Handfeeding New Born Pups

[johnliu]

hi,

anyone can advise when is the best time to start handfeeding new born pups with fresh milk? i just had 6 new pups and this is her 1st batch,so i am worried if she can handle all on her own,also what is her best diet now? she seems to be eating less now...also how many weeks i should wait before feeding the pups with food? mine is only 2 days old and they a small size dog..the thais call it PIT....or something like that...thanks

[JohnC]

My small girl had 7 pups in her first litter and managed them all fine, when she was born her mother rejected her and I bottle fed her from 10 days however they cannot take fresh milk and I had to get some baby milk powder and make it up. Also when her pups were around 3/4 weeks old they started to eat mums dinner so I knew it was time to put them on solids.

[johnliu]

My small girl had 7 pups in her first litter and managed them all fine, when she was born her mother rejected her and I bottle fed her from 10 days however they cannot take fresh milk and I had to get some baby milk powder and make it up. Also when her pups were around 3/4 weeks old they started to eat mums dinner so I knew it was time to put them on solids.

hi,thanks,i will get some milk powder as stand by,what about the mother? what sort of food do you give it? and is it possible to feed the mother with fresh milk? before the babies are born,she likes it but now she not keen on it and also seems to me like eatiing lesser...what kind of diet should i give her? giving her pork and liver now,just steam it with hot water plus the normal dry dog food..is that enough? thanks..

[bina]

she should be getting puppy dog food for the entire time she is nursing the pups; also if she is eating less, check her temperature and make sure all is well, check her discharges, etc....

at four weeks, the pups will start stealing puppy food from mom which is fine;

no milk!! u can give mom a cooked egg twice a week, and some youghurt or cottage cheese if u want too...

she should have been getting puppy dog food before the birth...

she needs the calcium that is in the puppy chow and the additional vitamins and protein ....

what breed is she? six is normal manageable size unless the female is ill...

check that all the pups latch on to the teats, and that all are eating and sleeping. a pup that cries alot is the one that isnt eating enough. u can help him by latching him on to a teat when the others are sleeping, or move the largest pup from the teat and put the hungry one on to the teat.

baby formula is ok for pups if really needed (every two hours or so), but mom is best.

[johnliu]

hi bina,

thanks,you mean i should not feed with FRESH MILK at all? i did give her 3 eggs per day..for the puppy food,is it those in solid form or those in containers? should i buy those pills which the vet says contains protiens and vitamins or is it better to give puppys instead?

she appear to be always brealthless..which does not happen when she does not have the pups...as for her discharge..it is a little waterly,i think due to the fact that when she cleans the pups,she eats their discharge as well,that is why it is waterly n black at times....

i not sure the name of the breed,but she is those with a bulldog face but of the smaller breed and i think the thais call it PIT...

[bina]

1. feed her cooked not raw eggs

2. dry or canned puppy food, of the same brand or better then she was getting before hand; try smaller meals more frequently, she may not want to leave the pups, or is too busy to eat more then a few bites at a time... so dry food might be better (doesnt spoil in the dish)... fresh water all the time in a place the pups cant fall in and drown or spill it... (outside her whelping box but not too far away)...

3. her eating the puppies' poo has nothing to do with her vaginal discahrge (i wasnt asking about pee or poo). her vaginal discharge should be a bit rusty bloody coloured but not red blood, and not green or yellow or smelly...

4. breathless doesnt sound good; not sure what that means... u should take her temperature: use a thermometer in her anus (like a baby person); 39 is ok... more then that or less then 38 is problem time...

5. still not sure what breed??? pitbull, pekinese? french bulldog? pug? .... do a pic for us?

6/ giving a doggy multi vitamin to mom certainly cant hurt but if she has an infection or other problem she should still see a vet...

7 fresh milk is bad for dogs in general, it causes diahrrea.... yougurt seems to be less problematic or cottage cheese also if u have it in your country or wherever u are living...

