Normal Shih Tzu puppies are plump and firm at birth. They have good muscle and skin tones. The skin on the abdomen, feet and mouth is pink. If Shih Tzu puppies cry continuously or constantly squirm and crawl, these are signs of infant distress. Well-nourished, healthy Shih Tzu puppies are warm, quiet and sleep most of the time. They yawn at awakening. Do not excessively handle newborn Shih Tzu puppies. Do not allow others to handle newborn Shih Tzu puppies. Only the breeder or caretaker should handle newborn Shih Tzu puppies. Excessive handling of more than one person increases the chance of transmission of infections to the newborns.
Unthrifty Puppies
Unthrifty Shih Tzu puppies have poor muscle tone. Obvious signs of discomfort are constant crying and initially high levels of activity. Unthrifty Shih Tzu puppies appear thinner than siblings and are limp to touch because of poor muscle and skin tones. Unthrifty Shih Tzu puppies may feel cold to your touch or cooler than their siblings. The skin over the abdomen, feet and mouth interiors may appear reddish purple or paled when compared to other siblings.
An unthrifty Shih Tzu puppy is usually incapable of sustained nursing and readily loses nipple contact with the dam. They become easily chilled. Such unthrifty Shih Tzu puppies may respond positively to a few milliliters of raw liver juice fed daily for their first few weeks. Supplementary tube or bottle feeding for three or four days every four hours around the clock may be necessary. If you notice a weak, unthrifty Shih Tzu puppy, remove it from the litter and maintain it in the puppy box. You can place the Shih Tzu puppy back on the dam at regular intervals under your close supervision. This way the dam is able to stay in touch with the weak unthrifty Shih Tzu puppy. She will stimulate elimination, clean and nurture them at this time. This regular periodic tactile time helps avoid failure-to-thrive syndrome. Many weak and unthrifty Shih Tzu puppies can be successfully saved.
Premature Puppies
The first 24 hours are critical to premature Shih Tzu puppies. They must be maintained on an hourly schedule. The next 48 hours requires an every 2 hour schedule around the clock. The following 48 hours can be stretched to a 3-hour schedule around the clock. By the fifth day, premature Shih Tzu puppies, can be changed to 4-hour intervals. At one week, the night feedings only can be set to a 6-hour schedule, resuming 4-hour intervals during the day. This is a highly intense schedule for a breeder or Shih Tzu puppy mid-wife. It must be maintained until the premature Shih Tzu puppies are ready for their first semisolid foods at about 13 days of age and after their eyes have opened. Many premature Shih Tzu puppies can be saved on this routine.
There is nothing as sad as an abused or abandoned pet and anyone that has a humane bone in their body does not want to see any animal needlessly suffer. If you ever have a situation where you know of a Shih Tzu dog that is being abused or has been abandoned then you will need to find the nearest Shih Tzu rescue centre so that you can give that poor little dog a second chance at a loving and happy life. Finding a Shih Tzu rescue centre may not be as difficult as you may think. One way to find a Shih Tzu rescue center is to ask your vet for advice or even contact your local animal control center for a facility they may recommend. If you do not have a vet because you have no pets then just contact any of the local vets you find in your phone book, as they would be more than happy to help you find a safe place for an abused animal. People can sometimes take the local newspaper for granted because it is there every day and you just assume it is going to have the information you need. What many people fail to realize is that the local newspaper is a central hub for community information and while they may not always publish everything they have, they may still have what you are looking for. Your local newspaper may have Shih Tzu rescue centre information. You can find anything on the Internet and that includes local information for national groups. If you search the Internet for a local Shih Tzu rescue centre and all you find is information on national rescue centres then contact the national groups anyways. They may have a local contact point that they do not list anywhere else and that may be a great help to you. A great place to call and check on a Shih Tzu rescue center is any local dog breeders or any breeders that specifically deal in the Shih Tzu breed. A dog breeder is not just someone that breeds dogs for sale to new owners, but they also care about all pets like any owner would. A breeder can nurse a Shih Tzu back to health and then find it a new and loving home so that it can have a second chance at life. A breeder can be a great resource for abused dogs. If you are a humane person then it is your business to help out abused and abandoned pets whenever you see one. You have many options that allow you to help the animal and then step away so that you are not always adopting abandoned pets. If you know the abuser, or the person that abandoned the animal, then turn them in to the authorities as abusing or abandoning animals is a crime that is punishable. That is the way it should be.
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Connie Limon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Dogs and Colon Cleanse. Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Designer pet clothing is offered on the website. Sign up at:. Connie Limon's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
Rebecca Simpson.. has sinced written about articles on various topics from . About the author: Rebecca Simpson is an avid lover of the Shih Tzu and has a popular website where you'll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved. Rebecca Simpson..'s top article . to your Favourites.