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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).

From: Canine neonatal mortality in four large breeds

 

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

  1. * Smothered by the mother
  2. ** Birth weight less than 50% of the siblings