Hi
I need a bit of help hand feeding 5 medium breed puppies. I did not breed them but they are out of my dog. The dam killed 3 and had no milk so I said I would hand feed them (long story!)

They are 3 days old and 1 is soooo small but fighting. She is taking little and often feeds. 3 others are doing fine at the minute but then the other 1 is fading. I took them to the vet today as 2 were dehydrated and they got fluids. 2 have also got a swollen eye so the vet has given them synulox. The one which is fading is 1 of the ones which got the fluids but since he has come home he has taken 5ml feed which was 3hrs ago but he has since developed a large blueish tummy. i have stimulated him and he has pooed but they are all a lil constipated which the vet said was from the bottle.

Please can some one advise what this could be or how to help.

I know its a long shot rearing puppies soooo young but I need to give them a chance.

Thanks

They need to be warm....on a heat pad in a box with a cotton cloth partially draped over,
they need their bladder and bowels evacuated,
they need to feed every 2 hours.... tubing is best if you can find someone to show you.
Antibiotic cover is advised,
Never feed a cold puppy, the enzymes they need to digest the milk are not active below normal body temp and will result in rancid milk sitting in the stomach.

The 'blue stomached one doesn't seem good.
Keep them on heat...this is vital, if no heat source put them down your jumper or bra in emergencies, your body temp is lower but better than nothing.

I don't like to say, but 'my own' personal experience of a pup with a blue belly we lost not long afterwards :(

Like tooolz has said, they need feeding little and often, they need toileting and even burping as pups do take a lot of wind with bottles.

Good luck.

Thanks

Im doing all you mentioned it was just the blue stomach. Since I posted the pup has been taken to the vet to be pts, he started to bleed from the nose and mouth and was gasping for breath.................Im so gutted.

Sorry, that little one wasn't meant to be so just concentrate on the others and dont beat yourself up.
Can you get someone to show you how to tube feed? It is so quick and reduces, considerably, the risk of pneumonia.

Keep checking for 'tenting' of the skin indicative of dehydration, the biggest killer of neonates. Your vet can intervene if this happens and inject a bolus of ringer solution under the skin...this lasts for a day or so but often gets them through a tricky patch.
Good luck.

ps....I'm taking a hand reared puppy to the LKA tomorrow, one of 2 survivors from a litter of 4...he's 3 years old now!!

:( bless you ,you did all you could danielle ,praying the others fight and make it ((hugs)) xx

I dont know anyone who has tube fed before. I did ask the vet but she said they shud be fine with the bottle. I am worried because the 3 big ones cant get the milk down quick enough! I am using the smallest teat.

The vet gave 2 of them fluids under the skin this morning. the 1 that died and a tiny lil bitch, I keep checking her, she has taken 5ml on her last 2 feeds so Ive got my fingers crossed. I know I have a very long way to go yet and I already look like a zombie!

So sorry to hear that you lost one Danielle.  Even though some things are meant to be, it doesn't make it easy.  I hope you can hang on in there.  Good Luck.  :-)  :-)

Which bottles are you using?  I get the Royal Canin puppy milk which contains a bottle and 3 different size teats, it's around £10, my vet always has it available, even if you get it just for the bottles at least you can adjust the flow by the different size teats.

hi them are the ones Im using, the smallest with the smallest flo. The 3 bigger ones are 12oz and taking 10ml every 2 hrs and the small one is 8oz and taking around 5ml does this seem ok? the vet said it was about right but just wanted views from people with experience of hand rearing.

Thanks x

from what my vet told me when these pups were ill and she said if i had to hand feed only give 2ml every 2h ? and these are large breed weighin 600g (think its 19oz) so id say their getting plenty :)

your doing a great job daielle xx...welcome to zombie land hun !!

I thought they would be getting too much and now they are going mad for more!! The little bitch looks dehydrated again and only took 3ml last feed. Is there anything else other than take her to the vet for fluids again that I can do. She isnt as active as the stronger ones but will suckle just not much.

if you can get some water down  just a small amont inbetween feeds should help ,are they too hot ? this will make them dehydrate ,could be why their going mad for more milk ?

No the temp is ok and they are cuddling so I know they arent hot its only the little one who looks dehydrated but she isnt taking a lot of milk. I was thinking of boiled water but wasnt sure if it would be ok. Thanks

danielle do u have any nutri drops ? if not id get some their brill ,ive been giving my small pups it and they feed really well after having it .

No where can I get some from asap? This was sooo unexpected so I was lucky I had some milk (was for my bitch that I thought was in pup)

She has just had another 3ml and Il try her with a bit of water in an hr.

Do you think the others are getting too much as I know you can over feed too.

how old are they ? and how much do they weigh?

hope ive done the link right ?    http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Col-late-Pet-Breeder-Nutridrops-30ml/productinfo/COLPBS/

They are 4 days old and have weighed them today at 14oz 14oz and 16oz, they were 9oz 10oz and 12oz when I got them. The lil one is 8oz. The vet who I went to see is a breeder of racing greyhounds and said that 10ml is fine for the big ones but lil one only 5ml but I just need to be sure.

