If you can't get your puppy to drink water, try ice cubes. I found that I can get my puppy to even lick Pedialite in ice cube form. Hope this helps!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Our puppies are 19 days old today and only 1/6 have pooped today. They have no issues peeing and usually pee a lot. They are eating fine as well. We usually give the mom wet food mixed with her dry food, but she was getting some diarrhea so we held back for a day which is when they stopped pooping.
I just gave her some wet food to see if it will help, but does anyone have any ideas of what it could be or what I could do?2 years back my dog had puppies. She was a good mom and when the dogs did poop and pee she would clean them up right away. If the problem goes on for longer than a day or two then you should have the mom and babies checked out. I would also talk with the vet about the diet for the mom. This could not be the best thing to give her.
Did you get the pups AND the mom checked out?
I would, if you haven't already, take mum and the pups to the vet for a look see. I am worried if she is having diarrhea she may not be up to feeding the pups and the vet can point you to the time for human intervention to feed the babies. The vet can tell you the right brand of mothers milk to get for your breed and age. Some places sell it in feed stores, but others you need to get it from the vet or a certified pet store.
Post back with an update! Prayers for healing (and pooping for the pups and NO diarrhea for mom).
I have a 3 month old Miniature Pinscher Chihuahua mix puppy. He will not stop whining. I was just wondering how long he will continue whining?
New puppies can cry a lot because they miss their mom. I have had to get some stuffed toys for new puppies in the past to keep them feeling safe and like they are around their other puppies.
Are there time periods that he whines more - like at night?
How long have you had him and does he seem to be adjusting to his new home?
Do you use a crate for his sleeping periods?
Many new puppy owners have had to use a crate so this might be something to think about as you can partially cover the crate and it sometimes makes them feel more secure.
Does he have any places he can hide away from the 'world' which may be frightening to him.
Some vets say a sweater sometimes helps also.
Maybe your vet will have some suggestions as I'm sure he will be starting his vaccinations soon.
Please read some of the suggestions from the sites given and maybe try something but not too many changes at once or it may get worse.
pethelpful.com/
By profmessi from Sudan, Khartoum
My Pit Bull gave birth to 11 pups 2 days ago and things seemed to be going well until I realized that one of the pups had not been cleaned and the mom wasn't even nursing the pup. The mom was sitting this pup to the side all alone. This pup is also much smaller and seems to be breathing differently than the others. I tried leaving this 1 pup and mom alone, but the mom just stared at the pup. What can I do to keep this pup alive?
By Drall from New Orleans, LA
Who knows why the mother won't help her pup? You must take the pup to your vet now as it is failing fast and needs help. You also need help in learning to feed and help it survive!
Can you help give me some info on how to know when a 5 day old puppy is hungry and when it is full? Also how regularly do I need to feed them? Thank you.
By dexster from Alberton
Don't let the collies only website deter you from following the writer's guidance as you can learn so much in the care of your five day old puppy from them. It has a formula recipe, dose and how often to feed a puppy and signs to look for if you run into any kind of complication. A great and thorough read with photos too.
www.chelsea-collies.com/
Oh Dexster . . . I don't know how you found yourself with a five day old puppy that needs anything more than it's mother to monitor feeding schedules, but bless you for your concern. Please don't hesitate to contact a professional vet that can help you through this challenging time in the puppy's life. The co-effort may be exactly what the puppy needs to survive. Good luck and best wishes.
Dexster you are facing a real challange and I wish you all the luck in the world. I had a kennel for a few years and I would recommend you find a vet you trust if you can't find a female dog with new puppies which would be the perfect answer. Most new mommas will adopt another if you introduce the puppy to her and stay with her for the first feeding and watch her reaction to your puppy. Otherwise get puppy replacer from a vet as the puppy needs to eat every two hours 24 hours a day. Feed it slowly from a bottle with a small hole so it doesn't get the puppy replacer too fast or it will go into its' lungs. At that age it is so important it be fed on time; feed it only until you start to see the little tummy fill out some. It should not be hard or swollen by any means. Remember to wipe the puppies behind with a paper towel every time you feed it this encourages it to have a bowl movement, this is why the mother licks their bottoms. Wipe gently until they pee. This may sound strange but it is very very important believe me. Keep it warm around 80 degrees at all times. A heat lamp off to the side of the puppy works well do not put it directly above it as it needs someplace to go if it gets too warm. Again the best answer is to find another female with new puppies. Good luck. Let us know how you and your puppy fare.
I think you should buy puppy replacement milk at a pet store or from the vet. If your puppy gets diarrhea add more water to the replacement milk. I would feed him every 5 hours day & night for 3 weeks. At every meal you have to stimulate so he urinates and empties his bowels. Use an old facecloth or kleenex to rub both parts. They say not to use dairy milk. I would use milk but not the 2%, 1% or skilm if you cannot get to the pet store. This is how I saved my kitten about 10 years ago and I still have her. Hope this helps.
