Boston terrier yorkie mix puppies 2 KS old I have a question about docking their tails

Question
QUESTION: OK, My pure bread boston mated with a large Yorkie, she had 4 pups 14 days ago tonight and one did not make it out long story short three days later we had to have an emergency C-section to remove the dead pup inside her she almost died and it cost us 1800.00 I was going to have the pups tails docked at 3 days old however, on day three we were bottle feeding the pups and the mother was still in the hospital the vet who was going to do the dock said that the stress of the puppies not having their mother, and having to bottle feed it would not be a good idea to dock the tails as it might make them stop eating and get sick. I guess what I am trying to get full clearification on, is how late is too late for docking, is it at actually 5 days or what? And if not is this something that i can do myself at this point? I do not want these little guys to be in pain or cause them any real harm.  
HELP!!!

ANSWER: Hi Stephanie,

Tail docking is to be done, should be within a puppies first 5 days.

Because your puppies are mixed breed, there is not a breed standard to maintain. It's totally unnecessary to dock these puppies tails.

At two weeks old, your puppies are too old for this to be done at home, by yourself. A veterinarian should do it, if you are set on docking their tails.

Best of luck,
Patti

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I JUST THOUGHT TAT I WOULD ASK, SINCE THE QUESTION WAS ASKED I  HAVE DONE MORE RESEARCH ON IT AND DECIDED AGAINST DOCKING THEIR TAILS. I DO HOWEVER HAVE ANOTHER ISSUE, THAT ISSUE IS FLEAS! I ALWAYS HAD MY DOG ON ADVANTAGE AND WAS TOLD TO STOP IT WHILE SHE WAS PREGNANT AND NURSING, NOW MY WHOLE HOUSE IS INFESTED. I BOUGHT 2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLEA SPRAY FOR THE HOUSE AND DOG BEDDING, AND I AM SCARED TO USE IT BECAUSE THE PUPS. WE ARE ALL BITTEN UP WITH FLEAS, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF MEDICINE I CAN PUT ON MOMMA DOG, WHILE SHE IS NURSING TO HELP CONTROL THESE FLEAS, i HAVE BEEN BATHING THEM ALL IN IVORY SOAP DISH LIQUID!!! IT KILLS THEM FOR A MINUTE AND THEN HELLO THEY'RE BACK!

THANKS!  

Answer
Hi Stephanie,

I understand your problem, a houseful of fleas is dreadful!

Frontline Plus and Frontline Top Spot are approved for use on pregnant or nursing mothers, but should not used on puppies under 8 weeks of age.

Capstar is another flea product you could use.  It's safe for puppies 4 weeks and older, weighing 2 pounds or greater, as well as for pregnant or nursing dogs. Capstar is a pill you give your dog that will kill the adult fleas that are on your pet. If your pet gets reinfested with fleas, you can safely give another dose as often as once per day. Because new fleas will hop right back on, you need to treat your home with a flea killer, but that can be said of any flea product.

K9 Advantix says: "consult your veterinarian before using this product on debilitated, aged, pregnant or nursing animals." It might be possible to use this product, when used as a veterinarian recommends.

To rid the fleas on the puppies, bath them with Dawn dish soap (no other brand). It will kill fleas and is safe for puppies. I'd blow-dry the pups and make sure momma's nipples are THOROUGHLY rinsed.
You can also use a flea comb to and comb them out.  Place the fleas in alcohol to kill them.

Once there are fleas into your home, it becomes necessary to treat this area also. Fleas don't spend all of their time on your pet, and they can also lay their eggs around the household, leading to infestation.

Begin by thoroughly vacuuming all carpeting and furniture, being sure to pull out the cushions and vacuum the crevices as well. If your pet's bed is washable, then go ahead and run it through the washer along with any blankets and throw rugs your pet likes to rest on. Next, lightly apply a powdered flea control product under all cushions and lightly on any carpeting to kill remaining eggs and new fleas that may be brought inside.

For very heavy home infestations, it may be necessary to use a room fogger, also known as a flea bomb, to knock out the current flea population. Follow the directions on these products carefully, as nearly all recommend that you and all of your pets leave the home for several hours while the fogger is in use.

Unless you treat your yard, you pet will likely continue attracting fleas, bringing them back into your home. This third step in controlling fleas involves treating the entire yard with an outdoor insecticidal spray or powder which specifically lists fleas as a target on the label. Adult fleas can be killed with products that contain pyrethrins, but pre-adult fleas and eggs need to be treated with a product that contains methoprene to halt their growth.

Sometimes, it's just easier to have a professional exterminator treat your home for fleas. You should take your dog and her puppies out of the house while the house is being treated.

If you prefer an organic, non-toxic approach, you could try using nematodes. Nematodes are a type of worm that actually live on flea larvae, and can be purchased through some veterinarians under the brand name Interrupt. Simply sprinkle the product through the yard, and your flea problems should soon disappear. Brands to look for are NemAttack, and NemaSeek. You can also use food grade diatomaceous earth for flea control both inside and outside your home.

Best of luck,
Patti