My Mother Boston Terrier died yesterday and left me with (5) 4 day old puppies!?

Question

Does anyone in the Dothan, Alabama area have a lactating female we could use as a surrogate mother for a few weeks? Please Help!

Answer 1

This probably isn't a good method. Even if you did find a female that was producing milk, she most likely already has a litter of her own to take care of, and might reject the puppies even if she didn't.

You can buy special puppy formulas (powder/ready made mixes) to feed your puppies. You will have to feed them EVERY TWO HOURS, though! If you don't, your puppies could starve or die!

Keep the puppies warm and possibly put them in a large holding area (a bathtub with towels spread on the bottom works well) and put a chew toy of the mother's into the enclosure with them. The smell will remind them of their mother and help them feel secure.

Contanct a vet if you need help.

Contact me if you have any questions. I'd be more than happy to help.

I hope this helps! Good luck!

Answer 2

You might be able to get some help from the humane society... they might have a lactating female.

If you can't find a lactating female, see if you can find another dog (humane society again) that will act as a surrogate parent. You can replace the milk with a formula you can buy at pet stores and take care of the puppies physical needs by feeding them yourself. But they really also need to be with an adult dog until they are 6 to 8 weeks old so that they learn "how to be a dog" (I know it sounds strange). Even a male dog would be better than no dog. Talk to your vet, too.

Years ago, I bought a Vizsla puppy from a breeder who had the same situation. The puppies were hand fed and "raised" by "Uncle Bullet." My Vizsla turned out fine.

I am sorry for your loss. What a challenge! Good luck!

Answer 3

As others have suggested, contact a vet....you really can feed them yourself with very tiny, specially designed bottles if you have instructions from a professional. You will also have to help them poop by rubbing their little butts with a warm washcloth to replicate how their mother would lick them if she were still around. (I'm not making this up....my sister had to do this with a litter of kittens that she found in a dumpster several years ago...) Bless you for caring enough to try to help them ! Just be sure to ask a vet so you know what you're doing. Don't just follow the answers you get on here, because as young as they are, their little lives are very fragile and you need to do it correctly. Good luck !

Answer 4

I'm sorry but I cant help you with a lactating dog. But I do believe if you go to the local pet supply store; they should have something to replace it with. I had that problem with kittens and they helped me out. You'll have to feed them like every 4 hours or so with an eyedropper though; so get ready for very little sleep for the next couple of weeks.

Answer 5

Welpi puppy milk is a great sub milk, you need to read instructions, just like making up a baby bottle, part powder..part warm water, feed every hour, then decrease time and increase food, it can be done, i hand fed 6 puppies from 1 week old and they all survived....alot of sleepless nights and very time consuming, but well worth it, put a hot water bottle in a blanket and a ticking clock into their basket, this will help also.
Best of luck sweetie.

Answer 6

Buy puppy milk replacement from any pet store until u can find a surrogate, that is soooo sad! Good luck!

Answer 7

You will have to get some bitches milk from the vet and use a syringe to feed them every 2 hours--Good Luck--it's alot of work! So sorry about the loss of your dog!

Answer 8

Yes it happens, Nature. But maybe you could sell some if you want. But do the best to give its needs. No I don't know anyone who has a mother dog that could care for them a short time.

Answer 9

Sorry to hear about your loss....I would contact a vet right away...they would be able to best help you.....A DOGS PRAYER

TREAT ME KINDLY, MY BELOVED MASTER, FOR NO HEART IN THE WORLD IS MORE GREATFUL FOR KINDNESS THEN THAN THE LOVING HEART OF ME.

DO NOT BREAK MY SPIRIT WITH A STICK, FOR THOUGH I SHOULD LICK YOUR HAND BETWEEN THE BLOWS, YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING WILL MORE QUICKLY TEACH ME THE THINGS YOU WOULD HAVE ME DO.

SPEAK TO ME OFTEN, FOR YOUR VOICE IS THE WORLDS SWEETEST MUSIC, AS YOU MUST KNOW BY THE FIERCE WAGGING OF MY TAIL WHEN YOUR FOOTSTEP FALLS UPON MY WAITING EAR.

WHEN IT IS COLD AND WET, PLEASE TAKE ME INSIDE, FOR I AM NOW A DOMESTICATED ANIMAL, NO LONGER USED TO BITTER ELEMENTS…AND I ASK NO GREATER GLORY THEN THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING AT YOUR FEET BESIDE THE HEARTH…FOR YOU ARE MY GOD, AND I AM YOUR DEVOTED WORSHIPPER.

KEEP MY PAN FILLED WITH FRESH WATER, FOR ALTHOUGH I SHOULD NOT REPROACH YOU IF IT WERE DRY, I CANNOT TELL YOU WHEN I SUFFER THIRST. FEED ME CLEAN FOOD, THAT I MAY STAY WELL TO ROMP AND PLAY AND DO YOUR BIDDING, TO WALK BY YOUR SIDE AND STAND READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO PROTECT YOU WITH MY LIFE SHOULD YOUR LIFE BE IN DANGER…

AND BELOVED MASTER, SHOULD THE GREAT MASTER SEE FIT TO DEPRIVE ME OF MY HEALTH OR SIGHT, DO NOT TURN ME AWAY FROM YOU. RATHER HOLD ME GENTLY IN YOUR ARMS AS SKILLED HANDS GRANT ME THE MERCIFUL BOUNTY OF ETERNAL REST….AND I WILL LEAVE YOU KNOWING WITH THE LAST BREATH I DREW THAT MY FATE WAS EVER SAFEST IN YOUR LOVING HANDS.

REMEMBER ME NOT WITH TEARFUL EYES…BUT INSTEAD WITH ABOUNDING HEART. SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO FILL MY BED, FEEL NO GUILT, YOU HAVE NOT BETRAYED ME. LOVE ANOTHER AS YOU ALWAYS LOVED ME…AND THEY TOO WILL LOVE YOU AS I ALWAYS HAVE….

Answer 10

Get them to a vet, and he can tell you what to do, I hope the next time you have a dog have pups, you will be more prepared, these things happen to animals and we need to think ahead. Sorry for your loss...