Many owners have had unplanned pregnancies among their dogs and when their dog gives birth, one of the pups is usually small. In some cases, the smallest pup dies.
This smallest pup is called the “runt” of the litter.
But to clarify: all pups with a birthweight that is below the normal weight of pups of their breed are considered a runt.
And not all runts die.
Sarah Halloway, in the “Runt Of The Litter—What to expect and how to care for runt puppies” in the Happy Puppy site said that the traditional meaning of a runt is a newborn puppy with an abnormally low weight.
“By this definition, a litter can have more than one runt! In fact, all the puppies with an abnormally low birth weight are runts. These puppies often struggle to gain weight after birth and are slow to reach important developmental milestones, “ Halloway stressed.
She added: “So in this context, being a runt puppy takes on an urgent medical dimension. “
The reason there is a runt of the litter
Halloway noted that while it is possible “for puppies within a litter to be sired by more than one father, the eggs fertilized later catch up with the other embryos quickly in the very earliest stages of pregnancy. It’s a remarkable phenomenon.”
The development of the pup is determined by their inherent capacity to grow and the supply of nutrients they receive from their mother while inside the womb, Halloway stressed.
Halloway added: “A runt puppy might have failed to develop quickly enough because of a congenital defect which impeded their growth.”
“Or their placenta might have embedded in an unfavorable spot on their mum’s uterus, so they didn’t get quite as many nutrients as they needed from her. Once a puppy is outside the womb, a congenital defect might become apparent, or (more likely) it may never be clear why a puppy was born underweight, “ Halloway said.
The runt’s chances of survival
If the runt is healthy despite its size, then the size will have a minimal effect on their development, Halloway said.
“Newborn puppies are completely dependent on their mother for at least the first three weeks of their life, “ she added.
When there are a lot of puppies, the pups fight for their mother’s attention to get milk. Thus, the owner will need to be around me to make sure no pup is left out.
Runt puppy health problems
“It’s estimated that around one in fifty (50) puppies are stillborn or die in the first six weeks of life due to being too small,” Halloway said.
Halloway added: “Across all breeds of dog, low birth weight consistently increases the chances of a puppy dying. The more underweight they are, the more at risk they become. A 1978 study at Kansas State University found the risk of dying increased significantly in puppies more than 25% below the average birth weight for their breed.”
Halloway also noted that some mother dogs reject an abnormally small puppy “to conserve energy for feeding and caring for her remaining puppies.”
Also, a runt might be small due to an underlying congenital problem and their small size makes them vulnerable to other health problems outside the womb, Halloway said.
Dehydration and hypothermia are the two common health problems.
“A female dog’s first milk, called colostrum, is rich in antibodies which protect her puppies from infection until they receive their first vaccinations. On top of everything, a runt puppy who misses out on this milk is more susceptible to life-threatening bacterial infections,” said Halloway.
What to do to help a runt puppy
Here are tips from Halloway to help a runt:
1. Work closely with your veterinarian.
“All of the puppies should be checked over by a veterinarian in their first couple of days, to identify any problems early…They will also give detailed instructions for any puppies who need special care, Halloway said.
2. Make sure they get enough milk to prevent dehydration and hypoglycemia.
“If a runt puppy is too small to latch on to their mum, your vet might advise you to express her milk by hand into sterilized cup and feed the puppy with sterilized bottle or syringe. Alternatively they might recommend a suitable brand of puppy formula, “ Halloway said.
WARNING: Human baby formula and cow’s milk DO NOT CONTAIN THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CALORIES AND PROTEIN THAT PUPS NEED. Always give the puppy formula that your vet recommends.
3. Keep the pups warm from birth.
“After giving birth, a female dog’s mammary glands are only one degree cooler than her core temperature, so that when are puppies are close enough to feed, they gain warmth as well, “ Halloway said.
“Away from their mum, small puppies lose heat faster because they have a large surface area relative to their size,” she added.
“Make sure the room your puppies are staying in is kept warm (86-89ºF), and that the runt puppy doesn’t get pushed away from their mum by bigger siblings, : Halloway added.
4. A heat pad or heat lamp can also help keep the runt puppy warm.
5. A puppy who did not get colostrum from the mother will need extra care, Halloway said. Please ask your vet for extra precautions which might include early vaccination. Please also keep the runt puppy away from areas with other dogs who might have illnesses.