Disease Considerations for the Mother

Uterine infections, mammary gland infections, and eclampsia (milk fever) can occur after whelping. Dark-colored material will be expelled from the uterus for several days following whelping. Under normal conditions, this discharge should cease within 4 weeks. If the uterus becomes infected, however, this discharge may increase and become red and foul-smelling. Other signs and symptoms of an infected uterus include an elevated temperature, and a loss of appetite. The dog will also act depressed. If the mother shows signs of an infected uterus, seek immediate veterinary care and keep the puppies warm and nursing.

bina

israel

[johnliu]

Hi Bina,

thanks for all your advice...

yes, i am giving her cooked eggs.

will change to puppy food,both wet and dry...

her discharge is reddhish or almost black...but not much...only a few stains on and off...her poo is back to normal and she is eating normal now...think for the 1st two days,she is not so used to it..

its a pitbull...

she not as brealthless as the 1st 2 days now....

will give her cheese and the babys powder baby milk...

thanks for all your advise,i am in bangkok...if you coming for a visit,just pm me...maybe can meet for a cup of coffee

[bina]

sorry, i'm in the middle east so no way tomeet up....

why do u feel u have to hand feed the babies? if the mother is produing milk, the babies are quiet and gaining wieght, no need to start... its a real pain....

just wean them a bit early if u must; at three weeks/four weeks even before, u can start offereing them cottage cheese and wet pupppy dog food ....

bina

[BambinA]

hi,

anyone can advise when is the best time to start handfeeding new born pups with fresh milk? i just had 6 new pups and this is her 1st batch,so i am worried if she can handle all on her own,also what is her best diet now? she seems to be eating less now...also how many weeks i should wait before feeding the pups with food? mine is only 2 days old and they a small size dog..the thais call it PIT....or something like that...thanks

1) I believe that the bitch can let milk down by herself ..there are only less than 10 % of bitches has the problem of lacking milk

2) Oxytocin inj may help in some case

3) Too fat bitches have a problem with milk production

4) The bitch needs more Calcium intake for 1.5-2 months as she has to feed her pups

5) Be sure that pups have no problem about Alactasia.

6)After feeding milk, you have to use soaked cotton ball with warm water rub around pups' anus for activating poopoo peeppee

7) when you feed pups, be sure your put them in sitting position

8) weaning period is 1-1.5 months age of pups . You can feed them with semi-solid food

[johnliu]

hi,

thanks for both your reply...yes,i will not start handfeeding as the pups are gaining weight and is always full,each time one crys,the mother will run over and feed it...so its ok for the moment...i asked caused i ever have parrots babies and they die cause the parents dont feed them enough,and by the time i want to handfeed,it is too late,as i cant be opening up the nestbox too often..i also knows it is not easy to handfeed,espcally during the starting first few days and esp. now i know i need to help it poo as well.i think i only need to give a better diet of eggs,cheese,liver and pig bones to my dogs and let nature takes care....

1 last question,at which week should i take it for injection? and there is only 2 injections that i must make sure i take them to the vet right? its for deworming right? when i 1st got my 2 dogs from the weekend mkt in bangkok,i think i give about 4 as the vet says to make sure they healthy...

[bina]

that u should ask bambina since each country and vet has different protocol: and she has the thailand procedures of when to give which vaccines.

here where i live, we do parvo only vaccine at 6 weeks; than at 8 weeks start to do the full puppy vaccines + deworming; and thats it.... here people take pups at 4-6 weeks of age . i think its terrible, also for the pup (no socialization) and also for the owner... those extra two weeks make the feeding and toilet habits of pups easier to deal with...

after the parvo and worming, if u sell them, the owners must continue with the vaccines for all the doggy diseases; if u keep them, its up to u to vaccinate . some owners here vaccinate the parvo and then sell, others try to save money and sell the pup and let the new owner deal...

the pups sound in good shape.

good luck

bina

[johnliu]

Hi Bina,

thanks for all your advice....

Hi Bambina,

what is alactasia? My dogs are no fat as they do a lot of running when they are out to poo or pee...there is a big open space for them to run where i stay...so i think at this moment everything is ok for the mum...only needs to make sure she gets a better diet than before...

[BambinA]

alactasia - Lack of the enzyme lactase which is needed to digest the milk sugar lactose. / lactose intolerance