I have two miniature dachshund puppies 4 weeks old , what's the best way/thing to feed them.?

Question

I have read several sites here and everyone says something different, hoping to get a vets/vet techs point of view on this..but all help is great.

I am feeding the milk replace now for puppys, but, I am confused on how much to feed them, and if I can make my own replacement milk...No the mom could not feed them....so I am fostering to of them for my friend.

Answer 1

Puppy food.

Answer 2

I'm not a vet, but I do know that there's special milk you can get for puppies that are under 8 weeks of age if the mother can't nurse them. Call a local vet and talk to them on the phone. You shouldn't need to take the puppies in just to find out what you should feed them. And as for the milk, the vet could tell you where to find in your local area, but most major pet stores carry it.

If anything, any puppy food softened and warmed up just a little will do. I once had a kitten that I rescued at 4 weeks from an abusive home, and didn't know about the kitten milk that's sold, so I just fed her on softened Kitten Chow. She was fine with that.

Answer 3

I have used a formula for years that is very good. You mix 1 can evaporated milk, just enough water to rinse the can(about 2 tablespoons at most), 2 egg yolks and about 2 tablespoons karo syrup (light). Mix this well with a whisk or a hand mixer. If you use a blender or electric mixer it will have to sit for awhile until the air is out of it before feeding. Strain it thru a fine wire strainer and keep in a glass jar in the frig. Heat on the stove in a pan, not the micro( it will kill all the good enzimes in the milk). I stir it with my finger while it is heating, it needs to be very warm, not just luke warm. If you test it on the wrist it should be very, very warm but not hot. By the time you pour it into a bottle it cools drastically. I use a regular baby bottle ( a premie bottle and nipple are the best for tiny ones) I NEVER use an eye dropper, syringe or kitten nipple. If you look at the **** on a mother dog, they are every bit as big as a baby bottle nipple. The puppys will need to be fed about 4 times a day, morning, noon, evening and before they go to bed. Not at all during the night unless they are sick or not doing well. The puppys may still need to be pottied by hand. Just rub their lower bellies with a soft, moist cloth after they have eaten so they can pee and poop. They may be old enough that they don't need this done. They can tell if they are going potty in their beds, especially pooping.They will need to be on a heating pad on low or medium heat. Make it so they can get off it if they get too warm.

Answer 4

YOU HAVE A PUPPY! Welcome to puppy nonsense! Bonding is life long. Would you put a 10 week old baby in another room or punish her/him? She is a dog therefore exploring her environment with teeth -- when she was with her brothers and sisters that's how they 'play', they would go as far as the boundary takes them. Make it a gentle 'no', play gently games. Try this, take a smear of butter and pop it on your index finger (or any finger you like!). Let her lick the butter, ALL the time say very calmly and softly 'gently, gently, gently', if she starts to nibble (she will!) pull away gently, and gentle say 'no', try again...keep going until she is in gentle mode! Games -- play games that are close to you. Plenty time to teach ball. Get down with her, and remember the gently command. She won't understand yet why she is in another room! Try not to humanise her thoughts, nor are you her 'mum'. With respect you will have a greater bond with her if you treat her like a wolf (which she is) - that's not to say you don't love her to pieces with all your heart. It IS a different relationship - she's a dog, show respect and love her for what SHE is. Dogs don't hate - we teach them how to attack and how to be fearful. So stop worrying. ENJOY her puppy stage, chill out. Let her be a puppy, it's HARD work. You'll get there -- and one day when she's 12/13 you'll look back and giggle at her puppy era! Oh, and remember 'no' to her sounds like 'blah blah blah' -- you could help your own emotions with her by choosing different words. We use 'chips' for 'no -- saved me getting angry.

Answer 5

Is mom unable to feed the puppies? They should be nursing with her for a few more weeks still.

I would call and consult a vet about exactly how much puppies should be eating right now and when you can begin them on solid foods.

No offense intended for anyone who really knows, but you don't know who really is a "vet/tech" and who is just saying they are and giving you bogus advice.

If your vet isn't open today, I would look for an emergency 24 hour vet to call... even if you have to call one out of town, they can at least give you some good advice on how to do this.

Answer 6

At 4 weeks these puppies can be eating dry puppy food moistened with a little warm water. They also need fresh water available. I'd be feeding them twice a day with puppy formula (you can put it in a saucer for them to lap up), and twice a day with puppy chow. Give them about 15 - 20 minutes to eat and throw out any left-overs. Puppies this young will cry if they're hungry, besides, you'll be able to see by their tummies if they're full.

Answer 7

At four weeks you should be feeding them the formula mixed with a good puppy chow and slowly cut back on the milk formula by 8 weeks and serve dry only. I have been in your shoes with all kinds of animals, including racoons. Good luck. I am the ex gf of a vet who is still my best friend.

Answer 8

With any puppy, you want to start it out on the food the people who had the puppies before, so the dogs don't get sick. You should slowly start feeding it different food IF YOU PLEASE TO. Make sure you feed it puppy chow and not adult, so it doesn't get too big of a serving. Also, make sure you feed it quality food. Your puppies will get sick if you don't. Good luck with your dachunds!!!

Answer 9

ok the puppy milk is good.. you can also feed them BABY PABLUM - RICE FORMULA...
and begin to offer small amount of DRY KIBBLE FOR SMALL BREED PUPPIES - wet it down with warm water...
you have to train them to eat.. do so by playing in the food with your fingers and putting your fingers in their mouth so they taste it...
food brand - NONE from the grocery store or wal mart are any good...typically only 50 % of those in pet supply stores are any good ...
some try to trick you by making you think they are good put are CRAP (eg of CRAP FOOD - SCIENCE DIET - over priced LOW QUALITY - they PAID for vet endorsement.. vets actually receive very little or NO training on food ingredients and brands so when a rep approaches them to sell or endorse a certain food they often do)
in Canada I suggest NUTRAM or ACANA
in USA Wellness, Innova, Canadiae.. or even Nutro Natural Choice.. although not a top food by anymeans..

* Eukanuba is NOT good food PLUS its made by a company (proctor and gamble)_ that are synonomous with cruel animal testing (they also make iams).. www.iamscruelty.com

Answer 10

you can feed your puppies eveporated milk mix it one part milk and one part water...I've raised many baby animals on that.