4 weeks old puppies?

Question

My dog had puppies 4 weeks ago. She has stopped feeding them, and I have to force her to feed when I am home. I tried puppy formula, and I tried soaking puppy food in puppy formula. My only real issue is that they don't have teeth yet. One of them shakes a lot, and is losing weight but the only time he will eat is from her. I've done the whole puppy thing before, but my other dog didn't refuse to feed them until after they had teeth.

Yes, I have been force feeding the one who won't eat...but I do work and I can't lose my job over the puppies...all the vet says is that it will lap up milk, and it may take a while for it to learn how. Well, since it's Sunday I have to wait for them to open, because obviously he won't lap up the milk. I have been squirting it in his mouth, but he spits most of it out.

And the mom does eat PLENTY. She is young, and her getting pregnant wasn't my doing. My mom took her to her house while I was at work and called me to let me know that her dog had "got to her" I leave puppy food down for her 24/7 and even put puppy formula in it.

Answer 1

Make sure the mommy dog has enough nutrition!
She needs extra protein & calcium.
Give her puppy food, and supplement with cottage cheese, eggs, and canned food.
She will need almost twice as much food.

if her milk is gone, still feed her more so she can recover necessary calcium and protein!
Feed pups formula mixed with cooked RICE cereal (brown rice cereal if you can get it).
At least half formula. Rice is first thing pups and babies should try as solid (or soft) food.

later you can give them oatmeal mixed with puppy formula.

Little guy might be shaking from cold and malnutrition.
Make sure he is warm enough and well fed. Otherwise you will loose one or more pups.

Later on, mix formula and dry puppy food til food is soft.
They will lap it up.

Consult vet if any problems.
P.S. Maybe you should get mother checked. she might have infection or malnutrition. Some she-dogs do stop feeding, esp if litter is very big or they are losing health.

Answer 2

If she is feeding when you force her to, that is good, but you will need someone to supplement the feeding when you are not there or the pups can die. There may be a no kill shelter in your area that knows of volunteers that help with this. I have done it for free or for a nominal fee, or just with you providing the formula and feeding equipment.
I am sure you have heard it before, but spaying your dog would be a good idea since the pregnancy was unintended. If finances are an issue, there are organizations that can help with low cost spays. An animal shelter in your area should have some contact information.
For the shaky one, especially if this is small breed or a small pup, you may need to bottle feed it a bit since it is not wanting to eat anything else, and keep trying to introduce it to a "mush" made from the formula as you have been doing but perhaps a bit thinner to start, taking care the pup does not aspirate it. The pups sound like they are at an age where they would normally be weaning from the mother now, but since that one is so weak, without supplements it may die.
Though the mother is eating well, adding some goats milk to her food and feeding her a puppy blend of the same brand of food she eats is needed for a nursing mother for the best chance of survival of the pups and the best health of the mother. I know you said she is eating a lot, but she needs the extra protein and fat in puppy food while nursing.

Answer 3

4 week old puppies should have teeth.All of the puppies I have ever seen or had have had teeth at three weeks of age and could eat puppy food very well by four weeks.Since yours do not have teeth,you should feed them canned puppy food ,thinned with a little water or puppy formula,and the one that is losing weight should go to the vet.If it is shaking,this is a bad sign,you need to keep it warm and rub Karo syrup on it's gums until it stops shaking,then try to feed it until you can get it to the vet.You can also try feeding the pups strained meat baby food ( for human infants) And then I hope you will get the mom spayed,so this won't happen again.

Answer 4

4 weeks puppies

Answer 5

you don't force feed cows milk to a puppy,,, get to the vet for milk replacer.. and spay and neuter your animals...

Answer 6

IF THEY WONT TAKE THE FORMULA FROM ABOTTLE AND THEY ARE LOSING WEIGHT I WOULD USE A SYRINGE AND FORCE FEED THEM... THEY SHOULD BE STARTING TO EAT SOFT(CAN) FOOD THOUGH BY 4 WEEKS... IF THEY DONT IMPROVE RING YOUR VET!

GOOD LUCK!