Birthweight (BW) and early weight changes are important prognostic factors in dog neonatology, but are influenced by the breed. The present study aimed to evaluate BW and early growth in a single breed, Dobermann, and single breeding facility for a better evaluation of data and analysis of influencing factors. In 364 puppies born by elective cesarean section, the ROC curve and cut-off weight values associated with the risk for death within 15 days after birth were defined for BW and Day 1 weight (D1W). Both BW and D1W were influenced by newborn’s sex (p < 0.05), maternal age (p < 0.05) and maternal bodyweight (p < 0.05), litter size (p < 0.05), and “litter effect” (p < 0.05). The weight charts for the first 15 days after birth were constructed for female and male puppies, and weight percentage variation analysis of the first 5 days after birth showed that the nadir of weight loss occurred around 1 day after birth, followed by BW recovery within 3 days, and doubling BW around 12–14 days. Therefore, BW (p < 0.001), D1W (p < 0.001) and early weight changes are important factors for prognosis and growth monitoring, allowing the prompt detection of those puppies needing special care. However, the influences of sex-related differences and maternal factors must be considered.
Fusi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.