my pug had pups

Question
QUESTION: My pugs got pregnant by her bro. Does this mean the pups will be like retarded or mean? Also the mother pug had round worms when she was pregnant & I did not treat her since she was pregnant although, I do not see any worms in her poop anymore & when I had they were dead. Could the pups get worms from her while she was pregnant? How about now that she is breastfeeding the pups? Is there any way she would pass the worms to the pups? The babies are nearly 2 wks. & have not opened their eyes yet. At what age do they open? Also the pups have never pooped even since birth what could be wrong? Their stomaches feel hard & they look fat although the mother does not seem to want to feed them often. Can you help?

ANSWER: Full brother/sister breeding is the highest form of inbreeding, especially if they're full brother/sister. It doesn't mean that they'll definitely have mental problems. However, inbreeding of any kind brings out the good and bad. If your dog's family has known problems with aggression, or other temperament problems, then they'll likely come out in the pups. If your dogs are well balanced, easy going dogs, then so should the pups be.

Yes, the mother can definitely pass on the worms to her pups. Even if you see dead worms, that still means that she has them, and so do the puppies. You can get safe worm medication for the pups, and for mom, when the pups are about 3 weeks of age. Some people do worm at 2 weeks, so you may want to ask your vet about that.

The average for opening their eyes are about 7-10 days, although up to 2 weeks is ok. Just make sure the eyes aren't puffy, and that no gunk is coming from them. If they don't open soon, you may have to get the vet to open them.

The pups have had bowel movements. They couldn't have lived this long without pooping. Mom probably just keeps them really clean, and you may not notice. When the mom licks the puppies, it stimulates their bowels. If their bellies are round and firm, then mom is feeding them just fine. If they start to cry a lot, then I'd worry. They really need to be wormed, that can also cause their bellies to be big. Good luck, and if I can help in any way, let me know.

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QUESTION: Rene/ Mr Cox: I also want to ask you about the mother of the pups she seems to want to be around the male pup all the time "for how long after giving birth should she keep from having sex"? My male dog is always in heat is this normal? Also how long do the pups have to be breast fed? Afterwards what can they eat? When can they eat puppy food? Thanks so much this is my first time owning baby pups.

Answer
Hi Rebecca. She shouldn't be bred again until the second heat cycle, about a year if she goes into heat every 6 months. She can't get pregnant unless she's in heat. As for the male dog, some dogs are like that, the smaller ones seem to be worse at it. It's not heat for the males, just testosterone.;-) Some dogs get worse after they've been bred. If your male is very young, that may also explain it. Also, a lot of times humping has nothing to do with sex. It's a dominance thing.

The pups should nurse from their mother for at least 3-4 weeks, longer if possible. When you start to feed them, soak their puppy food in either water or puppy formula before feeding them. Good luck, and let me know if I can help with anything else!