During its first week of life, it’s vital for a newborn puppy to get the essential nutrients it needs from its mother’s milk. But what happens if your mother dog won’t feed her pups? Sometimes, dogs won’t be able to produce enough milk for the whole litter, leading to a shortage of food for your pups. In this quick guide, we discuss how you can make your own homemade puppy milk recipe so that all your little ones grow and thrive until they reach the weaning process.
Why Do You Need Homemade Puppy Milk?
Unfortunately, most pet owners don’t consider the possibility that their dog may reject its newborn pups. While most dogs will have a motherly instinct to care for their young puppies, sometimes a mother will reject or neglect her pups, which can occur right away or after a few weeks. This can be a stressful situation since an orphaned puppy won’t survive without intervention, so you’ll need to come up with your own puppy formula.
Benefits of Homemade Puppy Milk
While making your own puppy milk won’t be as beneficial compared to dog milk, it will still be able to provide plenty of the necessary nutrients that a young puppy needs. Homemade milk for puppies is rich in fatty acids, protein, and carbohydrates, which all contribute to the growth of your puppy and can give it more energy. It’s also full of vitamins and minerals that will make up a big part of your pup’s nutrition to help it reach optimal health.
Examples of Homemade Formulas
If you’re looking to create your own homemade puppy milk formula, you’ll be happy to know that it’s actually easy to do. In fact, many of the ingredients you’ll need to make it might already be in your kitchen; if not, you can easily find them in your local grocery store. Below are two of the best recipes for a homemade puppy milk replacer that you can give your puppy.
Recipe #1
This homemade milk replacer will use evaporated milk, light corn syrup, whole fat yogurt, and warm water. When making this homemade puppy formula, avoid using vanilla yogurt since this will contain a lot of flavorings, artificial ingredients, and sugars that might be harmful to your puppies.
To get started, put 10 ounces of milk and 3 ounces of water inside your blender. Next, add one cup of full-fat yogurt and ½ tsp. of light corn syrup to the mixture. Combine all of them together and transfer the formula into your puppy’s feeding bottle.
Recipe #2
To make this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients: egg yolks, fresh goat’s milk, light corn syrup, mayonnaise, and full-fat yogurt. Place 12 ounces of the milk into your blender along with 1 raw egg yolk. Next, add 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 tsp. of light corn syrup, and 1 cup of full-fat yogurt, then combine all of the ingredients to create a mixture that you can put in a feeding bottle.
However, before you use homemade milk replacement recipes, make sure that you consult your vet. Doing this will ensure that you’ll be making the best available milk replacers for your little puppies.
What Can You Use as an Alternative Milk Supply?
If you’re too busy to make your own puppy milk, you can always purchase store-bought milk replacements. Below are a few options that you can look into to use for your puppy’s regular feeding routine.
Goat’s Milk
This commercial milk replacer is highly recommended by vets to use on puppies that are just a few weeks of age. Goat milk has plenty to offer and can answer many puppy needs, providing nutrients that can strengthen bones and muscles, improve digestion, promote eye health, and boost your puppy’s immune system. If you have newborn puppies, look for goat’s milk at natural living centers or your local pet store.
You can also use this to create frozen treats for your puppies, who will love these great treats.
Puppy Formula
Luckily, homemade puppy formulas aren’t the only solution for dog owners. You may also check vet clinics and pet stores for a suitable commercial puppy milk replacer for puppies in their first days of life. These are available in both powder and liquid form, where the latter can be used to feed newborn puppies right away.
If you opt for the liquid formula, all you need to do is transfer it into your puppy’s feeding bottle to give it a meal. Some companies will even have them ready to go inside a feeding bottle, making it much easier to give your pooch the nutrition it needs. A lot of dog owners will prefer working with the powder which is usually sold in cans.
It’s also easy to make, just combine your powder formula with water and you’ll quickly have a warm formula to give to your puppies. While the powder formula will take longer to prepare compared to the liquid version, it will also be the cheaper option.
Evaporated Milk
If you’re in real need of a quick milk substitute, you can use evaporated milk in small amounts. However, this type of milk can cause stomach problems in puppies, so it should only be used in supplemental feeding. In fact, it’s best to think of it as the best option to use only for an emergency situation and shouldn’t be used in your puppy’s regular feeding schedule.
If you see that your dog’s stomach is getting upset from this option, don’t feed it to your dog anymore. The great thing about this kind of milk is that you can find it virtually anywhere, including pet stores, grocery stores, and even some veterinarians will sell it. Similarly, condensed milk may also upset your puppy so you should stay away from it.
Why You Need to Stay Away from Cow’s Milk
In general, dog owners shouldn’t use cow’s milk on their newborn puppies, even if it’s been pasteurized. A big reason why you need to avoid giving cow milk to newborn puppies is that it can result in stomach issues, especially if they’re lactose intolerant. Because most puppies won’t have the ability to easily digest cow’s milk, consuming it can cause vomiting, stomach upset, bloating, and diarrhea.
Moreover, vets won’t usually recommend cow milk for puppies simply because it won’t have the nutrients required to support your puppy’s needs. If you think that your dog might be able to drink cow’s milk, the safe option is to consult your vet before giving your pup a bowl.
When Should You Speak to Your Veterinarian?
If you’re a first time dog owner, the first thing you should do is talk to your vet about how much milk you should feed your puppies. You can also ask about when to switch your puppies over to solid food once they’re finished weaning. An experienced vet will also be able to tell you about proper feeding amounts even for large litters, the right time for feeding, and scheduling.
The right amount of milk that you need to feed your puppy will depend on its breed, size, and age. In general, you should feed your puppy as much milk as it wants until it’s full and stops eating, but you should also ask your veterinarian about the minimal amount of milk your pup should feed on. If you see that your little one isn’t eating the minimum amount of milk recommended by your vet, be sure to reach out as soon as possible.
Your veterinarian will need to look into what’s causing the loss of appetite and figure out how to get your pooch to consume the nutrients it needs to reach optimal health. During your visit to the vet, don’t be afraid to ask about the best dry food for your pup once it gets older, along with the shots that your puppy will need. Don’t hesitate to ask many different questions since you’ll want to know as much as you can to ensure your pooch stays in good health.
Conclusion
Adult dogs won’t always feed their young, so when your puppy doesn’t get enough milk from its mom, the best way to ensure that it maintains a good health condition is to give it homemade puppy milk. Not only is it easy to make but homemade puppy milk also provides a wide range of benefits for a growing pup. This great option is suitable for pups of many breeds, ages, and sizes, and is used to provide energy, improve the immune system, support digestion, and promote overall health.
But if you don’t have much time on your hands, you can always go to your local stores to purchase a substitute such as puppy formula or goat’s milk. You should also remember that cow’s milk doesn’t belong in your puppy’s diet, so be sure to avoid giving it to your pooch. As your puppy gets older, be sure to switch it over to an age-appropriate diet that’s been approved by your veterinarian to ensure that it grows into a strong and healthy adult.
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