What is the best way to care for a newborn pup that lost its mother?
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M$3 Answers
Second, so far, you are doing what you should for the surviving puppy. I have bred and raised puppies before, and while I have not had to deal with abandoned pups (almost though), I have a good understanding of what they need.
Are you feeding it formula specialized for puppies? If not, you can pick it up at a local pet store. Or, you can make it yourself. This website has a recipe for puppy formula and also excellent tips on caring for an orphaned puppy:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2108&aid=863#
The one thing I will suggest is to call a local vet for advice. When my dog had her puppies, she went through a short phase where she did not want to care for them. We called the vet and they willingly walked us through what to do, including what, when and how much we should feed the puppies (formula and then puppy mush at around 3 weeks), burping them, stimulating them to have a bowel movement or urinate (which the mother usually does), keeping track of their weight to make sure they are gaining, watching for dehydration, etc. These things are also explained in the website above. Considering the circumstances, a vet may also want to examine the pup.
Make a little "nest" for the pup. With our pups, we set up a cardboard box (cut off the top of it) and laid down blankets inside with the heating pad set on low underneath the blankets and placed it on one side of the box. You want to give your puppy the opportunity to move away from the heat if need be. Keep the nest clean. I also set up training pads inside the box for easy clean up of any feces/urine. They are expensive though, so newspaper or kraft paper would also work fine.
A few more things that are good to know -- the pup should open its eyes around two weeks of age. If the eyes have any discharge, call a vet. If the puppy twitches at all while sleeping, it is normal!
The puppy will need vaccinations starting at six weeks. You may want to look into setting up an appointment with a local vet.
Good luck! Raising a puppy is rewarding!
Personal experience.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
