Following birth, if a pup is slow to get going, appears lifeless and if swinging and rubbing briskly with a coarse towel does not work, try a drop of Brandy on the tongue. Or try alternating the puppy in bowls of hot water and cold water. Fill 2 bowls with water--one from the hot tap and one from the cold tap. Immerse the puppy first in one pan and then in the other (to the neck). I have used this method successfully over the years on several occasions, with seemingly dead puppies and it has worked! The idea is to shock the system into taking that first breath. Do it about 10 times. If it works, towel dry the puppy vigorously until he is breathing normally and then put him with the dam. Sometimes there isn't time to fill water dishes and with a lifeless puppy, time is of the essence. In a case such as this, hold the puppy under the water faucet with alternating cold and hot water -- as hot and as cold as is safe. Also try artificial respiration by laying the puppy on his back and blowing gently into his mouth (pull the tongue forward), while alternating with applied pressure on the puppy's chest. Continue rubbing briskly. Don't give up on a lifeless pup if the color is good. It is possible to revive a seemingly dead puppy up to 20 minutes after delivery. Do not waste time on obviously defective pups. |