They are active puppies, not crying and content when fed. Toileting well even though they are a bit constipated!

i still think i would give 9ml to big ones and 1ml of water inbetween and 3ml to little 1 and 1m of water inbetween feeds just to keep fluids up and youll find their poo should be better maybe just for a couple of days ,they not loose weight and the water will do um good ,somtimes puppy milk can make um constipated!

Be very careful Danielle...stuffing too many things down their throats is asking for trouble.
Stick to milk until these little ones are really thriving and you are confident that they pull though.
With fluids under the skin they wont need milk and water.

tooolz i agree but she asked what she could do till she can get to vets for fluids she said little 1 needs it ,and thats what my vet told me to do!
if pups where getting mums milk then should have everything pups need but their not ,so taking small amounts of water not hurt them at all.

But we all know just how easy it is to upset little tummies.
Introducing bacteria unecessarily can be a disaster and turning constipation into Diarrhea can kill.

> The 3 bigger ones are 12oz and taking 10ml every 2 hrs and the small one is 8oz and taking around 5ml does this seem ok? the vet said it was about right but just wanted views from people with experience of hand rearing.

Hi, yes those quantities seem fine, I would watch the smallest one very carefully if it does not start taking more very quickly, and possibly do an hourly feed if you feel uneasy, as 5ml is what I expect a 4-6oz pup to take, so would pretty much be minimum for an 8oz.

again i agree but she is bottle feeding them? and cooled boiled water is ok ,just steralize everything the same.

> and cooled boiled water is ok

These pups have had fluid put under the skin - they now need calories.

could it be the pups need more milk and their not consipated ? just need more food to be able to poo ?

fluid under the skin only lasts for 24h ?

Hi thanks for all your advice. I offered the little pup cooled boiled water as it was over 24hrs that she had her fluid from the vet. I only let her have a tiny bit, then I have just fed her and she has taken 4ml. I am going to offer her the milk every hr and have ordered some nutri drops so hopefully she will be a fighter.

They have all had a good clear out (especially the lil one) when I toileted them after their feed. They are all sleeping nice and contented now but I will keep a close eye on her.

Well lil one has been fed every hr during the night but is only taking a very small amount. I have ordered some nutri drops but probably wont get them till tomorrow. Does anyone know where I could get any at short notice as I think she will need them as soon as.

Is she gaining weight, does she feel as if she is staying hyrdated? 

Hi

Well took them to my vet as it was the owner of the bitches vet I went to on Sat and my vet is quite pleased with them. The lil bitch was dehydrated thats why I took her and he gave fluids under skin again and gave me some stuff to give her twice a day to keep her hydrated. He said she is a fighter and just a lil slow.
She was crying a lot when we got back but I think she was a lil sore but have since fed her and she has taken 7ml so Im pleased.

Will weigh her tomorrow.

well done !!! your doing agreat job :) xx

hows the pups danielle ?hope the little 1 is ok ?

id stay away from the tube feeding if i was you, yes it may be a better way BUT if you get the tube in their lungs instead of their stomach's they could drown, i think the poster who suggested this was a bit silly to advise this to someone

> i think the poster who suggested this was a bit silly to advise this to someone

What was actually written was.....

Can you get someone to show you how to tube feed? It is so quick and reduces, considerably, the risk of pneumonia.

Hi

The lil bitch is doing great at the mo. She has been taking up to 10ml feeds and is alot more active. The vet said to let her have what she wanted as she is taking her time suckling (not greedy like the other guzzlers!).

I havnt weighed her as I havnt had time today but I can tell she has gained will def weigh them all tomorrow.

God these 2 hourly feeds are killing me but it will be worth it fingers crossed. They will be a week old tomorrow.

thats wonderful news :) these pups here will be 2weeks tomorrow and are tring to run before they can walk lol ,,,and now weein and pooin on their own :) all eyes are open ....1 more week danielle and youll be sayin this :) x

Glad to hear they all seem to be doing well.

Thanks

Have just weighed the lil one and she is 11oz!! Im so pleased she is coming on.

Can anyone give me some idea how much nutri drops to giv a 12oz pup. It says 0.1cc per 3.2oz body weight but the dropper is in ml so Im confused! LOL!

Gonna try my small pup, she is feeding but she is quite slow.

Thanks

Hahaha!! They're the same...........sorry I aint had much sleep!! LOL!!

bless ya lol im the same danielle im only getting 3-4hours anight x

My little bitch has stopped taking the bottle. Her last feed was at around 1pm and since then she has only had about 3ml. I have given her some nutri drops but has anyone else any ideas?

She isnt dehydrated (yet) and is sleeping. She did have a few crys but has been settled for about an hour now.

this is what happend with 1 of mine i had to syringe milk in very very slowly untill she started sucking again ,i do hope she starts drinking again soon danielle i have my fingers crossed for her ...x

If she won't take the bottle you could try putting the formula  in a lid such as a jam jar and see if she will lap it, I had to do this with two 12 day old pups as they both refused the bottle.  I wrapped them in tea towels, let them drink and then put them on my shoulder to wind them.  It worked and they are now 7 weeks old.  Good luck.

Should i give her the nutri drops every 6 hours?  Would you be syringing the amount she has been taking, she has been taking 10ml but has only taken 5ml this feed.

im not sure as i only gave it twice aday ,and i could only get 3ml down her every hour ,good luck , shes fine now and their 2 weeks and 3days old x