I know very young puppies need to be tube fed or sponge fed due to risk of it going in to their lungs, but what is the youngest age puppies can be bottle fed safely?

They still seem hungry after mum has fed them and I was thinking they might need topping up a bit.

I'd hold off bottling them because mum 'should' be producing milk depending on the demand.... in other words if the puppies don't feed from her as much as they might if they are being bottle fed too, this may be counter-productive.    Of course IF there is a big litter, it's often necessary to supplement, half on, half off.   Are the puppies gaining well when you daily weigh them - and are they quiet after feeding because this should usually be your guide re the need to bottle feed.  

The only real benefit with tube feeding vs bottling is it's less time-consuming.    Obviously puppies can be bottle fed from birth, and would be if something dire happens to hum.

Mum will produce milk according to demand.  If you bottle feed, you will reduce demand and she will not make more.  Pups may need to demand more than there is for a few feeds, before her body starts to manufacture more.  Don't supplement unless you absolutely have to, or you will be stuck having to continue.

Thanks, I know I've been told not to supplement in the past and I never have (not had many litters), but this lot are 10 days old, she is feeding them every 2 hours, they are very lively and still crying out after they have been fed, that's what made me wonder. There are 7, plenty of teats and plenty of milk when they are feeding. They are all putting on weight bu not doubled in size yet.

Some pups are noisier than others and it can make you think they are not getting enough.  As long as they are all steadily gaining weight then I would hold off supplementing them as it can reduce mums milk due to less demand and also comes with other complications such as risk of aspiration pneumonia and constipation etc. so best avoided if possible.

Thanks

> she is feeding them every 2 hours,

With my litters the pups have been attached to the nipple, even while sleeping!  I'm surprised that she is feeding them every 2 hours, as my experience (of many litters) is that  mum has to be made to go out for a wee, as she won't leave her pups.  Feeding has been almost constant.