune system. We ensure puppies are rotated on multiple teats during this time period. Research has shown each teat produces varying degrees of colostrum. A puppy could unknowingly receive very little colostrum if they happened to be placed on an unproductive teat the first 15 hours. Because immunity is so critical, we also administer plasma subcutaneously in the puppies at the time of birth, 12 and 24 hours post birth as a means of creating additional antibody protection.
Puppy feedings – bulldog puppy care has to be organized and timely. We run a 10x per day feeding schedule for the first 12 days. This means puppies are fed 10 times per day at consistent time intervals around the clock to regulate proper blood sugar levels. We typically nurse our puppies 30 to 40 minutes per feeding.
Puppies that do not gain weight in a 24 hour period need direct intervention. Some bulldog puppies lack the energy level or perhaps their mother’s milk lack the nutrition levels to sustain weight. In this situation, more calories are expended nursing than are consumed by the puppy. When weight loss is sustained for a 24 hour period we begin supplementing additional calories through hand nursing the bulldog mom and administering the milk via tube feeding. Tube feeding is a technical procedure where a rubber medical tube administers nutrients directly to the stomach. The procedure requires veterinary training to ensure the puppy is fed safely. Tube feeding rates are administered at 1 ml, 2 ml or 3 ml per feeding depending on the caloric deficit. Often supplemental calories are needed for 2 or 3 days until mom’s milk density improves or the puppy’s nursing capacities develop.
Puppies are weighed twice a day. Stool and energy levels are recorded every feeding. Medical charts and a devoted clipboard is used to record and track each puppy. Tracking this information allows us to respond in real time to physical changes in each puppy. It really helps to be able to go through the daily information to make decisions.
Bulldog pups are placed in medical incubators with regulated temperatures averaging around 93 degrees the day of birth and gradually reducing thereafter. An oxygenator is used to provide regulated oxygen to the pups to maximize oxygen intake in their bodies.
Bulldog moms are provided puppy food that has increased calcium, phosphorus and nutrient density. We often add cottage cheese when milk density is poor. Gut health is also considered. Bulldog moms receive probiotics that optimize gut health and allow them to pass on essential nutrients to their pups. There is a huge difference between milk quality in bulldog moms. Some are excellent while some mothers need nutritional supplementation in their diets.
Day 12 to 35 Puppy Care
Around 12 to 14 days post birth, we begin unassisted feedings where mom is allowed to care for her pups on her own. We start to see significant improvements in mom’s maternal instincts after the initial c-section. Bulldog moms are great mothers outside of the first 5 or 6 days post birth. During this timeframe we continue to monitor each puppy daily for weight gain, stool consistency, and energy levels.
A whelping box ensures the bulldog mom can enjoy her puppies without risking laying on one of the pups. It is really fun seeing the maternal care that a bulldog mom instinctively provides for their pups. We believe one of the happiest times in a bulldog’s mom’s life is when they are raising their puppies.
Early socialization is essential during this time period. Bulldog puppies need early and constant interaction to begin the human trust bond. Gentle verbal and physical interaction are essential to let the pups know they are loved and appreciated.
Early immune
Puppies begin the weaning process around 5 weeks of age. We are huge advocates for long term nursing benefits as it improves immune and gut biome development.
Puppies begin weaning from mom by moving towards a “mush” diet that includes wet puppy food mixed with milk supplement that we have developed (traditional storebought supplements or sometimes hard on a bulldog puppy’s gut health).
During this time period our bulldog pups are administered appropriate vaccinations and deworming. We follow best practices associated to both vaccinations and deworming protocol recommended by our veterinarian advisor team.
Socialization is essential post weaning. All of our puppies go through a comprehensive socialization checklist and must graduate from our socialization training program before being adopted.
As each bulldog puppy begins to slowly move away from mom’s milk, additional gut support is beneficial to develop the immune system. Puppy’s often go through an immunity gap where mom’s milk slowly leaves their system and their body must develop an immune system on its own. Specific nutrients can be essential in building a bulldog puppy’s immune system.
Bovine Colostrum – BC has been clinically proven to provide long lasting immune support for developing puppies. Clinical evidence suggest that puppies respond better to vaccinations and develop less respiratory issues when BC is administered. Bovine Colostrum is also beneficial in producing mucosa, which is the interior coating of the intestines – providing essential immune system protection.
Probiotics – Because the gut flora is still developing, probiotics are essential for a young puppy. We recommend Saccharomyces boulardii, an antibiotic resistant probiotic yeast as an excellent probiotic. It is clinically proven to support diverse gut microbiota and promotes excellent immune system development.
Observation: We recommend the continuation of both bovine colostrum and probiotic supplementation after our puppies go to their new homes. Traditional dog food, no matter the quality, is not able to properly carry these important dietary supplements. Gut health is the next chapter in canine health that is just beginning to be discovered. We believe a bulldog can dramatically improve its quality and life expectancy by unlocking the nutritional science that is currently being discovered.