What To Feed Newborn Puppies Without Mother

Newborn puppies are considered orphaned when the mother is unable to properly care for her canines. This may be because she is suffering from agalactia, a condition in which she can’t create milk, or maybe she has developmental or emotional deformities that avert her from appropriately taking care of her puppies. In some cases, the mother may be died or injured. Some pooches may be a few weeks old when their mom becomes unable to feed them.

So, what to feed newborn puppies without mother? You can feed them commercial puppy formula as it is exclusively made to meet all their nutritional requirements until they are one month old. After that, you can begin giving them wet food. It is better not to feed them cow’s milk because it could cause diarrhea and consequently dehydration in the puppy. You can also try bottle feeding after consulting with your vet.

To successfully raise an orphaned puppy, you will need to prepare a regular schedule of his feedings, playing, and sleeping. In short, you need to provide them a nontoxic and healthy environment. Raising an orphaned puppy is undoubtedly time-consuming but rewarding at the same time.

How To Take Care Of Newborn Puppies In Their Mom’s Absence?

Newborn pups are extremely weak and delicate, so critical problems can develop swiftly due to their high dependence on their mothers for nutrition and cordiality. Here is some basic information on how to take care of orphaned puppies.

Warmth

It is necessary to keep them warm. They wrap each other and are heated by their mother’s body heat. In her absence, your cute friend needs a constant heat source such as heat lamps, heating pads, or hot water bottles that can help maintain a healthy body temperature. In the first four to five days of his life, you should keep him in a place that is around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. You can lower the temperature to 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the 4th week. After that, they can survive in the room-temperature environment but keep the breezes to a minimum.

Temperature

In the first week, a newborn puppy’s body temperature will be around 95 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit. However, in the 2nd week, his temperature will be around 97 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. After that, his temperature will start reaching the normal temperature of a mature pooch which is around 100 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Canines that are less than 6 weeks old have a reduced ability to normalize their temperature, so you will need to keep them in a temperature-controlled environment.

Inspiration For Elimination

In the first 14 days of life, their mother encourages them to defecation and urination. But, when she is not around, puppy parents will be responsible for providing the stimulation. To stimulate bowel action, you can massage their genital area by using a wet cloth. After 14 days, they will begin to defecate and urinate on their own. Keep an eye on them to make sure that happens.

Weight

It is essential to weigh them regularly to check if they are gaining weight or not. If they are not gaining weight or losing it, you should talk to your vet immediately.  

Internal Parasites

If he is growing tremendously slowly, then there are greater possibilities that his belly is bloated or he has blood in the stool. He may have internal parasites. Therefore, you should take his stool sample to the vet for detailed examination.

Dehydration

The lack of water consumption or exposure to low moisture atmosphere can result in dehydration. Digestive incompetence and slower metabolism could also lead to dehydration. 55% to 65% humidity is sufficient in the environment to prevent skin dryness in a normal newborn dog. However, 85% to 90% wetness is effective for taking care of small and weak pups.

To maintain dampness in the environment, you can put a wet towel closer to his basket. The mother constantly licks the canine and herself and produces a humid environment. Loss of skin elasticity and dry and gummy mucous membranes in the mouth are the biggest signs of dehydration. If your pooch is displaying any of these symptoms, get in touch with the vet as soon as possible.

Diarrhea

It is a common problem in newborn canines, and it may be triggered by bacteria, diet modification, viruses, internal parasites, and many other reasons. If the diarrhea is insignificant and the pup is active, try to feed him a small amount of food three to four times a day and supervise him closely. Also, make sure to provide him enough fluid to prevent the risk of dehydration if they don’t drink enough water. In case of severe diarrhea, contact the vet.

What To Feed Newborn Puppies Without Mother?

Before taking any action, we would recommend you to have a journal that will aid you to keep track of the feeding length, frequency, stool consistency, weight alterations, and any potential issues that may arise. In the first one month, you should weigh the infant canines after two days. The majority of them will gain approximately 5% to 10% weight regularly.

To feed him correctly, you will need to purchase a nursing bottle equipped with a soft nipple. The fluid should flow slowly through the nipple so that your dog can have adequate time to swallow its content. Swift flow could lead to pneumonia and even death. Moreover, his head must be placed in a flat or neutral position when being bottle-fed. It is mandatory to feed newborns four to five times a day after every three to four hours.

Commercial milk formulas are considered to be an outstanding alternative for mother’s milk. It should be heated to 39 degrees Celsius before feeding your pooch. Additionally, they should not be overfed. If he belongs to a small breed, give him 15mls per meal within the first week from birth.

After 3 to 4 weeks, you can start the weaning process depending on his breed and growth. Remember, switching him from milk formula to puppy food will take some time. That’s why; you should purchase premium quality food for boosted development and growth.

Conclusion

Nurturing a puppy without his mother may seem like a huge responsibility. Of course, it is a time-consuming undertaking, but with proper time and care and some basic information on what to feed newborn puppies without a mother, it can be a satisfying and rewarding experience.

References:

• https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feeding-orphaned-puppies
• https://www.nicklinwayvet.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Breeding-dogs-and-rearing-puppies.pdf
• https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/breeding-for-dog-owners-caring-for-newborn-puppies
• https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/8167/phh_dog_p_hand-rearing-puppies.pdf