Neonatal Care

Question 1

What is a whelping box?

Answer 1

provides a nesting area for the dam/queen to birth during last weeks of pregnancy

Question 2

What is the theory behind swinging?

Answer 2

aspirating stomach contents
pneumonia
cerebral haemorrhage

Question 3

How often do puppies/kittens suckle on their mothers for the first 5 days?

Answer 3

every 2-3 hours

Question 4

What percentage do puppies/kittens sleep during the first few weeks?

Answer 4

80%, only wakes to feed

Question 5

What is the average growth development at 3 weeks & 4 weeks?

Answer 5

3: able to stand
4: able to move around

Question 6

What is the weight percentage that neonates should develop each day?

Answer 6

approx. 5-10% bw/pday- links to importance of puppy ID

Question 7

What are some neonatal killers?

Answer 7

altricial- death/blind
immunologically incompetent- immune system not fully formed
compromised thermoregulation- first 2 days
limited surfactant (fluids bathes in alveoli)- difficult for alveoli expand
80% body water levels- high demand

Question 8

Define congenital

Answer 8

a disease present from birth

Question 9

Define hereditary

Answer 9

passed on through genes (hernia, cleth palate)

Question 10

Define hypoxia

Answer 10

reduced oxygen in blood

Question 11

Define hypoglycaemia

Answer 11

reduced blood glucose levels

Question 12

Define colostrum

Answer 12

first portion of milk- rich in antibodies

Question 13

Define mentation

Answer 13

how BAR/ reactive an animal is

Question 14

Define septicaemia

Answer 14

blood poisoning

Question 15

What percentage of a litter is lost to ‘fading puppy syndrome’?

Answer 15

10-20%- puppies leading to death of an unknown cause

Question 16

Why are neonates at risk of hypothermia?

Answer 16

small body mass- increases surface area, no adequate nutrition, reduced thermoregulation

Question 17

Why are neonates at risk of hypoxia?

Answer 17

if lungs haven’t developed properly, reduced airway and oxygen in blood