puppy gets stiff

Question
my 2 week old pitbull gets all stiff and cant move dont have any idea what is wrong would like to help my puppy

Answer
Hi Paul,

Thank you for writing to me about your 2 week old pit bull.  A 2 week old dog needs to be with his mother at all times. It should be nursing when hungry.  It is unclear how long this paralysis is going on but to help your puppy, it must be seen by a veteranarian.  This could be a life threatening matter.  It sounds like seizures and it's NOT normal for a puppy to stiffen it's body

Don't handle the puppy...let the mom take care of it..the puppy should be nursing.For the first two weeks of life, a puppy's eyes and ears are closed. What you describe could be "puppy strangles", where there is swelling in the throat. It usually responds to medication. Only a veterinarian can tell by examining this little one. I would get her looked at as soon as your vet is available. The other puppies can also come down with this or other medical issues. He could also be in shock and would need a Vet to give him Calcium and B-12 injections.  He may be dehydrated. Pinch the skin on the back of its neck. If the skin stay up, he's dehydrated.  Why isn't this puppy with its mother? Puppies need to be bottlefed every 2 hours around the clock. Have you been doin that? Do you have some NutriCal or NutriStat on hand until you get to a vet?  Get to a vet quick!
Be sure to call your vet as soon as the office opens.

I'm not sure why pit bulls are being bred.  I've been involved in pit bull rescue and there are millions killed every year because there aren't enough home for them.  Please have the dogs spay/neutered as soon as possible.

In the meantime, make sure that the puppy is seen immediately by a vet and that the mom is also checked out for any problems that may be filtering down to the puppy.

Regards,
Shelley Davis