Sylvie
Sorry I forgot to tell you how I was feeding my kitten; there was a bottle with the milk replacement kit. At the beginning I was giving 1/2 the bottle. After a couple of days I was giving her a full bottle. At 3 weeks old I started mixing the milk replacement with a teaspoon of can of kitten food. You it would be a can of puppy food. Then you will see he will be able to eat just from the can. At that stage you could feed him 4-5 times a day but not more than one small can a day. No more nightshift.
Sylvie
My mom's coworker was giving away puppies ASAP because he couldn't tend to the 6 puppies his dog gave birth to. He gave one to me 2 days ago and the puppy is only around 4 weeks old. He told me that the puppy liked eating rice with soup and so far he is eating the food we give him along with some dog food soaked in water (according to the people in the pet shop so that the puppy could consume it since it will become soft).
I'm feeling guilty that he (the puppy) might be having a hard time without his mom. He loves to play every day after he eat, but when it's night time, he gets to sleep for a few hours, but when he wakes up he starts whining then he stops to sleep again and it just repeats. The option of giving him back to the previous owner is not applicable because the guy already said so. Can you give me ideas to soothe him?I found a puppy, who is maybe 1 week old as he doesn't have any teeth, so I gave him milk. The first 3 days he drank milk alright, but after the 4th day he lost interest in drinking the milk. Someone gave him human cookies and he ate that. Is it the cause he lost his appetite for milk, or is it OK to give him cookies? It is been 7 days he is here with us. Today I saw little blood in his stool, is it serious? What shall I do now?
By Gulru
I have a Chi who I thought had 4 pups when I was in the hospital. My husband was supposed to tend to them. When I got home 3 days later to look at them and clean out her whelping box and discovered a 5th puppy. She is much smaller than the other 4 and her siblings seems to "push" her out of the way when its comes to nursing. Should I bottle feed her but keep her with mama and her siblings? Thanks so kindly for your help. God Bless.
By Andrea Rossi from Palm Coast, FL
Absolutely! Or move mom and the runt to a separate box to allow it to suckle without issue.
I have had a few litters of puppies and i think it depends on how the mother treats the puppy. If she doesnt seem to want to feed her then try bottle feeding, it isnt as good as mammas milk but it will help if the other puppies wont let her eat.
I also think it would be okay to keep her with her siblings just make sure you keep an eye on her.. Good luck!
Good luck with this litter, I hope all is well. But please get your momma dog spayed and do not go through this again. There are too many dogs in shelters needing homes and look what a mess you have made of this batch. don't do this again for the sake of the all the dogs, please.
Thank you all for your feedback. I did try the bottle feeding and even the syringe, neither of which worked, so I brought her in immediately to our vet. Sadly, her lungs didn't develop all the way in the womb and we had to put her down. It was heart breaking, even though it had only been a little over a week. You still get attached, especially my 11 yr old son.
Marfette: Yes indeed, I do intend on getting her fixed. There's no excuse or reasons not to at this time. Without going into too much detail, my husband is leaving me after 16 yrs so priorities are switching. I have a lot on my plate, but I DO understand and agree with you. Thanks again to all of you! God Bless!
How do Poodles do after being taken away from their mom at 4 1/2 weeks old? I guess the breeder was sick and can't take care of them. Will the puppies be compromised health wise? We just lost our 19 month old Standard Poodle to a neuter gone wrong and couldn't stand to lose another one young.
Sheri
By Sherri from Loveland, CO
I'm sorry that she passed. When the puppy grows up and is able to do more things like bark and growl the puppy will begin to become very demanding like if you try to pick it up it will growl and nip at your hand. If it does,you pinch it's neck lightly and make a sssttttt. noise, that is like their mom [AKA dog] nipping then on the neck teaching them how to grow up.
My chi puppy was eating on it's own and quite robust at 4 weeks. She did remain with her mother until 6 weeks but would have been fine at 4 1/2 weeks.
You said the breeder was ill and not the dam? I would never try to wean a pup that young. It is going to put the pup behind the eightball physically.
If the breeder is too ill and wants to move the pup at 4 weeks, I would ask to bring the dam home with me until the pup is weaned.
Pet stores have puppy formula, just like for babies. That works. My Pug?Boston (Bug) was sold at 5 weeks. She needed food often, and softened. But the formula is good too. That dog will want to be warm, and near your heart, so get ready! The bond never breaks-he/she will be one for life-a long life!
The reason puppies should stay with their mom longer is to be weaned properly and to learn proper behavior. Puppies learn how to socialize from their mom so a pup who doesn't have that will be dependant on humans to teach them. Make sure you socialize this pup with other dogs as soon as it has had it's shots, begin training early and the pup should balance out. Address bad behaviors immediately, just as the mother would, don't let cuteness get in the way.
