The problem in deaths of Yorkie puppies is, ‘survival of the fittest’ doesn’t always mean that those puppies that survive will be the most fit, the strongest or the best ones.
Keep in mind that there are as many different ways of raising Yorkie puppies as well as a Yorkie puppy death – and there are breeders. Much of puppy rearing is intuitive and automatic and with each and every litter comes the added experience of knowing when things are right and when they are not.
For instance, an owner can spot a puppy in distress just by looking in the box and usually upon picking the puppy up, he can immediately confirm this by the ‘feel’ of the Yorkie puppy. This is something that only comes with experience. A person can read about puppies and whelping all they want, but the true test comes from actual experience and/or the learning from others.
Over the years, many Yorkie owners have picked up helpful tips based on successes and failures of their own; that of close friends; and sage advice from wise breeders before them. A Yorkie puppy death during birth or even at three months of age does happen, and it is wise to care for the puppy the best you can.
Things needed during whelping: Lots of towels (big ones and smaller lightweight hand towels), a small warming box (see below), a heating pad and/or heat lamp, a baby scale, baby ear syringe, pad of paper and pencil (for keeping track of birth times and weights), clean scissors (dull and sharp), surgical gloves, alcohol, iodine (or Betadine), Vaseline, dental floss, newspapers, bedding, a big garbage bag, a wall thermometer (to keep in whelping box for reading box temperature), a flashlight, syringes, Calsorb, Oxytocin, lots of reading material and/or a TV, and a huge amount of patience.
When whelping starts, keep a small box handy, with a heating pad set on low, with several layers of towels. When Yorkie puppies are being whelped, nothing is more confusing than to have pups roaming around the whelping box while the dam is having contractions and trying to expel a puppy. Some owners let the newborn puppies nurse, but as soon as new contractions start, they put the pups already born in this separate box. When the new pup is born, they put the pups back with the dam to nurse, since nursing stimulates contractions.
Most of the time, owners have no need for any of the above items, but as soon as they don’t have them on hand, the need arises. You, as the owner, would rather be prepared especially since most emergencies almost always occur in the middle of the night.
