very small puppy

Question
Hi, I first want to thank you for your time!  My german shepherd had her first litter of seven purebreed pups on Monday January 21st. The average puppy size was a little over 1.5 lbs, However we have a runt who was born at 6.5 ounces!!!  I have been supplementing his feedings with formula and he is gaining wait and very strong and seems as healthy as any of the others but I am worried that his small size will cause health problems down the line... My Mother has been raising and breeding german shepherd's for 25 years, we have never had or seen this issue before and any light you could shed on this will be very helpful!  Thanks again!

Answer
Hi Kerry! Weither or not it causes problems later on is directly related to what caused it in the first place. He may have just gotten the short end of the stick in the uterus, being over crowded. If that's the case, then he should catch up to his siblings with time. Just keep doing what you're doing. You said he's gaining weight, he's strong, and seemingly healthy for now. He may have been concieved later than the others, making him smaller. I suggest taking him to the vet for a check up just to be safe. If there is something wrong with him, it may show up now. Some things won't show up until a little bit later though. I have had a few really small pups like this one, do really well and catch up with time. I had one female that was so tiny, I thought for sure she was either going to die, or something had to be wrong with her. When she was about 6 weeks old, I had some blood work done to check her liver (you may want to do this as well) and her heart, they came back just fine. She grew to normal size, and had a good show career. Just keep an eye out for anything at all. If he quits eating, becomes weak, or cries a lot, then be worried. Like I said, keep up with all of your hard work, and he'll probably be just fine. Good luck, and if I can help with anything else, let me know.