Fading puppy syndrome

Fading puppy syndrome (or fading puppy complex) is when a puppy dies within the first few weeks of life without a clear cause of death or clinical signs, that is to say, they fail to thrive.[1] Death usually occurs within the first five days of life,[2] but can happen up to ten weeks of age.[3] It is responsible for about 50% of deaths of newborn puppies.[4]

Around 30% of pedigree puppies die in their first few weeks of life, with only about half of them dying due to identifiable causes.[1]

  1. ^ a b Blunden, Tony (2012). "Fading puppies – reality or myth?". In Practice. 34 (6): 314–321. doi:10.1136/inp.e4125. ISSN 0263-841X. S2CID 76077091.
  2. ^ Blunden, A. S.; Hill, C. M.; Brown, B. D.; Morley, C. J. (1987-01-01). "Lung surfactant composition in puppies dying of fading puppy complex". Research in Veterinary Science. 42 (1): 113–118. doi:10.1016/S0034-5288(18)30665-9. ISSN 0034-5288. PMID 3823624.
  3. ^ Evermann, James F.; Kennedy, Melissa A. (2011-01-01), Peterson, Michael E.; Kutzler, Michelle Anne (eds.), "Chapter 16 - Viral Infections", Small Animal Pediatrics, Saint Louis: W.B. Saunders: 119–129, doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-4889-3.00016-4, ISBN 978-1-4160-4889-3, PMC 7152367
  4. ^ England, Gary (2012). Dog Breeding, Whelping and Puppy Care. John Wiley & Sons. p. 297. ISBN 9781118414354.