Did you know that newborn puppies and kittens are born without a way to control their own body temperatures? They must depend on their mothers and litter mates to keep warm. Unfortunately, mothers don't always do a good job of keeping them warm.
If your dog or cat has recently given birth and is refusing to stay with their newborns – or perhaps has expired during birth – you're going to need to keep them warm. Here are some instructions for creating your own homemade newborn warming stations.
Gather the Newborns
Litter mates can help keep each other warm but they need to be close together. You probably already have them in an enclosed space, such as a box. Grab some old towels or blankets and roll them up tightly. Lay them in the container and form a circle with them. Place the newborns inside the center of the towels or blanket and push the circle closer until its right up against them. This will help the newborns stay close so that they can warm each other.
Grab the Recyclables
If the newborns still aren't staying warm, you'll need to create heating pads for them. Don't use electric heating pads because they can get too warm and burn the babies. Homemade heating pads will allow you to control the heat.
This method utilizes empty plastic bottles. Simply fill several plastic bottles with hot water and wrap them in towels. You can place them in the towels or blankets you've used in the step discussed above. Lay the babies near the bottles. Replace the water whenever it cools down.
Look In Your Pantry
If you don't have plastic bottles in your home, you can still make homemade heating pads. All you need are a few old socks and some uncooked rice or beans. Fill the socks with your rice or beans and tie a knot in the open end.
Place the socks in the microwave and heat for about 1 to 2 minutes. Place the socks inside the towels and place the babies up against the towels for warmth. Reheat the socks about once every 30 minutes.
Puppies and kittens are usually kept warm by their mothers. However, sometimes there's a problem with the mother and the babies are left to get cold. That's where you come in. Use the suggestions provided above to help keep your newborn puppies and kittens warm until they're old enough to regulate their own body temperatures. To ensure their continued health, you should take them to a veterinarian, such as Canine Center, for a check-up as soon as possible.
