Puppy won't eat

anaconda · 10-15-2005, 04:48 AM

Finn arrived yesterday. He's sleeping in a cardboard box in the living room right now. He's one month old and he still drinks milk, but we can't get him to drink any. In strict point of fact, we got some milk inside him, and the rest of it over us. Please visualize this scenario.

Finn is inside his box, he starts yapping and whining and whimpering. We take him out. He doesn't go. We take him back in again. Still crying. We put him on the ground, heat up some milk, put it in a bottle, try to feed him. He won't open his mouth. He wanders about, yapping, sliding on the floor, licking the floor, the chair legs, the sofa, us. Occasionally he stops and whines, lifting his muzzle in a sort of baby howl. We change tactics, putting some of the milk in the bottle inside the syringe. This is a syringe of the type used to measure quantities of medicine. We lift his head, and put one finger in each corner of his mouth. He opens it. I hate doing this. I put the end of the syringe in his mouth and press the plunger, and the milk squirts inside. Quite a lot of it doesn't. We wipe the milk off us and repeat the procedure. Sometimes when we put him back in his box he stops yowling, curls up and goes to sleep.

I need to find a way to help him realize that the milk comes from the bottle.

sharona1973 · 10-15-2005, 09:54 AM

Hmm....I have never had a puppy that young before.....and I don't breed dogs so I don't have experience with such young pups, but in just brainstorming.....

I'm assuming that you started with a bottle that had a nipple, right? Maybe he is having a hard time sucking on it to get the milk out?

I'm wondering what's in the cardboard box with Finn? Do you have it lined with a nice fluffy towel? I always thought it was a nice thing for the dog to have either a blanket or a towel with your scent on it. Maybe you can line the cardboard box with blankets/towels, make it like a nesting spot, get him a nice stuffed bear maybe...one he can nuzzle up to like he was still with his mama...get a ticking clock and put it behind the bear so he can hear it ticking like there's a heartbeat and then maybe you can put the bottle in there with the bear.....like as if he was sucking on his mom's nipple? I don't know, you could try it and maybe it'll work?

Hmm...I don't know what the rules are on posting articles here....can someone help with that. I found something on the web about caring for puppies and it says that Week Three (Days 15-21) you can start giving pups milk replacer to lap for one meal a day -- after two days, add some very mushy food and by one month you can offer soft, damp food.

Anyhow, I'm not a breeder and maybe one of the breeders there will see your post and help you. I can only offer you my thoughts on how to feed him milk!

I hope Finn does better with his feeding soon!

anaconda · 10-15-2005, 10:13 AM

Thanks, I'll try the teddy idea. He's already got a couple of towels in the box.

P.S.: To post articles, go to the forum homepage, then scroll down and at the bottom forums there's one which says Fun Dog Stuff, inside that there's a forum for dog articles.

TribalRats · 10-15-2005, 10:32 AM

I would try a hot waterbottle....the ones that come inside a stuffed animal or some kind of warm furry cover. It is VERY important to make sure he is warm enough.
That poor pup is SO young.
What kind of milk are you giving him? He needs milk formulated especially for orphaned puppies.
I would also suggest maybe yogurt mixed with puppy food...or puppy food soaked in pet milk. Just a little bit of puppy food.
Also make sure he is going to the bathroom. If he is not you may need to help stimulate things.
There is alot of info on the subject ont he internet, I would just start researching.
This is a very critical time for your puppy.

calgal · 10-15-2005, 10:53 AM

PUPPY FORMULA:

1 cup half-and-half (milk and cream)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon protein powder
3/4 teaspoon bonemeal (or 500 milligrams calcium)
1-2 days worth of dog vitamins (adult dosage), powdered or crushed

Mix ingredients well and warm to body temperature. Using a pet nurser bottle, feed enough to slightly enlarge the abdomen but not to distend it. (Amount varies according to age and breed size. If in doubt, consult recommendations for the commercial formula.)

FEEDING SCHEDULE:

Age (wk.) Weight How Often to Feed Total Amount/Day (tbsp.)
0-2 4-8 oz. every 2 hours 2-4
3 8-10 every 3 hours 4-6
4-5 10-24 oz. every 4 hours 6-10
6 2+ lbs. 3 times a day 8-12

anaconda · 10-15-2005, 02:09 PM

YIPEEEE!!!!!!