As far as nutrition, feed 1/2 tsp whole plain yogurt, 1/2 tsp cottage cheese and one raw egg mixed with canned food. Add canned pumpkin, Libbys has real pumpkin, not pumpkin filling. Start with 1/2 teaspoon, this will keep the digestive tract flowing, add less if you notice diarrhea. Do this until the pup is 4 months old. This can also be continued as it adds nutrition to the food. Feed a puppy 4 times a day until 6 months old, then 3 times a day until 1 year old, then 2 times a day through adulthood to avoid digestive upset.
We have a mother dog, mutt, who had a litter of 3 pups. She stopped feeding the runt when he was about 4 weeks old. My daughter has been softening dog food in water, feeding the pup, and has warmed regular milk, I think twice. I told her she probably shouldn't give the pup the milk, so she stopped. This morning, the pup was moaning, like it had a stomach ache and has been doing this most of the day, on and off, laying like it is really, really weak. I think it may be dying. Is there anything we can do?
I have a 6 week old puppy; she is a Chorkie. I got her early as her mother was not well enough too look after her. So I am feeding her powdered milk and puppy meat. She's been eating and drinking fine, but the past 2 days she won't eat anything.
She is drinking the odd bit of milk, that's it. She is OK herself and is playing and running about, but looks a bit dopier than normal. Do I need too worry about this? XI found a 4mo old puppy, dehydrated and malnourished. What should I do? The The vet is closed today.
I got a new blue nose Pit Bull puppy. We adopted him from a worker that works with my dad. When it's night and everyone is sleeping he starts crying and barking and won't stop. It's been going on for 3 days and I don't know what to do. We leave him downstairs in a cage and it still doesn't stop. Does anyone know what to do or when he will stop crying?
I just bought a 13 week old dog and it's scared and shy. It does take food from my hand and feels somewhat comfortable at that time, but when I move or something or it's around people it gets really scared and runs to hide.
It doesn't wanna go walk. What should I do?I have a 5 day old puppy. The mom feeds it, but it's not pooping and I need help on to how to make it poop.
By Madison M from Vidalia, GA
I'm getting a puppy soon, a Staffy/Lab/ cross. I have had experience with dogs, my brother and sister both got one, a Lab and a terrier. So, I'm not unaccustomed to training/walking, etc.
However, my parents are split up. My mum takes care of my brother and sister's dogs because my brother is at university and my sister is lazy. She isn't allowed more than two dogs where she lives. I spend half the time at my dad's and half at my mum's. My dad hates dogs, completely and utterly.
I am only allowed to get my puppy (eight weeks, his name is Tino :3) on the condition that I only keep him at dad's house while I'm there, and only if he's not allowed in the house. (My mum is allowed more than two dogs if it's only temporary.)
Now, I may not be a genius entirely about dogs, but I don't think keeping him outside constantly is a good idea. My dad is adamant, though. So I have three questions. First, would a Lab/Staffy get along with two other dogs, and four cats? Would it be okay to leave him outside? And, would it be okay for him to move between two houses? Thanks for your answers.
By Veritism
I have a eight week old Chihuahua who I named Jax. About two days after I got Jax I noticed that he was acting like he was trying to throw up, but I didn't pay much attention to it because I just thought it was a puppy, you know. But the next day I had put him in the bathroom and when we came back from the store he had diarrhea and vomit everywhere so I took him to the vet that night and they had said he had parvo, but the whole thing is a little sketchy and if you ask me. I took him to another vet who said he may just have a little upset stomach from the stress of being in a different home. 
They sent me home with three different kinds of medicine and two different kinds of dog food to try. As of two days ago he had not vomited anymore and as of, probably 24 hours ago has had not had any kind of diarrhea. His fever is down, his stomach is no longer swollen, and he is not dehydrated.
I have been syringe feeding him, but he still will not eat on his own nor drink on his own. He still seems a little weak and has no interest in anything. Since he is not showing any signs of diarrhea, vomiting, or the fever anymore, can you please tell me why he may still be weak?
My Pit Bull gave birth to 11 pups 2 days ago and things seemed to be going well until I realized that one of the pups had not been cleaned and the mom wasn't even nursing the pup. The mom was sitting this pup to the side all alone. This pup is also much smaller and seems to be breathing differently than the others. I tried leaving this 1 pup and mom alone, but the mom just stared at the pup. What can I do to keep this pup alive?
By Drall from New Orleans, LA
I received a Pit Bull puppy exactly 5 weeks and 4 days old. She is very healthy, urinates 4-5 times a day, and "poops" 1-2 times a day. The reason I took her so early is because for about 6 days now the mom weened all the pups, because they started eating regular puppy chow and maintained healthy eating, etc.
So I decided no harm done. She is doing fine as far as I know, but I'd like to now of any signs I should be on the lookout for to know if there is anything wrong with her. Thanks.
By Nelson from IN
I would be sure to feed her a high quality puppy food, ask vet for recommendations and if not started vaccinations, especially Parvo are essential.
