My newborn puppy has a hole in its mouth and struggles to breathe.

Question

Puppies were born wed morning and this lil guy is having a hard time breathing, not moving around like the rest and I’m not sure if he’s eating because he will not fight the others to get a nipple. I have been bottle feeding him when I can. He leaves his mouth open a whole lot and today I noticed the roof of his mouth had what looks like a hole all the way down the roof. I checked another puppy to see if this was normal but that puppy was not like this. I have attached a pic. Help. Pet's info: Dog | Pit Bull Terrier | Male | unneutered | 3 days old | 1lb

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

Yes, it looks like this puppy has a pretty severe cleft palate. I would recommend having the puppy evaluated by the vet. Some of these can be fixed surgically. The vet may show you how to tube feed this puppy to make sure the milk is getting to the stomach and is not being inhaled through this hole (so that the milk gets into the lungs and causes pneumonia). You should start weighing the puppy daily on a small kitchen scale to make sure it is gaining weight every day.

My newborn puppy has a hole in its mouth and struggles to breathe.

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

What's the best way to feed my hamster when I'm going on a trip?

Can chickens eat bell peppers daily and what about veggie salads?

My newly adopted pet won't eat hay. What can I do to encourage it?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

Share