Neonatal Care and Orphans

Lecture Notes

In addition, we can also monitor overall health of the offspring. We know that certain reflexes are present in newborns, and these can be checked to be sure that everything is going alright.

For example, we can observe the suckling reflex—when the mouth comes in contact with the mother's teat. This is a unique reflex that newborns exhibit and will be replaced later on in life with chewing.

We can also observe the rooting reflex when we see a pup or kitten push forward with the head and crawl toward the mother. This is believed to be moving toward warmth and is usually in a circular movement, which is thought to help the animal locate the teat on the mother's body.

We also observe that healthy newborns will show the righting reflex. This is when they are able to flip themselves over when they find themselves on their backs.

The healthy newborn will be kept warm and will not exhibit any signs of chilling, which we'll discuss in a few moments, and he or she will be eating well and gaining weight. It's extremely important that during the first few weeks of life we see our puppies and kittens gaining weight.