Unplanned mating , mum 8 years old, 4 th litter , isolated from my other dogs 5 weeks before whelping , upto date with vacs, worming etc. Whelped no problems 5 puppies all 6-7ozs at birth (average for my breed) day 1 vet checked mum gave calcium injection at my request ( always do this as it gives my bitches a real boost ) no concerns
Day 3, 2 puppies feel cooler , turned up heating , still nursing etc. Day 3 & 4 lost 2 puppies and 3 rd puppies fading fast . Emergency trip to vets, fluids and antibiotics given but prognosis very poor. I continued to give this puppy skin to skin and massaged it then started syringe feeding all 3 remaining puppies who were still nursing off mum

Now day 10. I’m still supplementary feeding all 3 remaining puppies and giving them a daily boost with PUPPYSTIM. They are still regularly nursing off mum. Looking strong ,actively moving & stay settled between feeds BUT still have not gained any weight . All 3 are still around 7-8 ozs. My vet is at a loss as to why & has told me to carry on doing what I’m doing . I’m monitoring when they nurse from mum so I can give them additional milk in between feeding from her so are getting plenty of fluids . I’m also keeping them very warm 24/7

Given the expertise of people on this site I’m desperate for any advice as it’s a complete mystery . I’m also worried that if they’ve been affected by Herpes what the longer term prognosis is for them. Anyone any experience of puppies in a litter surviving herpes ( if this is what the problem is ) and how they did ?

Thanking you in anticipation

Sadly there is very little you can do if it is herpes.  There is a post at the top of this board with some suggestions.  But really the main thing is to keep the puppies warm - and that may be uncomfortably warm for them.  They may complain and dislike how warm it is... But the virus cannot reproduce when the temperature is normal adult dog body temperature.  Puppies' temperatures run lower than this, which is how the virus reproduces.  You may need to put them on a warming pad and keep them insulated in a box when not nursing from mum.

If you suspect herpes, get your vet to do an autopsy on one of the deceased puppies. You will see telltale red lesions all over the internal organs.  This is a classic sign of the disease and is pretty simple to do.  If these lesions are not there then it's not herpes and you don't need to keep the remaining puppies warm in that way.

Thanks for your reply. It’s now day 12 & I’ve still got all 3 puppies. The two boys are doing much better but I think I’m going to lose the girl as she seems to be getting weaker . In the last two days it’s like she’s forgotten how to suck & even when I know she’s due to feed and put her to mum on her own she just nuzzles up to her but makes no attempt to suckle. Even syringe feeding her is harder as she tends to gag & ive got to take it very slowly. I’ve been supplementary feeding her for a week now with minimum weight gain. Still keeping all 3 very warm and sleeping in the same room so I can observe when & how they feed. I’m wondering if it was herpes and she’s now got some neurological problem. If she doesn’t make it I’ll have a post Mortem done to get some answers. It’s all very depressing

It doesn't sound like you are tube-feeding.

Please, please tube feed a failing puppy - it is their only hope.  You may not feel comfortable doing it, but the puppy WILL die if you don't, so there isn't anything to lose.  A weak puppy doesn't have the energy to nurse from a bottle or from mum and without nursing, they will only get weaker - so it becomes a downward spiral in one direction.  Feeding with a syringe risks aspiration pneumonia, so please don't do that either.

The correct way to feed a failing puppy is via tube feeding.  There are many videos on YouTube showing exactly how to do this and if you need any of the equipment, your vet should be able to provide you with it (if not show you how to tube feed the first feed or two). 

We get breeders time after time on this group with puppies which are seriously in trouble and they are just attempting to bottle feed or syringe or use a sponge - it's not going to be enough for a puppy in serious trouble.  Only tube feeding gets the food where it needs to be instantly and with zero effort from the puppy.  I understand that it sounds scary and intimidating to put a tube into a puppy's stomach but it's incredibly easy and a vet should be able to show you the first time...

Thank you for your reply . I’ve been back to the vets today & he said not to tube feed her as she’s so tiny & that’s higher risk than what I’m doing syringe feeding with a test . He’s amazed I’ve managed to keep all 3 going this long & as a precaution has prescribed anti biotic drops . The vet watched me feeding her & said they wouldn’t be able to do any better so to just keep going, which of course I will . Fingers crossed she picks up again with the antibiotics

Sorry horseymania, but that is incorrect information from your vet.  All puppies, of all sizes and ages, can be tube-fed.  There's no such thing as a puppy which is too high risk because they are 'so tiny'.

I would get another vet.... Sounds to me like they don't know how to do it...

> I would get another vet.... Sounds to me like they don't know how to do it...

Unfortunately few vets know much about puppy rearing.