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Why Do Heavier Mothers Lose More Newborn Puppies and Kittens?
Two 2026 studies show that a birth leaves clues long before the first contraction, and heavier mothers had fewer newborns born alive.…
Whelping Checklist: What Should You Have Ready Before the Puppies Arrive?
Two out of three bitches give birth in the middle of the night. A repro vet’s whelping checklist: 10 things ready before…
Should Newborn Puppies and Kittens Get Antibiotics Just in Case?
An antibiotic given just in case can disturb a newborn’s gut and drive resistance. Where infections in newborn puppies and kittens really…
Watch the Mother, Not Just the Milk: Five Body Condition Checkpoints in Dogs and Cats
Milk supply is a late signal. Her weight, her body condition and her muscle change first. Five checkpoints across the cycle, three…
How Do You Watch a Postpartum Dam’s Recovery in the First Three Weeks?
The first three weeks after whelping are when metritis, mastitis, and eclampsia tend to show up. Here is how to watch a…
What Sows Teach Breeders About Maternal Probiotics and Colostrum
What sow research teaches dog and cat breeders about maternal probiotics, colostrum, and the first 24 hours after whelping or queening.
What Does Prolonged Labor Do to the Placenta and the Puppies?
A 2026 study quantified what every hour of stalled labor costs the placenta and the litter. Here is what happens inside the…
Colostrum Secrets: Boosting Puppy and Kitten Immunity
A puppy or kitten is born almost agammaglobulinemic. Ninety percent of immune cover arrives through colostrum in the first 24 hours, with…
Probiotics for Newborn Puppies and Kittens: Lessons from Human Neonatal Medicine
Human NICU probiotic medicine has matured around one transformation: pick the strain, not the category. Same genus, different strain, very different result.…
How Do You Set Up a Whelping Box That Actually Protects Newborn Puppies and Kittens?
The 5-point whelping box audit every breeder should run before a litter. Why most setups fail on system design, not equipment.
When Queens Struggle to Deliver: A Breeder’s Guide to Recognizing Dystocia Early
Feline dystocia kills 40 to 44 percent of kittens in affected litters. The 2-hour rule, the 30-minute pushing rule, and the dark…
How Do I Prevent Neonatal Isoerythrolysis in Kittens?
Neonatal isoerythrolysis kills kittens when a Type B queen’s colostrum antibodies destroy Type A kittens’ red blood cells. Blood typing before mating…
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