HAND RAISING PUPPIES

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author Bonnie Rector

This formula has helped me to save many puppies. I also mix it up as a "milkshake" for bitches who have just whelped and are fussy with food. They LOVE it. • 10 oz. of 3.25 % goat's milk (not cow's milk) In the Hamilton Ontario area Fortino's, Wal-Mart and Sobey's sell it. • 1 raw egg yolk (BE CAREFUL not to use the whites) • 1/3 cup of 3% yogurt • 1 Tsp Corn Syrup • Warm formula to around 100 ~ 101 degrees Blend all ingredients together ( I use my small blender. This Hamilton Beach Single Serve Blender is available at Wal-Mart for around $17.00 and is perfect for mixing formula) Keep formula refrigerated. It will keep 3 or 4 days. Feed 1cc of formula per ounce of puppy. If your puppy weighs 6 oz use 6 cc of formula every 3 to 4 hours. The schedule I use is 6AM~10AM~2PM~6PM~10PM~2 AM. I have found that by 10-14 days I can forgo the 2 AM feeding, depending upon how well the puppy is doing. Please measure the formula carefully using a syringe. If you over feed the puppy you will run the risk of the puppy developing aspiration pneumonia caused by inhaling the formula into the lungs. You must weigh the puppy daily and keep a record. I use a digital kitchen food scale, however a postal scale works quite well also. Both will weigh in ounces and grams.. It is easy to see any weight gain or loss. I weigh the puppy BEFORE the 6 AM feeding and base the amount of formula for that day on on the puppy weight in the morning. Remember 1cc of formula per ounce of puppy. I have found that the best bottle to use is a regular baby bottle with a nipple designed for either 0-3 months or 0-6 months. Even newborn puppies can and DO latch on and suckle on this bottle. Before you start to feed your puppy you must help the puppy relieve him/herself by gently rubbing around your puppy's genital area with a cotton ball moistened with warm water or mineral oil. Hold the puppy in an upright position while giving him the bottle, try not to allow any air to be swallowed. You will have a very unhappy puppy if he has a tummy ache from gas. If your puppy does get a bit of gas, a little "gripe water" usually will take care of the problem. (just a drop or two) The puppy shown here is 8 days old, and has been hand raised since she was two days old. At birth she was 9 ounces, now at 8 days she is 13 1/2 ounces. Her coat is shiny, her belly is full and she sleeps peacefully between feedings. You will need to burp the puppy when you finish giving him/her the bottle. Hold the puppy in an up-right position and gently tap or rub the back. In no time at all he/she will have a little burp and will be ready to snuggle up to their Teddy and sleep until the next feeding...... This is a general outline of how I hand raise puppies I am not a vet, but I have had great success using this method. If your puppy develops medical problems, contact your Veterinarian immediately. I hope that this page will help someone save that long anticipated precious puppy. Special thanks to Mark Skoczylas and Nicol deCourcy-Donovan for all their help to take these photos...... And here she is at 8 weeks. She is a happy healthy puppy, and now she has gone to live with Mark Skoczylas and Nicol deCourcy-Donovan.

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