Like any pet, newborn puppies are vulnerable and require immediate care to maintain their well-being.
As their owners, you should certainly participate in the process, but extra caring from the mother might be equally crucial.
That raises the important question: do puppies need to nurse right after birth?
My guide will address this topic, along with other extra tips. Scroll for more discussions.
Do Puppies Need to Nurse Right After Birth?
Yes. Nursing immediately after birth provides puppies with essential nutrients and calories while helping them maintain good body temperatures.
Plus, they will bond better with their mothers this way, which improves their mental and physical health.
Essential Nutrients
During the first 2-3 weeks, the puppy’s main nutrition source should be its mother’s milk – as it combines carbohydrates, fats, and proteins essential for supporting the development of muscles, organs, and body structures.
Some dog breeds also produce milk containing lots of minerals and vitamins, which further contribute to the puppy’s growth.
Calorie Requirements
Newborn pups have exceptionally high metabolic rates, demanding a significant calorie intake for more consistent development.
The mother’s milk supply, rich in calories, is the ideal solution to this dilemma; without it, your puppies will definitely become much more lethargic.
Weight Gain
Regular weight gains are a reliable indicator of a puppy’s good health and overall well-being.
Experts recommend puppies gain at least 10% of their body weight daily during the first 2-3 weeks.
And studies have demonstrated that proper nursing significantly speeds up this process, enabling puppies to achieve important developmental milestones (like standing, opening their ears and eyes, and learning to walk) much faster.
Thermal Regulation
Most newborn puppies struggle to manage their body temperature efficiently, subjecting themselves to extreme cold, dangerous temperature fluctuations, and heat stress.
Nursing and sharing the mother’s body heat help them maintain safe body temperature limits, ensuring comfort and guarding them against complications like lethargy.
Furthermore, this practice allocates the body’s resources and energy more properly (rather than overusing it on temperature regulation), which benefits your puppy’s long-term development.
The Bond Between The Mother and The Puppy
Nursing is more than just nutrition; it also plays a crucial role in strengthening the connection between the nursing mother and her litter of puppies.
Sometimes, I also see the mom carrying her pups everywhere, not even letting anyone come close to their little nuggets.
Remember that positive and nurturing environments always contribute to faster, healthier growth regardless of species.
Thus, this intimate bond will provide the emotional support necessary for your puppies to thrive both mentally and physically.
The Benefits of Colostrum for Puppies
Colostrum is found in mothers’ milk when giving newborns their very first nutrition.
But these baby pups are not the only ones benefiting from colostrum, as this substance offers many advantages even to older dogs.
It can help your pets avoid the following issues:
Allergies
Colostrum has high levels of PRPs that help control allergies/overactive immune responses and inflammation (often associated with itching, discomfort, rashes, scratchy privates, etc.).
Leaky Guts
Leaky guts, caused by toxins and drugs, occur when gut linings are damaged.
As a result, undigested food will pass through to enter the pup’s bloodstream, causing numerous issues from arthritis and digestive problems to allergies.
But here’s the great news: colostrum (or, specifically, the lactoferrin it contains) can prevent this issue, acting like a prebiotic that feeds healthy bacteria to the dog’s gut.
Diarrhea
Studies have shown colostrum can deal with various types of acute, chronic, or even infectious diarrhea.
Older research (dating back to 2004) also proved colostrum’s ability to increase fecal qualities in weaned puppies.
Oral Problems
Periodontal diseases in small pets like puppies are common, often leading to serious tooth loss. While some pets recommend anesthesia-related teeth cleaning, this method is quite risky.
So why not turn to colostrum instead? Scientists suggest colostrum reduces bacteria related to gum disease; better yet, the growth factors it contains also fix damaged tissues.
Autoimmune Diseases
Like humans, dogs (especially pups) are vulnerable to autoimmune diseases due to leaky guts, environmental toxins, or even over-vaccination.
Colostrum helps regulate the overactive immune systems via the PRPs, while its growth factors minimize inflammation risks; together, these substances keep autoimmune diseases at bay.
And do not forget the lactoferrin and immunoglobulins in the colostrums, which limit harmful viruses and bacteria that might aggravate or trigger system collapses.
Yeast
Vulnerable and weak as they are, puppies are common victims of discomfort, skin odor, and itching from yeast.
Fortunately, the lactoferrin and peptides are strongly antifungal, easily removing the biofilms to kill off the yeast.
With these immune-boosting capabilities fully activated, yeast infections are very unlikely.
Cancer
As the immunoglobulins in the colostrum strengthen the immune system, your pups will unlikely suffer from bacterial infections and viruses.
The anti-inflammatory properties of its lactoferrin activate special white cells to kill off cancer cells.
They are also aided by strong lactalbumin that eliminates cancer cells without harming the healthier cells in the pup’s system.
Canine Flu
Respiratory diseases are unlikely once your pup feeds on colostrum properly.
A 2007 study even confirmed colostrum was “three times more efficient” than vaccination, and another 2013 experiment concluded that lactoferrin-whey supplements reduce colds in dogs.
Skin Problems
Colostrum has strong antibacterial effects that help a lot with your pup’s skin infections. I suggest mixing powdered colostrum and distilled water, then applying this paste to:
- Wounds (surgical ones included)
- Skin infections
- Abscesses
- Insect bites
- Ear infections
- Hot spots
- Cysts
How Long Do Puppies Nurse After They Are Born?
How long should a newborn puppy nurse?
Baby pups should nurse about every 2 hours during the first 2 weeks – not just for nutrition, but also to create better bonds between them and their mothers.
From week 3, you can start the weaning process by giving them solid puppy food – but even then, most mother dogs won’t stop nursing until their pups are at least 7 weeks of age.
Some mother dogs are good with milk production and can even continue nursing for longer than 9 weeks.
Other Nursing Tips for Newborn Puppies
How long do puppies need to nurse? Now that you know the answer, let’s discuss some extra tips to keep the puppies safe and well-fed:
- Be Gentle: Do not intervene too much, and approach the pups cautiously to avoid aggressive reactions from their mother.
- Socialize: Play with the pups and make them grow more comfortable with your presence. But remember to do this only after their mother allows it.
- Provide Them With Warm Environments: As mentioned, puppies struggle to manage their body temperatures in 2-3 weeks.
Always monitor their temp (make sure it is between 96 to 98℉), and use heat lamps when necessary. Most importantly, avoid heating pads since they might cause burns.
- Seek Professional Help. After the pups are born, consult vets immediately for first vaccinations and examinations.
And start from week 2, remember to deworm your puppies every two weeks.
At week 6, bring them to the vet for the first parvovirus/distemper vaccination unless experts advise otherwise.
Can Puppies Go Without Nursing?
How long after birth can a puppy go without nursing? Well, they can’t, but their nursing requirements decrease over time.
For instance, puppies under 2 weeks of life must get fed every 1-2 hours, while those 3 weeks old and more only need feedings after 6-7 hours.
FAQs
What Happens If A Newborn Puppy Won’t Nurse?
The pups might have low blood sugar or suffer from hypoglycemia. Drop some corn syrups on their tongues to see whether they get better; if not, bring them to the animal hospital.
Do Newborn Puppies Need To Eat Right Away?
Yes, the nursing process should begin as early after canine birth as possible since newborn puppies have very low energy reserves.
If not fed right away, they will be vulnerable to a lot of infectious diseases.
Conclusion
Do puppies need to nurse right after birth? Yes, and you must also monitor the process while gradually introducing the pups to more dry foods as they age.
Be patient and attentive, and feel free to consult our help (or advice from any expert vets you know) when the dog doesn’t nurse.
