How to Feed Orphaned Puppies

Have an orphaned puppy? You'll need to step in as nursemaid using the following guidelines.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Baby Bottle Nipples
• Baby Bottles
• Dog Beds
• Dog Blankets
• Dog Dishes
• Dog Food
• Dog Pillows
• Dog Toys
• Doghouses And Doors
• Formula For Puppies
• Cotton Swabs
• Scales

1. Use a bottle and nipple made for nursing puppies or a human preemie nipple bottle (a nipple for premature infants).
2. Buy commercially prepared formulas for feeding orphaned puppies. Avoid using goat's milk.
3. Measure out the appropriate amount of milk for the puppy for one day: A 1-week-old puppy needs 13 mL of milk per 100g of body weight, a 2-week-old needs 17mL milk per 100g body weight, a 3-week-old needs 20mL milk per 100g body weight, a 4-week-old needs 22mL milk per 100g body weight.
4. Divide the above daily dosage by 4, and feed this amount to the puppy four times a day.
5. Warm the milk.
6. Invert the bottle to let the milk ooze out slowly before inserting into the puppy's mouth.
7. Avoid feeding the puppy while she's on her back. It's acceptable for the pup to slightly elevate her front paws while feeding.
8. Check that the puppy's abdomen is enlarged but not overextended after feeding. Puppies should gain 2 to 4 g per day per kg of anticipated adult dog weight.
9. Weigh the puppy daily.
10. Encourage a 3-week-old puppy to eat solid food.

Tips & Warnings

• Puppies generally just eat and sleep for the first several weeks. If crying excessively, they could be cold or hungry or both.
• Orphaned puppies need to be stimulated to defecate. Soak a cotton ball in warm water and very gently rub the anal area.
• Never squeeze milk out of the bottle while the nipple is still in the puppy's mouth. This could result in aspiration pneumonia and death.