Can I use a regular syringe to clear my puppy's airway, not a bulb?

Puppies are born in sacs filled with fluid. Most of the time the dam tears the sac and cleans the puppy. In some cases such as a c-section, we have to open the sacs, remove the puppy, and wipe the fluid away from the nostrils and airway. The bulb syringe is used to aspirate fluid and mucus out of the oral cavity. You should only have to perform this once or twice.

Most puppies will not need you to aspirate their mouths after birth if it is a normal healthy birth. Usually the puppy will be born and mom will immediately start licking/cleaning the pup and this will stimulate them to start breathing. That being said, it isn't a bad idea to have one on hand as they are inexpensive, and if they are having trouble breathing you can use it. You can read more about birthing puppies/stages of labor/signs of problems at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A

Hi and thank you for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately there is not a whole lot that can be done for this at home until it is seen by your veterinarian, but keep the puppy warm and make sure it has access to mom's milk. Also if fluids haven't been cleared out quite enough after birth, you may use a bulb syringe to help suck out fluid from the puppy's nose and mouth. I hope this helps and best of luck with Lulu!

Oh no. Breathing issue in a newborn are considered critical. Take a pediatric bulb syringe and suction out the nose and throat area for any residual liquid. I suspect that your puppy may have gotten fluid in the lungs. There could be a congenital defect (i.e. cleft palate) that could have caused this or it could have been accidentally done by aggressive feeding from the mother where milk went down the trachea instead of the esophagus. It is critical to take puppy to your ER vet if he continues to having difficulty breathing after you suction everything out well. He may need oxygen support (if tongue is blue or not oxygenating well) and antibiotics if he is found to have aspiration pneumonia. Constipation is also a concern but doesn't take precedence over the breathing problems. Please get puppy help asap because he is considered to be in critical condition and in need of medical assistance.

Poor girl. The only thing you can do in the meantime is to try and unclog her airway. You can do so by using a humidifier or placing her in the bathroom with the hot shower running for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day. You can also use a pediatric syringe to help remove any mucous plugs. However, it sounds like her infection is quite severe, so I would look into taking her to another vet who can get her in sooner. Young puppies do have a tendency to develop pneumonia quickly after a prolonged upper respiratory infection that is left untreated, so its best to get her seen right away. I hope that Kylie feels better soon. Best wishes and take care.

Hello, this should be ok to put in their nose, however, it may not treat any underlying infection your puppy may have as it is just saline. Additionally, using excessive amounts of this could cause further irritation of the nose. Finally, if not positioned correctly, then he could inhale some of this fluid and develop pneumonia. You should speak to your veterinarian before using the nasal spray to make sure its indicated to do so. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Sometimes the mother will reject puppies that she feels won't make it, and in a large litter with such a small breed dog I would not be surprised if some of the pups just weren't viable. Your best bet in the future is to make sure the puppies are kept well-warmed - a heat lamp is good for this - and also watch the mom closely, especially in the first few days, to make sure that her mothering instincts are taking over and she's not trying to sit on any of the puppies. If you find some of them unresponsive, wrap them in a warm towel and try stimulating them by vigorous rubbing. You can also gently blow into their mouths, and use a bulb syringe to suction any accumulated mucous from the airway.