Fading Puppy Protocol

Fading Puppy Syndrome is a life threatening emergency in which a puppy “crashes” and begins to fade away. If not dealt with immediately it can result in death. If you are fostering puppies 6 weeks or younger, it is a very good idea to familiarize yourself with this handout so you know what to do if it happens.

Symptoms:

Extreme Lethargy - not getting up, unable to stand, not responding when pet

Gasping for breath

Whining/Crying out

When this happens, it is vital that you take these immediate steps!

FPS is caused by 2 things : Hypothermia (being too cold) and Hypoglycemia (not enough blood sugar). You must combat both of these things or the puppy will die.

Treatment:

Step 1- Get them warm:

Create the “burrito” towel. Immediately wrap the puppy up in a towel like a burrito leaving their face exposed only. Their whole body, tail, ears, and paws should be in the towel, only nose and mouth exposed. Do not take the puppy out of the towel to adjust them, check on them, etc. - this is very important! Every time you take them out you will make them cold again, even if it is only for a second.

You must apply an extra source of heat (listed below). The puppies body can’t warm itself up with just a towel alone, you have to apply extra heat. Also, your body temperature is much lower than what a puppy should be, so trying to warm them up with your body heat won’t work either.

If you have a heating pad - Then wrap a heating pad *turned onto low* around the towel - duct tape it or secure it around the towel so it stays wrapped around them. Don’t let the heating pad touch them directly, it can cause burns, make sure the ‘burrito’ towel is between their skin and the heating pad.

If you don’t have a heating pad - you can either

a) keep your dryer running full of towels. Grab a new hot one every 5 minutes and wrap this new hot towel around the “burrito” towel. After 5 minutes, trade that towel out for a new hot one. Don’t remove the “burrito” towel.

b) Fill 2 socks full of rice, tie the ends of them so it doesn’t spill out. Throw them in the microwave for 3 minutes. Keep them next to the puppy on the outside of the burrito towel. Every 30 minutes reheat one sock and leave the other next to the puppy so she doesn’t cool off.

Step 2- Get their blood sugar up:

Once you get the heat on them, get a bowl or Tupperware and a few tablespoons sugar in some hot water. Stir it up so you get a sugar water solution- you don’t want it super syrupy like pancake syrup, but you do want it to be as strong as possible while still pretty runny. Undiluted Karo syrup, or agave nectar can be substituted. Using a syringe or your finger give 3 drops every 3 minutes into the mouth. If they aren’t swallowing, try not to get it down the throat, try to get it on the tongue or gums. Set an egg timer or use the stopwatch on your cell phone to make sure you are doing it at least every 3 minutes. Every 5 minutes or 10 minutes will not work, it must be every 3 minutes.

Step 3 - Call the Foster Care Coordinator:

Call the Foster coordinator 708-822-6242. Don’t leave your puppy to make this call or forget to do your sugar every 3 minutes. They won’t have any extra advice for you that isn‘t in this handout, but they will need to be made aware of what is going on. Starting on an antibiotic is usually necessary as even subtle changes in gut bacteria can cause FPS. You do not need to call if it is after hours for a fading puppy, as SSHS cannot give any advice other that this. 

Prognosis:

We generally have very good success with these puppies if you follow the above steps. We DO NOT recommend you rush them to the vet for many reasons:

You have the motivation to sit right there with them and make them your top priority. A vet clinic has many patients it is helping and can’t give your puppy the 100% undivided attention you can give them.

Your puppy will continue to be cold/hypoglycemic on the way to the vet, in the waiting room, in the hospital while they try to determine what is wrong, etc. Most puppies won’t last long enough for them to start the treatments there.

APA! Is a nationally recognized organization and leads the nation in foster care. APA! came up with these protocols based on what would be done if she saw these patients in her clinic.  Most clinics would do the same thing - try to keep them warm and get their blood sugar up. APA! did a test-trial period a few years ago of having all of the fading puppy syndrome seen by their veterinarian or a technician to try other treatments, and we had a much higher failure rate (it was close to 100% failure) than if the foster did it themselves at home.  This was because the puppies were made to withstand travel and the clinic staff cannot devote 100% of their time to them (but a foster can).

Keep in mind, it can sometimes take hours for them to come out of it and start acting normally again. Once they do come out of it, make sure you contact the foster coordinator at foster@southsuburbanhumane.org to discuss what could have possibly caused them to fade in the first place and make sure we have the puppy on all the right medical treatments for any illnesses they have that may have caused it. An exam may be necessary.

Also keep in mind, even with all the love and attention and perfect treatment of this condition, some of them still won’t make it. Try not to blame yourself during this difficult time. Remember, if it wasn’t for you, every puppy you’ve ever fostered would have been killed at another shelter and never given a chance at life.