5 wk old puppy w/o a mommy

[Lmojeda]

Ok I'm rescuing a 5 wk old pup w/o a mommy. The lady that found her in the dumpster said she has been eating kibble. What else should I give her to ensure she is getting what she needs?? I get her tomorrow and the vet doesn't open till Monday! Any suggestions would be appreciated!<3


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[Grace'sMom]

I'd ask the vet... but you may want to make her some puppy mush using puppy formula for a few weeks.

You don't know what kind of life she had before this... better safe than sorry, imo.

Hopefully some of our members who are breeders will chime in and help out with how often this little girl should be eating... I'm sure you'll want to keep food down but she needs to be watched to make sure she is eating. Maybe only put 5-6 kibbles in the dish at a time so you know.

Make sure you put a shirt on her. Puppies have a hard time regulating their body temp before 3 months of age. So she needs to be kept warm.

Also try to supervise her as much as possible. Wear her in a sling if you need to be busy for a bit. It won't spoil her.... she would be with her mother right now 24/7...so that is what she needs - a surrogate mommy.

Try to give her exposure to different textures in your house (keep her in the house of course til she is fully vaccinated)...... So have her walk and play on different textures - bath mats, towels, cardboard, a cookie sheet, tile, carpet, etc....

An xpen is probably going to be your best friend.... an xpen and a sling.

[Sylie]

The feed store I shop at has a substitute for mother dog's milk and bottles with nipples. If you can find that it would be a good thing. I think that mother dogs only begin weaning at six weeks, allowing the pups to nurse less often over a period of two or three weeks. Your pup could develop problems from not nursing long enough...so do your best. If you can't find it tomorrow, your vet will probably have it.

How does the person who found her know that she is five weeks old?

[Lmojeda]

Originally Posted by Grace'sMom

I'd ask the vet... but you may want to make her some puppy mush using puppy formula for a few weeks.

You don't know what kind of life she had before this... better safe than sorry, imo.

Hopefully some of our members who are breeders will chime in and help out with how often this little girl should be eating... I'm sure you'll want to keep food down but she needs to be watched to make sure she is eating. Maybe only put 5-6 kibbles in the dish at a time so you know.

Make sure you put a shirt on her. Puppies have a hard time regulating their body temp before 3 months of age. So she needs to be kept warm.

Also try to supervise her as much as possible. Wear her in a sling if you need to be busy for a bit. It won't spoil her.... she would be with her mother right now 24/7...so that is what she needs - a surrogate mommy.

Try to give her exposure to different textures in your house (keep her in the house of course til she is fully vaccinated)...... So have her walk and play on different textures - bath mats, towels, cardboard, a cookie sheet, tile, carpet, etc....

An xpen is probably going to be your best friend.... an xpen and a sling.

I have a play pen and a sling I will get! Thanks for the info!


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[Lmojeda]

Originally Posted by Sylie

The feed store I shop at has a substitute for mother dog's milk and bottles with nipples. If you can find that it would be a good thing. I think that mother dogs only begin weaning at six weeks, allowing the pups to nurse less often over a period of two or three weeks. Your pup could develop problems from not nursing long enough...so do your best. If you can't find it tomorrow, your vet will probably have it.

How does the person who found her know that she is five weeks old?

She has been seen by a vet. I have another post with the story..


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[Grace'sMom]

They sell the forumla and those little bottles at Petsmart or Petco! Great idea sylvia!

Substituting a bottle may help with any issues she may have from being weaned too soon. Sucking helps human baby brains, so I'm sure puppies are similar....

[socalyte]

Great suggestions from Tori and Sylvia-- and just so you know, you can buy puppy formula from almost any pet store. At five weeks the puppy would still be nursing full time or close to it, I believe. A sling-type carrier, also as Tori suggested, is a great idea too. Good luck and please keep us posted!

[Sylie]

Originally Posted by Lmojeda

She has been seen by a vet. I have another post with the story..


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I just saw it now. Gee she is cute.

[jmm]

If the pup is already eating dog food there is no reason to use a milk supplement. Many larger dogs routinely start weaning around 3 weeks. I've had plenty of pups weaned at 3-4 weeks who did just fine.

[Lmojeda]

Originally Posted by jmm

If the pup is already eating dog food there is no reason to use a milk supplement. Many larger dogs routinely start weaning around 3 weeks. I've had plenty of pups weaned at 3-4 weeks who did just fine.

Really they lady that found her has been giving her kibble and water.. Im just worried she is not getting all the nutrition she needs!


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