He's eating... we mixed dry puppy food with puppy milk (the same we'd tried to give him before) and water and put it all in a low plate (not a dog dish, it was too big for him, and I don't think he enjoyed that) mushed it all up and warmed it in the microwave, and he started eating. He finished it and then started wandering around yowling for second helpings! By the time he finished he'd had three.

Thanks a million billion for your help!

Quote:

Also make sure he is going to the bathroom.

He is, outside.

TribalRats · 10-15-2005, 02:24 PM

Please be careful taking him to go potty out side at only 4 weeks. Because he did not spend very much time with mom ( I don't know when he was originally taken from her) chances are his immune system is not up to par. He is too young for shots so taking him outside is not a great idea in my opinion.
I am glad he is eating!

flyndog · 10-15-2005, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharona1973

Hmm...I don't know what the rules are on posting articles here....can someone help with that.

If it is your original article, it must be submitted to the article forum for approval. See article guidelines in that forum.

If it is not your article, it is a violation of copyright to reprint here and it will be removed. The author can submit written permission to reprint to Admin. for consideration.

anaconda · 10-16-2005, 02:50 PM

Quote:

( I don't know when he was originally taken from her

we've only had him for three days now.

Novel · 10-16-2005, 03:19 PM

I'm sure that you know that he was much too young to be taken from his mother. In the states, anything before 7 weeks is considered irresponsible of the breeder. However, there are extenuating circumstances that sometimes have puppies hand feeding and bottle feeding. However, even in those cases, the puppies would not be removed from thier littermates until 7 weeks or older. Puppies need to stay with their littermates to develop properly mentally and socially.

What type of dog is this? You will need to make sure your puppy eats several times a day, all small meals. Too much at one time can cause major problems. Do not let him dictate how much he eats at a meal. Always make the meals small, and do not let him eat until he is full. IMO, this is not how a puppy would be raised by it's mother, and can cause excessive weight gain that can cause skeletal problems. Also, a puppy at this age that has not been eating, as you state, with a large meal all at once, could suffer from very loose stools, even to the point of dehydration.

Please be careful. Do as much research as possible about how much food a dog of your age, type, size needs to eat each day, and how many meals that needs to be divided into.

mrsgrubby · 10-17-2005, 08:59 AM

I am glad he is eating. I know you didn't want to get him this young but due to the puppies situation you had too.
Just keep feeding him small meals several times a day and keep him warm in his box.
Also, he should go to the vet in the next week or two to begin getting his shots.

10-15-2005, 04:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
anaconda Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Spain Posts: 410 Rep Power: 67	Puppy won't eat Finn arrived yesterday. He's sleeping in a cardboard box in the living room right now. He's one month old and he still drinks milk, but we can't get him to drink any. In strict point of fact, we got some milk inside him, and the rest of it over us. Please visualize this scenario. Finn is inside his box, he starts yapping and whining and whimpering. We take him out. He doesn't go. We take him back in again. Still crying. We put him on the ground, heat up some milk, put it in a bottle, try to feed him. He won't open his mouth. He wanders about, yapping, sliding on the floor, licking the floor, the chair legs, the sofa, us. Occasionally he stops and whines, lifting his muzzle in a sort of baby howl. We change tactics, putting some of the milk in the bottle inside the syringe. This is a syringe of the type used to measure quantities of medicine. We lift his head, and put one finger in each corner of his mouth. He opens it. I hate doing this. I put the end of the syringe in his mouth and press the plunger, and the milk squirts inside. Quite a lot of it doesn't. We wipe the milk off us and repeat the procedure. Sometimes when we put him back in his box he stops yowling, curls up and goes to sleep. I need to find a way to help him realize that the milk comes from the bottle.
	Last edited by anaconda : 10-15-2005 at 05:34 AM.

10-15-2005, 10:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
TribalRats Take Responsibility Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Valley, CA Posts: 3,327 Rep Power: 145	I would try a hot waterbottle....the ones that come inside a stuffed animal or some kind of warm furry cover. It is VERY important to make sure he is warm enough. That poor pup is SO young. What kind of milk are you giving him? He needs milk formulated especially for orphaned puppies. I would also suggest maybe yogurt mixed with puppy food...or puppy food soaked in pet milk. Just a little bit of puppy food. Also make sure he is going to the bathroom. If he is not you may need to help stimulate things. There is alot of info on the subject ont he internet, I would just start researching. This is a very critical time for your puppy.
	__________________ Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Global Paw Book Club -- Art Classes -- Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

