Neonatology and Pediatrics

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the neonatology/pediatrics lecture notes to aid quick memorization and exam preparation.

Neonate

• Birth - 10 days/2 weeks

• Perinatal period < 1 day

Infant

• 2-5/6 weeks

• preweaning

Juvenile

Postweaning to about 6 months

• physiologic processes mature by 8–12 weeks

• adult tooth eruption around 16 weeks.

Perinatal period

Time around birth, defined as less than 1 day

Altricial

Born in an underdeveloped state requiring parental care; dogs and cats are more altricial than humans.

Hand-rearing

Raising neonates by humans when the dam cannot or will not nurse; includes warmth, feeding, and environment management.

How often do puppies need to nurse?

2-3 hours

Fading puppy syndrome

A neonatal condition where a healthy-looking neonate stops nursing and dies with no clear cause; sepsis is commonly suspected.

• hypothermia

• hypovolemia

• hypoglycemia

• hypoxemia

Neonatal isoerythrolysis

Kittens of type A or AB born to a type B queen; colostral anti-A antibodies cause red blood cell destruction; at-risk kittens may need separation.

Omphalitis

Infection of the umbilical stump; cord remnants typically present for 2–3 days.

Umbilical stump

Cord remnant left after birth, typically present for a short period before falling off.

Meconium

The first stool of a newborn; normally pasty, brown; changes can indicate dehydration or illness if abnormal.

Cleft palate

Congenital defect where the palate fails to close, causing feeding and breathing difficulties.

Righting reflex

The neonate’s ability to reorient itself to an upright position when placed off-balance.

Rooting reflex

The infant turns toward and searches for a nipple when the cheek or mouth is stroked; aids feeding.

Suckling reflex

The automatic ability to suckle when the mouth is touched; essential for feeding newborns.

Gavage

Tube feeding directly into the stomach using a stomach tube; used when bottle feeding is not possible.

Proctoclysis

Rectal infusion of fluids as an alternate method to gavage for hydration.

Bottle feeding

Feeding neonates with a nursing bottle and nipples; proper placement and nipple maintenance are important.

Hypothermia

Abnormally low body temperature; in neonates it can be physiologic or pathologic and requires warming measures.

Hypovolemia

Low circulating blood volume; treated with fluids via various routes including gavage, IV, subcutaneous, or intraosseous.

Hypoglycemia

Low blood glucose; in fading neonates, treated with dextrose administration.

Hypoxemia

Low blood oxygen level; managed with supplemental oxygen.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)

A heart defect where the ductus arteriosus remains open after birth, causing abnormal blood flow.

Cyanosis

Bluish discoloration of mucous membranes due to hypoxemia.

Weaning

Transition from milk to semisolid/solid foods; typically begins around 3–4 weeks and advances to solid meals by 5–6 weeks.

What is the normal growth rate for neonates?

Neonates should roughly double their birth weight within the first 7–10 days

Daily weight monitoring

Weigh neonates 2x daily (at least through the first 3 weeks)

Warmth and environmental needs

Neonates require warm, stable environments (e.g., around 32°C (89 F) in the first week and appropriate humidity) to prevent hypothermia and support growth.

Umbilical care

Clean, monitor, and disinfect umbilical remnants; manage umbilical infections with proper antisepsis.

Portosystemic shunt

A congenital liver vascular anomaly where blood bypasses the liver; detectable by ultrasound and associated with systemic signs.

5 signs of a sick neonate

1. weak (limp, poor refluxes)

2. restlessness, persistent vocalization

3. being ignored

4. isolation

5. poor weight gain

What are neonates prone to?

dehydration and volume overload due to immature renal function and high metabolic rates.

• tongue should be light pink and moist

Poikilothermic

puppies cannot regulate its body temperature and relies on external sources

• shiver reflex at 6 days

Normal HR for a neonate

>200 bpm

When do neonates open their eyes and ear?

5-14 days

• manace, PLR, hearing mature by 4 weeks

What causes focal alopecia?

prematurity, grooming

What causes erythemia?

redness of the skin caused by increased blood flow to the superficial capillaries → heat stress, sepsis

What causes ulcers?

septic emboli

What pathogen can cause petechiation?

canine alphaherpesvirus

What can cause ecchymoses?

hypoprothrombinemia → is almost always due to vitamin K deficiency, compounded by poor placental transfer, sterile gut, immature liver function, and species-specific low milk vitamin K, leading to impaired synthesis of prothrombin and other vitamin K–dependent clotting factors → hemorrhagic risk.

What can cause gas distension in the abdomen?

canine alphaherpesvirus

Erythematous

caused by diarrhea

Imperforate

anus is a congenital condition where the anal opening is absent or blocked, preventing normal bowel movements → leads to constipation

Bright yellow stool can indicate what?

canine alphaherpesvirus

What would blood tinged stool indicate?

sepsis

What does Bocavirus CPV-1 cause in puppies?

It causes respiratory illness and severe gastrointestinal disease, leading to vomiting and diarrhea in affected puppies.

Open fontanelle

is a soft spot on the skull where the bones have not yet fused. It allows for brain growth and passage through the birth canal.

How long will the puppy need to be on milk replacer for hand rearing?

first 3-4 weeks

• after that can move onto soft gruel and supplement with milk replacer

Hand rearing feeding schedule

• 1st week every 2-3 hrs

• 2nd week every 4 hrs

• 3rd - 4th week every 6 hrs

What are puppy and kittens energy requirements in the first week of life?

puppies → fat

kittens → protein

At what temperature should neonates NOT be fed at?

below 36 C (96.8 F)

Head posture for bottle feeding vs tube feeding?

For bottle feeding, the head should be elevated, while for tube feeding, the head should be kept down

When tube feeding what do we always check?

• negative pressure

• puppy is vocal

• pinch tube and remove quickly

What can we do if a newborn is not breathing but the heart is beating?

keep warm and stimulate

• oxygen mask

• Jen Chung acupunture point

• doxapram only if oxygenated → umbilical vein

Risk factors for fading puppy syndrome?

dystocia and low birth weight

Treatment for fading puppy syndrome

1. isolate from mother

2. treat hypothermia

3. treat hypovolemia by giving fluids

4. treat hypoglycemia by giving dextrose

5. treat hypoxemia by giving oxygen

6. treat sepsis

7. relieve abdominal distension