Pediatrics

Gestation Lengths

  • Canine: 63 days

  • Feline: 63 – 65 days

  • Equine: 330 – 345 days

  • Bovine: 279 – 290 days

  • Porcine: 112 – 115 days

  • Caprine: 151 days

  • Ovine: 144 – 151 days

Care of the Neonate

  1. Ensure newborn is breathing:

    • Stimulate if necessary

    • Clear mucous

    • Stimulate nostrils for large animals

  2. Keep warm and dry

  3. Encourage nursing

  4. Check for abnormalities

  5. Ensure bowel and bladder function

Common Abnormalities in Neonates

  • Encephalocele: brain bulges due to unfused cranium

  • Hydrocephalus: dome-shaped head due to fluid accumulation

  • Spina Bifida: incomplete closure of spine

  • Atresia ani: absence of anal opening

  • Cleft Palate: opening in hard palate affects nursing

Nutrition

  • Colostrum is the first milk, high in immunoglobulins

  • Optimal intake time varies:

    • Canine/Feline: 12 hours

    • Bovine: 6-8 hours

    • Porcine: 12 hours

    • Ovine: 15 hours

    • Equine: 12 hours

  • Permeability of intestines decreases after 24 hours

  • If mother lacks milk, tube feed colostrum from another dam

Neonatal Period

  • Protein drops by 50% at 24 hours, lactose increases in first week

  • Mature milk composition (average): 77% moisture, 7.5% protein, 9.5% fat, 3.3% lactose

Digesting Other Food Sources

  • Puppies/kittens: gruel at 3-4 weeks

  • Calves/foals: roughage at ~3 weeks

  • Lambs/kids: 2-3 weeks

  • Piglets: ~2 weeks

Housing Requirements

  • Warm, dry, and protected

  • Temperature:

    • 21°C with dam/littermates

    • 30-32°C for orphans until shivering

Hypothermic Neonates

  • Lack of shivering conserves energy

  • Leads to ineffective nursing and gastrointestinal paralysis

Normal Body Temperatures

  • 1st 2 weeks: 34.5-36°C

  • 2-4 weeks: 36-37°C

  • >4 weeks: near adult temperature

Rewarming Techniques

  • Slow warming preferred (e.g. body heat)

  • Grouping helps reduce heat loss

Early Life Behavior

  • Newborns primarily eat and sleep (80% sleep, 20% eating)

  • Active dreams indicated by twitching

  • Eyes open at 10-16 days, ears at 15-17 days, walking at 18 days

Weaning and Post-Weaning Nutrition

  • Weaning occurs based on species:

    • Puppies/kittens: 6-8 weeks

    • Calves/foals: 6-7 months

    • Lambs/kids: 2-3 months

    • Pigs: 3-8 weeks

  • Post-weaning feeding schedule: gradual increase in regular diet

Orphaned Care

  1. Provide colostrum if possible

  2. Warm environment

  3. Use species-specific milk replacer

  4. Follow feeding schedules

  5. Social companionship important for development

Feeding Methods Risks

  • Eye dropper: aspiration risk

  • Stomach tube: requires proper size to prevent overfeeding

  • Bottle feeding: maintain hygiene and mixing instructions

Stool and Urine in Orphans

  • Stool: mustard yellow to orange, toothpaste consistency

  • Urine: clear to pale yellow

  • Stimulation needed for urination/defecation for ~3 weeks

Feeding Frequency by Species

  • Foals: Every hour to decrease frequency gradually

  • Piglets: Every 5 hours, decreasing gradually

  • Lambs: Every 4-6 hours, decreasing gradually

  • Kittens/Puppies: Every 4-6 hours, decrease after introducing gruel

Fading Puppy Syndrome

  • Watch for listlessness, poor feeding, low weight gain

  • Risk factors include hypothermia, deficient colostrum intake, and poor health conditions.