Hi all,
I'm a newbie to this forum so please be gentle!
I'm a qualified vet nurse and i've been breeding for 11 years now. I have always hand reared by bottle until a vet at the practice mentioned about tube feeding straight into the stomach. I have tried it a few times but only really to top pups up, not to hand rear completely. She seems to think the results will be good, but I do feel funny about popping down a tube umpteen times a day - especially for a littley! I was wondering if any of you guys had experience of this type of feeding and what type of results you achieved with it?
Thanks in advance and I look forward to getting to know you all x

Is it Heather Ridley in Pomeranian's that does this?  She's managed to help people with orphaned pups over the years etc. I believe.  I must admit it's not something that I could do.

This is the thing - i've never actually spoken to anyone thats done this for any amount of time. It is really easy to do though and I have got a little bitch pup that just won't feed from mum. She's doing really well so far, I just want to be sure i'm not doing her any harm by keep doing it!

Hi Maria

I tube fed a litter of 13 orphaned puppies last year.  I have to say I would not like to have to repeat the experience.   Our puppies did well whilst they were being tube fed.  We had all our problems after 2 weeks!!!! As you say, it is easy once you have been shown properly how to do it, but there is always the risk of the tube being in the lungs.  I have known people lose puppies because they have flooded the lungs, but I know this is also a risk with bottle feeding.  I cannot understand people (I know it happens) who make the decision to tube-feed puppies, just to preserve their bitches undercarriage, so they can get them back into the ring quickly!! 

Blimey! Well my girlie is a bit of a weakling and just not feeding from mum! I'd never consider doing anything like that! Can I take it the problems you had after 2 weeks weren't tube related? How long did you tube feed for in the end?

Hi,

We changed them onto a bottle when they were about 10 days old.  The problems that we had were not due to them being tube fed.  We would have lost some of them even if the Mum had not died. 
Good Luck with your little girl.

Thanks very much KazzF - she's still fighting on bless her, but shes not gaining weight really and i'm feeding her little and often. I don't hold a lot of hope to be honest :-(

I have to say I have done this with orphaned kittens (I am also a VN) and they all did really well and thrived, I had no problems but if it were my pups (my bitches pups!) I would probably be more nervous of doing something wrong and worry I was putting the tube down the trachea. I did have a weakling pup my the last litter and syringe fed her little and often, starting off every hour, then every 2 hours for a week but unfortunatly we lost her despite best efforts. (Other things going on too.) I have a friend in  America who swears by tube feeding though. Good luck though and I really hope she pulls through.

i have done it with pups and lambs....not hard once you have been shownhow to do it & how to listen down the tube.

Please can someone tell me where we can get a tube feeder

Thank you

Paige

Hi Paige,

Your Vet will be able to provide you with feeding tubes and syringes.  You can also buy them from "Hyperdrug". 
You do need to make sure you have the correct size of tube, which your vet will advice you on.  It is also important
that you are shown how to tube-feed by someone experienced in the technique.

Hope this helps.

Karen