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How to Raise Orphaned Puppies

Orphaned Puppies: How to Raise Them

Updated On December 31st, 2000

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Reviewed By Lauren Jones VMD

Puppies are usually orphaned when the mother (dam) is not able to adequately care for her puppies. This may be because she cannot produce milk (a condition called agalactia) or because she has behavioral or psychological abnormalities, which prevent her from adequately caring for her puppies. In rare instances, the mother may actually not be present due to death, injury or complications arising from a difficult birthing. Some puppies may be several weeks old before their mother becomes unable to care for them.

The successful rearing of motherless puppies requires a regular schedule of appropriate feedings, elimination, playing and sleeping, all in a safe and healthy environment. The principles of raising one orphaned puppy are not significantly different than those of raising an entire orphaned litter. Raising any number of orphaned puppies is a time consuming, yet rewarding endeavor that requires a lot of dedication. 

Weaning and Puppy Milk Replacer Formulas

If at all possible, puppies should try to nurse from their mother for the first 12 hours of life to allow for ingestion of [colostrum](https://www.petcoach.co/article/colostrum-and-passive-immunity/). Puppies are only able to absorb the antibodies from the colostrum for the first 24 hours of life. If the mother will continue to allow the puppies to nurse while she is made to lie still, it will decrease some of the work load on the breeder. She may decide in a few days that she is willing to care for her pups. [tip:right] **Emergency Puppy Milk Replacer** 1 cup whole cow’s milk 2 pasteurized egg yolks 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 drop of a multi-vitamin (if available) [endtip]

Commercially prepared puppy milk formulas are readily available and are nutritionally balanced to meet the needs of orphan puppies. Homemade milk formula recipes are also available, but should only be used on an emergency basis until a commercial formula can be obtained, as these are not perfectly balanced nutritionally. Esbilac is a well known puppy milk replacer brand. Contrary to popular belief, goat’s milk is not a substitute for a puppy milk replacer, as they are not nutritionally equivalent.

did you know?

Emergency Puppy Milk Replacer

1 cup whole cow’s milk
2 pasteurized egg yolks
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 drop of a multi-vitamin (if available)

How to Feed Puppies

Supplying adequate nutrition is always a concern in hand raised puppies. If the mother is unable or unwilling to nurse and care for the puppies, they will need to be bottle or [tube fed](https://www.petcoach.co/article/tube-feeding/). Bottles for puppies are readily available and are the preferred method of feeding. Tube feeding is best left to trained individuals, as the tube may be inadvertently passed to the lungs and cause serious complications when formula is administered. Tube feeding, although risky, is warranted in puppies failing to nurse properly. Feed a puppy while on its belly, not on its back, as is the case with human babies.

Whether using a commercial or homemade formula, only make enough formula for 1 day of feeding at a time and keep it in the refrigerator. Wash and dry the bottles and nipples or feeding tube thoroughly between feedings. Warm the puppy milk replacer in a pan of water until 98-100 F before feeding.

Puppies need to be burped during and after each feeding. Hold them upright or over your shoulder and pat their back. Bottle or tube feeding needs to be done very carefully to prevent aspiration of the supplement with subsequent [aspiration pneumonia](https://www.petcoach.co/article/aspiration-pneumonia-in-puppies/) or drowning.

During the first two weeks, puppies should be fed every two to three hours during the day and every four to six hours overnight. Particularly during the first week or if a puppy is experiencing diarrhea, it is often necessary to add 25% of additional water to the formula. Around three to four weeks of age, puppies often begin to chew on their bottles, signaling a good time to introduce puppy food. During this introductory period, bottle feedings should be continued roughly every four hours.

Canned puppy food should be puréed with water or formula to create a thin consistency. By the fourth week, puppy food should be offered four to five times a day and the frequency of bottle feeding can be slowly reduced as puppies consume more of the solid food. The overnight feeding can be gradually reduced and discontinued during this time. Between four and six weeks, the consistency of puppy food can be gradually thickened, with the introduction of dry puppy food around five to six weeks of age. During the introduction of dry food, it may be necessary to soak the kibble in warm water for a few minutes before feeding to soften it slightly or mix it with canned food. By six weeks of age, puppies should be exclusively eating puppy food. 

Weight Gain and Feeding Volume

Puppies should be weighed on a daily basis using a postal or food scale to assure that they are gaining weight. Failure of weight gain is often the first sign of illness in young animals. Puppies should double their birth weight by day ten and should consistently gain 5-10% of their body weights per day.

Recommended Caloric Intake

Week Calories/Pound/Day
1 60 - 69
2 70 - 79
3 80 - 89
4+ 90 - 100

Using each puppy’s body weight, calculate the amount of formula needed per day. Most formulas contain 26 to 35 calories per ounce. For example, expect a one week old, eight ounce (1/2 pound) puppy to consume 60-69 calories per day. This typically equates to roughly two ounces of formula per day, which is then divided into about 8 to 12 feedings at this age. If the puppies are not gaining weight, they need more food. If the puppies develop diarrhea, they may be overfed. Remember that this is a guideline only and it is better to feed lesser amounts more frequently than large amounts at one time. When in doubt, always consult your veterinarian for advice.

