A friend of mine has just found a puppy all on its own in a carrier bag on the street. It looks very ill. She doesnt want to take it to the vets incase they have to put it to sleep. What can she feed it to perk it up a little bit? I have tried to convince her but shes adamant

If she takes it to the vet they won't just put it down unless it is to put it out of it's misery.

It should go to the vet , this is what will save it's life if it needs something urgent.

Im keeping on at her. If she wont take it, I'll phone RSPCA and they will take it. What can she give it in the mean time? By the looks of it, its not very old and shes unsure what feed it. Would baby formula milk do it?

If she takes it to the vet, and says that she would like to do all she can to help it, I'm sure that s/he would co-operate.  However, if it really is too weak to live, then she must be stronger than whoever was wicked enough to abandon the poor thing.

Margot

That's a bit like saying "I don't want to go to hospital in case I die". NO vet can put any animal to sleep unless the owner SIGNS a consent form. So if your friend says he/she is keeping the puppy so it is theirs, the same will apply. Anyway, no vet will want to put any animal to sleep unless it is really necessary!  If the puppy looks really ill chances are it WILL die without seeing the vet, as it may well need antibitoics, be kept on a drip, anything.

Marianne

thats terrible .some people have no morals .....my vet would do everything to help so my advice is too seek help asap

Why not print our responses out, and show her?   It might help!

Margot

She should take the little one to the vet they won't simply PTS if they are anything like my vets they will check it out & at least give the little might a fighting chance.

She could try Rescue Remedy & Echinacea Augustifolia but she really does need to take him/her to a vet PDQ

Is it the case that your friend can't afford to take it to the vets? Sounds like this might be it. She's rescued the pup already, if she takes it to the vet they will take over it's care. People become vets because they are animal lovers, they won't just put the pup down if there is a way to save it.

Please read the posts on RSPCA before calling them.

If you can convince your friend to take the pup to the vet, then it'll have a good chance of living, until she gets there she should put the pup on a wrapped hot water bottle to warm it up, then once its warm (feel inside its mouth) she could give some warm glucose and water from an eye dropper until she can see the vet, if he's really young she'll need to stimulate his mother licking his bottom to help him pass urine and faeces.  She really needs to see the vet to find out how old this baby is likely to be, as feeding and caring for him will be determined by his age ;) and he may need other treatment.

Finally convinced her to go to the vets. He recons its olny a few days old. Hes not very optamistic about its chance of survival but is going to do everything possible. I will keep you informed of the outcome

Poor little thing how can people be so cruel! Glad she has gone to the vet, keep us posted how he gets on. What breed is it?

It looks like a doberman x of some sort, though not too sure. UPdate on the pup this morning is that he has survived the night which is a really good sign. The staff at the vets have named him lucky, original! More info to follow later as I'm going to see him this aft

Acorah, hows the pup?

When I was on holiday at about age 12 I wnet to take my Grannies Rubbish to the bins and heard this wailing I tipped the bin over to find two pups had been dumped in the bin alive.  I know know that they were probably about a week old.

I took them to a neighbour of my Grans who knew whose bitch had ben pregnant and had a go at the owners.  Of course they simply drowned them anyway.

This was Poland in the 1970's.

Hes doing very well. They think hes about 2 weeks old, and that he hadnt been out on his own too long before my friend found him. One of the vet staff has already offered a home to the little one which is nice :)

There are some really good people about glad to hear the little chap is inproveing. ((hugs)) to the little one.

I've been thinking about this poor mite as I found one of my cats aged 10 days old below high water line on Southen beach years ago, I learnt how to tube feed & my spayed 11year old BC came into milk & raised him. He lived until he was 19 1/2 but was always a tiny scrap of a cat weighing no more than 4 lbs

Brilliant that hes doing well

Unforutnately this little man had to be put to sleep this afternoon. He went downhill all of a sudden and the vet isnt sure why. I am very upset to say the least, especially since this poor little mite looked so promising :(

Sorry Acorah to her that news, i thought he might have pulled through once he'd seen the vet.  By the way just one question how old did the vet think he was?

Warm regards Susan

he wasnt entirely sure but younger than 3 weeks as his teeth hadnt come yet

Poor little thing, you and your friend must be upset. :-(