Newborn puppies are relatively immature at birth compared to many other mammals, and large breed puppies are less mature than small breed puppies. The time they spend being nursed by their mother helps the newborn puppy transition from in-utero nutrition to solid food.
When puppies are raised on their mother's milk, their growth and health is influenced by the following factors:
- The nutrition of the mother during pregnancy and early lactation
- The mother’s overall physical health and behavior
- Good neonatal care
The first few days of a mother's milk is called colostrum. Colostrum is high in protein and transfers important immune system elements from mother to baby.
Whenever possible, newborn puppies should receive their mother's milk, as it sets the stage for healthy immune system function and protection from disease. Additionally, the mother’s milk provides all the nutrients a newborn puppy needs for continued growth and development.
If the mother is incapable of raising her puppies herself, the puppies are considered orphans, and some important needs must be met to ensure their survival. These needs include appropriate heat, humidity, nutrition, elimination, sanitation, and social stimulation.
Fortunately, most orphaned puppies can be raised successfully with a bit of care and attention to detail. It can be helpful to use a logbook to track their development.
What should I track in a logbook?
Maintaining a logbook about the orphaned puppies does not need to be complicated. The purpose of the logbook is to simply keep track of how the puppies are doing, using a few key parameters, so you can identify if there are any potential concerns with their development.
The logbook should include:
- Weight
- Daily food intake
- Urination and defecation frequency and consistency
- Activity
- Milestones such as when eyes open and when teeth erupt
- Any other observations that seem important
The logbook should be updated daily, or any time these events occur. Additionally, it is important to be able to identify individual puppies. Identification is easy if each puppy has unique markings, but if several of them look similar, it may help to give them colored collars or nail polish on a few front toenails.
How often should puppies be weighed, and how much should they weigh?
The birth weight of each puppy should be recorded, and weight should be recorded every day for the first four weeks of life. For nursing puppies, weighing before and after feeding can be a helpful way to assess food intake. Starting in their fifth week, you can switch to weekly weigh-ins. A digital food scale with capacity up to 5 pounds works best for these measurements.
Puppies should gain weight each day; weight loss or failure to gain weight can indicate disease. On average, puppies should double their birth weight by day 10.
What do orphaned puppies need for proper nutrition?
Water is a critical nutrient for orphaned puppies, and for all other stages of their life. Normal water intake is relatively high for puppies: they need 130-220 mL of fluid per kilogram of body weight each day. If the recommended dilution for the milk replacer does not provide enough water, you can add additional water.
On average, the total fluid volume fed per day (including milk replacers) should be approximately 180 mL per kilogram of puppy body weight. Mother's milk is highly digestible and very calorie dense. Compared to cow's milk, the mother’s milk contains more than twice as much protein, which is one of the reasons why cow's milk is not ideal for feeding orphaned puppies. In addition, cow’s milk is lower in calories, fat, and other minerals, but higher in carbohydrates including lactose.
For these reasons, commercial puppy milk replacers are recommended as they are superior to cow's milk and home-made mixtures. The milk replacer you choose should meet the nutrient requirements for growing puppies. The minimum requirements for many essential nutrients have not been established for nursing puppies and so it is recommended that you follow the requirements for weaned puppies.
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. When the flow is too slow, they must 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 with tube feeding if needed.
How much and how often should I feed orphaned puppies?
Orphaned puppies should be fed on a strict schedule, every 2-4 hours for the first week of life. After that, the frequency can be reduced to every 4 to 6 hours until weaning. When using a commercial puppy milk replacer, it is recommended to follow the instructions on the label. Puppies have the following general requirements:
- Days 1 through 3: 15 kcal per 100 g body weight
- Days 4 through 6: 20 kcal per 100 g body weight
- After day 6: Up to 25 kcal per 100 g body weight
It is important to not overfeed orphans initially, which is why the energy requirements for the first six days of life are lower. Energy intake should be increased gradually each day for the first week.
It is recommended that you warm puppy milk replacer to approximately 100°F (38°C) before feeding, but be careful not to overheat it. Cold formula, overly rapid feeding rates, and overfeeding can lead to regurgitation, aspiration, bloating, and diarrhea. Additionally, puppies will not eat well if they are hypothermic, so ensuring puppies are warmed before feeding can improve success.
If an orphaned puppy develops diarrhea, reduce the formula volume. It is better to slightly underfeed than to overfeed neonatal orphaned puppies. Puppy milk replacer should be the sole source of nutrition until 3-4 weeks of age, at which time the weaning process may begin.
The transition from formula to solid food is a gradual process, so be patient. Use a high-quality food formulated to support growth. Introduce small amounts of semi-solid or solid food to supplement formula, and transition to solid food by 5-6 weeks of age.
What’s my role in helping a puppy to eliminate?
Puppies cannot eliminate (urinate or defecate) on their own until about three weeks of age. They rely on their mother to stimulate their reflex to initiate elimination. Orphaned puppies, on the other hand, rely on their caretakers to stimulate them to eliminate.
After feeding, you can stimulate their reflex to eliminate by gently stroking the area between the anus and vulva or penis with a warm, moistened cotton ball or soft cloth. Your veterinarian can teach you this technique.
What are some best practices for proper puppy hygiene?
Taking care of orphaned puppies requires you to pay strict attention to their hygiene for optimal health and development. Follow these best practices for proper puppy hygiene:
- Bottles and nipples should be cleaned and then boiled in water to sterilize them between uses.
- Never prepare more milk replacer than can be used within 24 hours and always keep it refrigerated.
- Discard formula after 1 hour if left at room temperature.
- Once or twice each week, gently wash the puppies with a moist cloth.
- Ensure the environment where the puppies are kept is clean, warm, and safe.
By paying attention to the details of feeding and hygiene, you can help orphaned puppies thrive.
