hello all. i'd like to run this by you all to see if anyone has any ideas/advice/experience of my pups problem.

i've just whelped (well not me, the dog obviously) a litter of 6 shar-pei, all romping along. at 5 days old, and typically at daft o'clock in the morning i noticed 1 of the males seemed to be squeaking a little when he breathed. i don't think wheezing describes it accurately as it sounded more congested than exhaustive, and not as obviously rattly sounding as with fluid aspiration. anyway i sat up with him to keep him on the nipple throughout the night and warmed some menthol sachets designed for babies.

the next day it was a bit more obvious and i took him to the vet. (the most respected in our area and a tad dearer). by now he was doing the sore tummy cry also and his belly was hard (no amount of stimulation had produced satisfactory results). the vet listened to his chest but didn't seem concerned. he gave him a shot of antibiotic and something "to ease his breathing and tummy pain", and seemed sure that i'd see marked improvement by morning. phill (as my daughter named him) actually pooed there and then on the table. the vet concluded that if a snuffly pup istaking in gulps of air it's similar to colic in babies thus causing a 2nd problem, sensible enough reasoning i thought.

i left with antibiotics and i managed to persuade him to sell me a bag of iv fluid, albeit begrudgingly. he said phill's fluid levels were fine but i could tell he was a little dehydrated from the feel of his fur,although it wasn't yet "tenting". also his tongue felt more tacky than wet. the fact it was weekend actually went in my favour and i "promised" faithfully it was only in case of emergency should he "become" dehydrated (i think after a while one gets a feel for when a pup is starting to fade,and dare i say it probably would recognise it before many vets).

by morning his breathing had eased but tummy ache worsened. it took a full day of rubbing and rather intrusive procedures with liquid parafin before stools were passed, but the relief (on my part too, i was nearly crying for him). what he passed however was hard, bright yellow and similar to chalk chippings. the only other thing i'd given him was a little formula similar to Ed's.

it's now day 9, i've bought a simethicone based liquid for newborn humans with colic, he's still griping to a lesser degree, weeing profusely but no more poos. i'm struggling getting liquids down him (milk/rehydration salts/syrup solution) as he tends to inhale it when he "squeaks" and i'm worrying i'm doing more harm than good. i don't want to tube as his sucking is still strong, but despite all manner of teats he still manages to guzzle milk down the wrong whole when squeaking. i'm putting him on mum round the clock, she's getting fed up a bit. he still has a daily weight gain but now at a reduced rate, and he's the smallest whereas initially he wasn't.

i've decided to go back to the vets tomorrow, whilst i'm there i think i'll ask him to instruct me on tube feeding anyway (don't want to do it until i've been shown in person). most reading material i've come across insists on swift veterinary treatment in the absence of stools for 48 hours (not including the tiny singular "bird seed" he has passed twice). anyone else's thoughts on this? i was under the impression that the colon can store a weeks worth of waste without ill effects.

today his squeaking is deeper, sounding similar to donald duck, but it's made by a sharp intake of air every few breaths. has anyone else ever come across this? the vet couldn't really give me a cause. also any constipation ideas suitable for a pup so young? or suggestions as to why his stools so hard in the first place? he is just over 800 grams and save for a syringe full to get his antibiotics down, he's not having any formula. aside from his symptoms he isn't a terribly "sickly" pup anymore, nowhere near the death cry stage but no longer as strong as his littermates. with his breathing he tires when suckling but i can't bottle to suppliment. would anyone else tube in this situation? in the absence of bottling this is my third evening without sleep to ensure he suckles all night when i take the others off. in fact it's 2.15 am here and i've been jiggling him around on 1 arm for nearly an hour like a colicy baby. ha ha, i know, i've "made my bed", but i can't even entertain the notion of leaving him to it. he's not on deaths door but he soon would be if i wasn't sat with him 24/7.

sorry for rambling for so long but i wanted to give the full facts...any offerings or pearls of wisdom, however vague, gratefully received...thanks

I can't answer your questions, I'm sorry, but I hope someone is able to help you.

I did want to applaude your devotion to this little pup, though, and I hope everything works out. Keep us posted.

I'm sorry too that I can't help you but for what it's worth, I am very impressed w/the level of care and concern you are showing this litter and especially this pup. I so hope he's OK and I wish someone in the know would answer your post .

Good luck Jacqui. Please keep us posted.