Sanitation

A newborn puppy is unable to urinate or have a bowel movement on its own, as it lacks the necessary muscle control over these functions. A puppy must be stimulated to urinate and defecate, and the mother typically performs this task by grooming or licking the puppy's anal area. Orphaned puppies must be manually stimulated by the owner with every single feeding to enable urination and defecation. Fortunately, this is easy. A cotton ball or soft washcloth can be moistened with warm water and gently rubbed on the anal and genital area. Within one to two minutes the puppy will urinate and/or defecate. Some puppies respond better before eating, while others respond better after eating.

Keep a record of each puppy's urination and defecation so that any changes, such as constipation or diarrhea, can be addressed. Be sure to clean the puppy afterwards to prevent urine scalding or irritation. Puppies will need to be stimulated in this fashion until their bladder and bowel muscles strengthen, usually by three weeks of age.

Take note of the color and consistency of each puppy’s urine and stool. The urine should be a pale yellow or clear. If it is dark yellow or orange, the puppy is not being fed enough and is likely dehydrated. Do not feed more at one time, but feed more frequently. The stool should be a pale to dark brown and a soft, slightly formed consistency. If the stool is hard, feed more often rather than increasing the amount of formula given per feeding. It is possible to feed a puppy too much, but not too often. Too much food causes bloating, gas, regurgitation and sometimes aspiration pneumonia in the lungs.

Temperature Regulation

To remain healthy, puppies must be kept at the proper ambient temperature. Young puppies cannot conserve their body heat or shiver to create heat. As a result, it becomes the owner’s responsibility to keep young puppies in an appropriate environment if their mother is unable to warm them with her body heat. Supplying artificial heat sources, such as an incubator, heat lamp, warm water pad or electrical heating pad will help puppies remain at the correct body temperature. Regardless of the heat source, it is very important not to overheat or burn the puppies. Keep a thermometer in the puppy area to monitor the temperature.

A simple 25-watt light bulb suspended over one end of a small box usually will supply sufficient heat. Keep a room thermometer under the light source to monitor the temperature. Heating pads need to be monitored closely if used, as the puppies may be too weakened to move away from them and may become burned. If a heating pad must be used, wrap it in a thick towel or sheepskin to protect the puppies from burns.

For the first week of life, air temperature should be maintained around 85-90 F. From the second to fourth weeks, the air temperature should be maintained around 80 F. After this time, a room temperature comfortable to people (generally around 70 F) is acceptable. Use common sense. If the puppies are piled on top of each other all the time, they are cold. If the puppies are spread far apart, they are too warm. If they lay next to each other, the temperature is fine.

If a puppy’s body temperature drops below 94 F, their body bodily functions dramatically slow down, which can result in death. Young puppies that are hypothermic (low body temperature) should be warmed slowly over two to three hours to a normal neonatal temperature of 96-98 F. By three weeks of age, a normal body temperature is 100.5 F, which is in range with that of adult dogs.

Disease Prevention

Many orphaned puppies are at a higher risk of developing infectious diseases, particularly if they did not receive any of their natural mother's colostrum. The colostrum, which is produced during the first 24 hours after giving birth, is especially rich in protective antibodies, which provides immunity against many diseases. Puppies that never received colostrum are not protected against many infectious diseases until they begin their vaccination series around six to eight weeks of age. It is extremely important to practice good hygiene and keep these puppies separated from other dogs until the vaccine series is completed.

Puppies are commonly infected with intestinal parasites from their mother while in utero or through the milk, or by ingesting the infected feces of another animal. For this reason, the regular deworming of puppies is recommended by the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). Typically, deworming treatment should be administered at two, four, six and eight weeks of age. After that time, a monthly heartworm preventive that also controls intestinal parasites is often started. It is important to remember that there is no single deworming medication that treats all types of intestinal parasites. A fecal flotation test should be performed by a veterinarian to determine if the treatment is appropriate.

Socialization

Puppies need mental and physical stimulation. If they have littermates, they will stimulate each other when moving. Snuggle with each puppy as you wake it to eat and for a time after eating. They need the nurturing to thrive.

It is extremely important for the orphaned puppy to have interaction with members of the household regularly. Particularly by four to six weeks of age, puppies must become accustomed to gentle handling and interaction. During this time, begin to introduce the puppies to different noises, nail trims, gentle brushing, new people and different areas of your home. However, avoid walking a puppy outside of your yard or going to parks until their vaccine series has been completed due to the risk of potentially serious disease transmission. [Early socialization](https://www.petcoach.co/article/socialization-of-your-puppy/) and enabling the puppy to feel secure in its own environment will help to prevent many behavioral problems from arising in the future.

Raising an orphaned puppy or entire litter may seem like an enormous undertaking. While it is a huge responsibility, with a commitment of time and care, a little common sense, and some basic information, it can be a very positive and rewarding experience.

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