If you are surfing for information about newborn puppies. Then, there must be two possible reasons: either your female dog gives birth to its puppies for the first time, or your female dog will give birth to the puppies in the near future. Are you excited to play with them? And want to know when puppies open their eyes? How should you take care of those puppies just after birth? These are some of the questions that are running through your mind. But do not worry because this article will answer all such questions. So without any delay, let’s start!!
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When do puppies open their eyes?
Have you ever seen puppies right after their birth? Your first expression is true. Aww, so cute!! We all know that Puppies are a stack of joy, energy, and activity, and the moment the puppies are born, we all want to play with them. But after the birth, they are basically blind, deaf, and unable to walk properly. They crawl slowly and are completely dependent on their mother for weeks. So, it is very common to understand that they will take time to open their eyes. But exactly when do puppies open their eyes?
So, the answer to your question is Puppies usually take ten to fourteen days and more time to see clearly. There are certain reasons why puppies’ eyes are shut for days. Just after birth, dogs’ eyes are not ready for the world as their eye’s nerves are under development and are excessively sensitive. The nerves in the eyes of puppies are responsive to light and send signals to the brain. Thus, puppies open one eye at a time.
Moreover, even after their eyes are completely open, their vision remains blurry. Their nerves continue to grow. As a result, their vision becomes clear day by day, and eventually, they can see things moving clearly. And now the time has come that you have been waiting for a long time. Voila! Puppies are ready to play with you, and you can have a lot of fun. A dog’s vision is completely different from a human being. To readers’ knowledge Dogs can see well in the dark.
How does your puppy’s vision develop?
As you know that your puppy’s vision remains a bit unclear even after they open their eyes. Initially, when they first open their eyes, they tend to see things as grayish-blue, milky, but the appearance becomes clear later on. The eyes do not grow completely until your puppy is 4 to 5 weeks old. Another fact is that your puppies remain deaf even after opening their eyes.
When do puppies open their eyes: Keep checking your puppy’s eyes
To begin with, the time that your puppy takes to open their eyes is different from one another. But if your puppy is older than two weeks and its eyes are still shut, you must consider visiting the veterinarian. They will check your puppy’s eyes and clean their eyes if needed. Moreover, a doctor also opens their eyes manually. Strictly advised not to open their eyes yourself.
Also, there can be several other reasons why their eyes are shut, such as swelling, discharge, etc., then visit a doctor. In addition to that, keep your puppies’ environment clean during their development period to avoid unnecessary infections. There are fair chances for contamination of Conjunctivitis during their critical period, and if neglected, Conjunctivitis can also cause everlasting blindness. Thus, the best way to take care of your puppy’s eyes is to give them proper time to develop fully while keeping the environment clean. Enjoy the process of transformation of your newly born puppy into a happy, fun furry dog.
The very next question that probably comes to your mind, after when, do puppies open their eyes, is when do puppies start to listen or, in simple words, when they open their ears?
Time puppies take to open their ears.
As you read before, puppies are deaf and blind at the time of their birth, so how much time do they take to open their ears? Well, even after their eyes are open, they still have a hearing impairment. But it takes around 21 days to open their ear canals or hearing power. Thus, we come to the conclusion that at the time of their birth, they already have a sense of smell. And then they develop a vision, and gradually they develop hearing power. Moreover, around the same time, they have their 1st baby teeth.
How to take care of your puppies after birth
This is the most crucial part, as taking care of puppies after their birth is not an easy task. So, there are some important things that you should keep in mind.
The first step after the birthing process is to clean the mother as much as possible without disturbing the mother. For cleaning, use a washcloth with warm water. Strictly, do not use disinfectants or soap, or you can also take advice for the same from your veterinarian. Moreover, it is difficult for the mother to leave her bed even for urination, so it is also important to clean her bed. Also, check her vulva and nipples to make sure that there are no abnormalities, bleeding, or stinky smell discharges.
So now the time is to explore how to take care of your newborn pups.
Keep the puppies close to their mother.
It is pretty obvious to keep your newborn puppies close to their mother. The presence of their mother helps them to sustain themselves, and please make sure that they are not separated from their mother at any cost during their development period. Mothers, along with their puppies, are kept undisturbed for rest and also make sure to provide proper nutrients to puppies by feeding them with their mother’s milk. This will help to build their immune system strong.
Moreover, feeding for puppies usually takes place between 2-3 hours as they cannot eat proper food just after their birth. To your knowledge, puppies of four to eight weeks start to eat dry food and milk or a mixture of both, and gradually they can shift to proper food. And in the worst-case scenario, when the mother is not present, then try to contact the doctor and ask for a substitute for the same.
Keep their bed warm.
To keep the mother and puppies warm, you can create a den kind of area along with blankets and pillows for their comfort. Moreover, the bed is cleaned on a daily basis to keep the environment safe. You are well aware that the newborn puppies cannot sustain the normal temperature, so you can use a heat lamp to keep their environment warm. To do so, place the lamp high enough as it can become risky also. Moreover, the temperature inside their den revolves around 85F to 90F for the first 5 days. And as the days pass along decrease, the temperature to 80 by the end of
The fourth week reduces the temperature by 75 degrees.
Keep an eye on them.
As newborn puppies are more susceptible to various infections, it is important to keep an eye on them and notice all the symptoms that they are showing. Any abnormalities during their critical periods can cause severe problems. If you find that they are showing symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting or your puppy won’t eat or stand, directly report to your veterinarian. Your newborn pups are vulnerable to parasites, so visit your vet for parasite control and wash your hands when interacting with them. Moreover, the antibodies in your puppies protect them from any illness in their initial days. Go for a routine checkup, and after 6-8 weeks, they need their first dose of vaccination.
Now your puppy is ready to socialize with you.
The most awaited time for a dog lover is when puppies start walking. We all start to imagine playing games with our pups. But taking care of them along with their mother in critical periods is equally important. Regular checkups, proper nutrients, a clean environment, and various other minute things are important for your puppy to grow healthy.
The best part is your puppy starts to socialize with you and other dogs by the 4th week. But the fourth to 12 weeks is a critical period for your puppies as they learn to adjust themselves according to their environment and become happy, playful dogs. Otherwise, they will show behavioral problems like anger, anxiety, etc. Thus, keep their aura happy and positive, play with them and leave them to explore the things themselves.
The sad thing about the puppies is that you can’t keep them all. You will give away two or more, so try to enjoy the process and play with them as much as you can. Once they are gone, they are gone. Moreover, humans are well aware of the fact that goodbyes are hard to say. But there is a sense of satisfaction you will feel that you have given to a good family who will take care of them and give them all the love like you.
Conclusion: When do puppies open their eyes
As you read above, when do puppies open their eyes? Moreover, This article also covered how to take care of your newborn pups, when to visit your vet, how to clean their mother, when to feed them, and so on. These are some important things that you should keep in mind while your female dog is pregnant. Make all the necessary arrangements before their birth so that there are no casualties at the time of delivery. Make their bed and environment comfortable and safe.
In addition to that, we all know puppies are a bundle of joy, and we attach ourselves to them quickly. Before their birth, we are so excited to play with them that we imagine all the possible scenarios. Thus, it is vital to take care of them in their initial and critical days and consult with your vet timely for regular checkups and vaccination. Do not avoid any abnormalities that cause severe problems in the future for you and your puppies.
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