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If a Shih Tzu puppy's progress is impeded, staying too long in the birth canal, it may be visibly lifeless. Some of these Shih Tzu puppies may have a faint heartbeat but no respiratory response. Others may show neither condition of life. A few visibly stillborn Shih Tzu puppies will respond to efforts of resuscitation.

Never blow into a gurgling Shih Tzu puppy's mouth! Never blow into a Shih Tzu puppy's mouth and nose before it has first been shaken-down. If you fail to shake a Shih Tzu puppy down before resuscitation is attempted on a visibly stillborn Shih Tzu puppy, you will force the amniotic fluid present into the Shih Tzu puppy's lungs. The Shih Tzu puppy will die of asphyxiation, drowning in its own life fluid.

First prepare a visibly stillborn Shih Tzu puppy for resuscitation by using the bulb syringe and shaking-down method several times to clear the airway as much as possible.

Wrap your hand around the Shih Tzu puppy's chest, your fingertips against the rib cage just behind the elbow. Pump your fingers two or three times in rapid succession to stimulate the heart. This action expels the oxygen in the Shih Tzu puppy's lungs. Quickly follow the pumping by covering the Shih Tzu puppy's muzzle, mouth and nose with your mouth. Blow gently. Do not blow too hard. You could rupture the Shih Tzu newborn's delicate lung tissues. Do not blow air you have exhaled! Use your cheeks only to gently push fresh air into the Shih Tzu puppy's lungs. Give the Shih Tzu puppy four breaths, then repeat the finger-pumping action over the lungs and heart. It may be necessary to repeat these resuscitation measures of breathing and pumping for as long as 20 or 30 minutes before the Shih Tzu puppy may respond sturdily on its own.

Check the Shih Tzu puppy's color after four or five minutes of resuscitation. Are the Shih Tzu puppy's pads and gums pink or blue? If the gums are white or bluish white, it may be too late to save this particular Shih Tzu puppy. If the Shih Tzu puppy's gums and pads on the paws were pink at birth, and pink in response to your resuscitation efforts, there is a chance the Shih Tzu puppy can be revived.

Once the Shih Tzu puppy is resuscitated and breathing well on its own, give the Shih Tzu puppy a final brisk toweling. Thoroughly dry the Shih Tzu puppy, causing it to cry and use its lungs. Give the Shih Tzu puppy back to its mother.

Identifying Puppies:

Nail polish to the Shih Tzu puppy's toenails can be used to identify look-alikes. For example, the right front foot toenails of one Shih Tzu puppy may be painted red, another Shih Tzu puppy's painted in pink. The left forepaws on two other Shih Tzu puppies, and the hind toenails on four additional sibling Shih Tzu puppies is left. With two colors, eight Shih Tzu puppies of the same sex and color may be readily identified from birth onward.

Many Shih Tzu puppies born one color change as they grow. At this time the Shih Tzu puppies no longer require identification by nail polish. Do not enter into your notes or notebook the birth colors of Shih Tzu puppies.

It is best for Shih Tzu puppies to begin nursing as soon as possible. Some Shih Tzu puppies born vigorously have from the time of birth a strong instinct of where to go and how to begin nursing. Other Shih Tzu puppies will take time to begin nursing and may require your assistance. The sooner a Shih Tzu puppy nurses, the less chance there is of losing it.

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