Over the years, during every whelping season, I am confronted with requests from anxious pet owners, whose mother dogs have deposited litters which they have abandoned soon after birth. We have already delineated, over the past two weeks, the possible reasons why dams could reject their puppies.
The advice given below is to pet owners who are faced with the challenge of hand-rearing part or all of a litter of newborn puppies. The portions that are highlighted are of special importance.
A high degree of success can be attained if careful attention is focused on the basic principles involved in the artificial rearing of motherless puppies.
These are:
(1) Providing a suitable hygienic environment
(2) Offering a nutritionally adequate formula
(3) Instituting a satisfactory feeding programme
(4) Managing a daily routine.
Re (1): A suitable environment
It is of paramount importance that we provide a proper temperature, isolation and freedom from disturbance.
Adequate warmth uniformly maintained is basic to life, particularly during the first week of the puppy’s life. Studies at Cornell University in the USA indicated that a temperature maintained between 85oF and 90oF or 29oC and 32oC is most desirable during the period from birth to the fifth day. In our climate it is not too difficult to maintain these temperatures. In case the temperature gets colder an electric bulb could be hung over the boxes with the puppies.
Orphaned puppies placed together tend to suckle or otherwise disturb each other. For this reason each puppy should be placed in a box of his own. In this way the owner can also evaluate the quantity and quality of each puppy’s stool.
In order that the puppies not be disturbed by the natural inquisitiveness of the children in the home or by other pets who will from time to time want to pay their respects to the new arrivals, I would suggest that the puppies in their individual boxes be placed in a special room away from the comings and goings and general hubbub that is found in any normal home. If no room is available then they can be placed under the bed or in some other warm, draft-free secluded place.
Re (2): The formula
In mammalian milk within a species, one expects a prototype of a nutritive substance formulated to meet the optimal requirements of the young of that species.
Bitch’s milk is considerably more concentrated than cow’s milk. It has twice the level of protein, and almost double the caloric content of cow’s milk, and much higher calcium and phosphorous levels found in cow’s milk.
Evaporated milk reconstituted at 20 per cent solids more closely approximates the composition of bitch’s milk. Research experience shows evaporated milk was comparable to any other formula tested.
For those of us who do not have evaporated milk we will have to use cow’s milk. It is possible for the owner to modify the cow’s milk to an acceptable homemade formula by adding fat and protein such as egg yolk (not the egg white). Indiscriminate additions or sugars, particularly sucrose or lactose, to increase the caloric content of cow’s milk is not recommended. Of course, if the owner can procure any of the successful commercial formulations (eg Esbilac or SPF-lac) that would be best.
Next week we will deal with (3)- the feeding schedule and (4) – the management of a daily routine.
Please implement disease preventative measures (vaccinations, routine dewormings, monthly anti-heartworm medication, etc) and adopt-a-pet from the GSPCA’s Animal Clinic and Shelter at Robb Street and Orange Walk, if you have the wherewithal to care well for the animals.
Do not stray your unwanted pets, take them to the GSPCA’s Clinic and Shelter instead. If you see anyone being cruel to an animal, or if you need any technical information, please get in touch with the Clinic and Shelter by calling 226-4237.
