non suckling puppy

Question
All day yesterday a newer puppy was born. All but the last has accomplished suckling. She is the runt of 8. 45 mins ago my son woke me up screaming that other 7 were covered by blancket and pup was in her mouth screaming.does the mom, Betty, sense something wrong & attempting to put the baby down herself? The baby's tail is now bent; her ribcage seems broken on one side; and her head is moving side to side. Am I right attempting to pump her mothers milk and feed that helpless baby or should I allow her mother's unfortunate decision? I'll fight as hard as you say to NOT lose this baby. Thank you in advance for a speedy response!

Answer
Hi Pam

Is your female a new mother?  What breed is she?

Some females need a few days to bond to their pups.  And she may have tried to kill the pup, going for the weakest link first. A good kibble (raw is best) and some vitamin B or St. John's Wort will help calm her and get her on track.

That being said, with the littlest one, she may fade out on her own.  The runt only means the placement on the horn at conception.  A runt can grow to be the biggest brute in the bunch once it has a chance to feed and catch up.  Because pups can't regulate their temperature I would suggest having a warming box.  A simple Rubbermaid container will do.  Line it with a heating pad and towel.  Make sure the heat isn't on high, but just warm enough.  If you can get some liquid Arnica this will help with internal bruising for the pup.  Actually, it's a good idea to give it to each pup and the mother too.  Let the little pup suckle but make sure you are there to supervise the feedings.

To help with feeding and to ensure everybody gets their fair share of milk, rotate all the pups.  8 pups will be too much for your female to handle.   If you give her 4 at a time. Let them drink and get cleaned for an hour, then rotate with the other four.

Good luck