Table 4

Causes of mortality in 46 puppies that died before 3 weeks of age, recorded by the breeder, from a population of 663 live born puppies of four breeds (Irish wolfhound, Leonberger, Labrador retriever and Newfoundland).


Age in days at death



0–3
4–7
8–14
15–21

Dead < 1 hour
4
-
-
-
Diarrhoea
1
-
-
-
"Fading puppy syndrome"
3
5
1
-
Convulsions
1
-
-
-
Trauma*
3
3
1
-
Heart problem
-
-
-
1
Starvation
6
-
-
-
Omphalocele
3
-
1

Cleft palate
1
-
-
-
Low birth weight**
7
-
-
-
No cause given
-
1
3
1

Sum
29
9
6
2

* Smothered by the mother

** Birth weight less than 50% of the siblings

Indrebø et al. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2007 49(Suppl 1):S2   doi:10.1186/1751-0147-49-S1-S2