10-15-2005, 02:24 PM	#7 (permalink)
TribalRats Take Responsibility Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Valley, CA Posts: 3,327 Rep Power: 145	Please be careful taking him to go potty out side at only 4 weeks. Because he did not spend very much time with mom ( I don't know when he was originally taken from her) chances are his immune system is not up to par. He is too young for shots so taking him outside is not a great idea in my opinion. I am glad he is eating!
	__________________ Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Global Paw Book Club -- Art Classes -- Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

10-16-2005, 03:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
Novel Mush Face Lover Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 4,991 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 220	I'm sure that you know that he was much too young to be taken from his mother. In the states, anything before 7 weeks is considered irresponsible of the breeder. However, there are extenuating circumstances that sometimes have puppies hand feeding and bottle feeding. However, even in those cases, the puppies would not be removed from thier littermates until 7 weeks or older. Puppies need to stay with their littermates to develop properly mentally and socially. What type of dog is this? You will need to make sure your puppy eats several times a day, all small meals. Too much at one time can cause major problems. Do not let him dictate how much he eats at a meal. Always make the meals small, and do not let him eat until he is full. IMO, this is not how a puppy would be raised by it's mother, and can cause excessive weight gain that can cause skeletal problems. Also, a puppy at this age that has not been eating, as you state, with a large meal all at once, could suffer from very loose stools, even to the point of dehydration. Please be careful. Do as much research as possible about how much food a dog of your age, type, size needs to eat each day, and how many meals that needs to be divided into.
	__________________ ~~~My Blog~~~ Last edited by Novel : 10-16-2005 at 03:26 PM.

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10-15-2005, 09:54 AM	#2 (permalink)
sharona1973 Proud mom of Mishka&Mocha Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Posts: 161 Rep Power: 66	Hmm....I have never had a puppy that young before.....and I don't breed dogs so I don't have experience with such young pups, but in just brainstorming..... I'm assuming that you started with a bottle that had a nipple, right? Maybe he is having a hard time sucking on it to get the milk out? I'm wondering what's in the cardboard box with Finn? Do you have it lined with a nice fluffy towel? I always thought it was a nice thing for the dog to have either a blanket or a towel with your scent on it. Maybe you can line the cardboard box with blankets/towels, make it like a nesting spot, get him a nice stuffed bear maybe...one he can nuzzle up to like he was still with his mama...get a ticking clock and put it behind the bear so he can hear it ticking like there's a heartbeat and then maybe you can put the bottle in there with the bear.....like as if he was sucking on his mom's nipple? I don't know, you could try it and maybe it'll work? Hmm...I don't know what the rules are on posting articles here....can someone help with that. I found something on the web about caring for puppies and it says that Week Three (Days 15-21) you can start giving pups milk replacer to lap for one meal a day -- after two days, add some very mushy food and by one month you can offer soft, damp food. Anyhow, I'm not a breeder and maybe one of the breeders there will see your post and help you. I can only offer you my thoughts on how to feed him milk! I hope Finn does better with his feeding soon!

10-15-2005, 10:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
anaconda Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Spain Posts: 410 Rep Power: 67	Thanks, I'll try the teddy idea. He's already got a couple of towels in the box. P.S.: To post articles, go to the forum homepage, then scroll down and at the bottom forums there's one which says Fun Dog Stuff, inside that there's a forum for dog articles.

10-15-2005, 10:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
calgal My Yorkster kids! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: central ca. coast Posts: 6,794 Rep Power: 229	PUPPY FORMULA: 1 cup half-and-half (milk and cream) 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon protein powder 3/4 teaspoon bonemeal (or 500 milligrams calcium) 1-2 days worth of dog vitamins (adult dosage), powdered or crushed Mix ingredients well and warm to body temperature. Using a pet nurser bottle, feed enough to slightly enlarge the abdomen but not to distend it. (Amount varies according to age and breed size. If in doubt, consult recommendations for the commercial formula.) FEEDING SCHEDULE: Age (wk.) Weight How Often to Feed Total Amount/Day (tbsp.) 0-2 4-8 oz. every 2 hours 2-4 3 8-10 every 3 hours 4-6 4-5 10-24 oz. every 4 hours 6-10 6 2+ lbs. 3 times a day 8-12

10-17-2005, 08:59 AM	#11 (permalink)
mrsgrubby Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,476 Rep Power: 144	I am glad he is eating. I know you didn't want to get him this young but due to the puppies situation you had too. Just keep feeding him small meals several times a day and keep him warm in his box. Also, he should go to the vet in the next week or two to begin getting his shots.

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