How do I feed orphaned puppies?
Most puppies will suckle on small pet nursing bottles, also known as pet nursers. When bottle fed, puppies will nurse until they are full and then reject the bottle.
Be sure the opening in the nipple restricts the outflow of fluid to one drop at a time in order to avoid a flow rate that is too rapid for the puppy. When the flow rate is too rapid, it can lead to aspiration, pneumonia, and/or death; and when the flow is too slow they have to work too hard to nurse.
When feeding, hold the puppy in a horizontal, head-neutral position as it would be when feeding from its mother. If the puppy is too weak to suckle, your veterinarian can show you alternative feeding methods and assist in tube feeding if needed.
TIP: Handling puppies during feeding contributes to critical socialization.
What should I track in a logbook?
Maintaining a logbook about the orphaned puppies does not need to be complicated. The intent is to simply keep track of how they are doing so you can identify if there are any potential concerns with their development.
Tracking their weights, milestones, and routines are key, so be sure to record details of when their eyes open, when their teeth begin to erupt, their food intake, and stool consistency.
TIP: Individual puppies must be identified in some way, so consider colored collars or nail polish on a few front toenails.
Here’s what you need to know about feeding newborn pups
Whenever possible, newborn puppies should eat their mother’s nutrient-rich milk, which helps protect them from illness while their immune systems develop. It’s the perfect food! However, sometimes circumstances prevent this. Maybe mom doesn’t produce enough milk, or the milk is infected. In these scenarios, pet parents have to step in to help feed the babies. Orphaned puppies need round-the-clock feedings from human surrogate moms. It’s important to follow a newborn puppy feeding chart to ensure your pups are getting adequate nutrition. Contents