| SICK PUPPY - IN HOME TREATMENT PLAN |
FEEDING PUPPIES & KITTENS (HAND-RAISING, LESS THAN 6 WKS OLD)
Sometimes it becomes necessary to hand raise young puppies & kittens.
Emergency weaning may be necessary if the mother is injured, has severe
mastitis (breast infections), uterine infection, or hypocalcemia ("milk fever"). Hand
raising takes a considerable commitment in time at first, but becomes easier
when the puppies or kittens are more than four weeks old.
McMillan Veterinary Clinic offers quality puppy & kitten milk replacement product
and small bottles for nursing.
An emergency formula may be used for a few days, but we recommend switching
to an approved milk replacement product as soon as possible. Weighing
puppies & kittens daily on a postage scale will allow you to follow the feeding
guidelines printed on the label of the milk replacement product accurately.
Emergency Formula
1 cup water
1 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
1 tablespoon Karo syrup (light or dark)
2 egg yolk
During the first two weeks of life, it is necessary to feed about every two hours.
Use either a small pet bottle or a syringe, and warm the contents slightly. The
formula should not feel hot to the underside of your wrist. The puppies or kittens
are best positioned on their chests, either in your lap or on a warm surface. This
upright position helps to lessen the risk of aspirating formula into their lungs and
causing pneumonia and death, as the excess is more likely to dribble out their
mouth. You should squeeze out a drop of milk onto the nipple before putting it in
the puppy or kitten’s mouth to induce sucking. If the puppies or kittens do not have
a strong sucking reflex, contact McMillan Veterinary Clinic for instructions.
When a puppy or kitten seems satisfied from nursing (this may be after only a few
milliliters of formula), it is necessary to stimulate their urinary opening and rectum
with a damp tissue to induce urination and defecation. Remember to rub gently
but firmly so not to irritate skin. The mother would normally do this by licking their
bottom.
By the time the puppies or kittens are two weeks old, they can usually go 6 hours
overnight without a feeding, as long as they eat every three hours during the day.
At 3 1/2 to 4 weeks of age, the puppies & kittens may be offered dry food soaked
and mashed in milk replacement. Offer the solid food mixture twice daily at first,
but continue bottle feedings every 6-8 hours until they are fully "weaned" from the
bottle. Mix the milk replacement with increased amounts of water and less
powder until the puppies or kittens are eating the dry food mixed with just water or
no water mixed with dry food at all.
A stool sample should be checked for intestinal worms & other parasites at three
and five weeks of age, and vaccines are usually begun at 6 weeks of age.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to hand raise young puppies & kittens.
Emergency weaning may be necessary if the mother is injured, has severe
mastitis (breast infections), uterine infection, or hypocalcemia ("milk fever"). Hand
raising takes a considerable commitment in time at first, but becomes easier
when the puppies or kittens are more than four weeks old.
McMillan Veterinary Clinic offers quality puppy & kitten milk replacement product
and small bottles for nursing.
An emergency formula may be used for a few days, but we recommend switching
to an approved milk replacement product as soon as possible. Weighing
puppies & kittens daily on a postage scale will allow you to follow the feeding
guidelines printed on the label of the milk replacement product accurately.
Emergency Formula
1 cup water
1 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
1 tablespoon Karo syrup (light or dark)
2 egg yolk
During the first two weeks of life, it is necessary to feed about every two hours.
Use either a small pet bottle or a syringe, and warm the contents slightly. The
formula should not feel hot to the underside of your wrist. The puppies or kittens
are best positioned on their chests, either in your lap or on a warm surface. This
upright position helps to lessen the risk of aspirating formula into their lungs and
causing pneumonia and death, as the excess is more likely to dribble out their
mouth. You should squeeze out a drop of milk onto the nipple before putting it in
the puppy or kitten’s mouth to induce sucking. If the puppies or kittens do not have
a strong sucking reflex, contact McMillan Veterinary Clinic for instructions.
When a puppy or kitten seems satisfied from nursing (this may be after only a few
milliliters of formula), it is necessary to stimulate their urinary opening and rectum
with a damp tissue to induce urination and defecation. Remember to rub gently
but firmly so not to irritate skin. The mother would normally do this by licking their
bottom.
By the time the puppies or kittens are two weeks old, they can usually go 6 hours
overnight without a feeding, as long as they eat every three hours during the day.
At 3 1/2 to 4 weeks of age, the puppies & kittens may be offered dry food soaked
and mashed in milk replacement. Offer the solid food mixture twice daily at first,
but continue bottle feedings every 6-8 hours until they are fully "weaned" from the
bottle. Mix the milk replacement with increased amounts of water and less
powder until the puppies or kittens are eating the dry food mixed with just water or
no water mixed with dry food at all.
A stool sample should be checked for intestinal worms & other parasites at three
and five weeks of age, and vaccines are usually begun at 6 weeks of age.
| McMillan Veterinary Clinic |