Bottle Feeding Essentials

When is Bottle Feeding Needed? Bottle feeding is needed the most in orphaned puppies who are between 0-4 weeks of age. That is, puppies this age whose mother is no longer able to care for them or whose mothers do not have enough milk. Puppies who are not getting enough milk will likely be losing weight or not gaining weight, and they may also be restless and crying. 

Set-up: Neonatal puppies do not need much space to roam until they are around 4 weeks in age. At this stage a plastic tub/kennel, kiddy pool, or bathtub work great for a place to keep them. Be sure to not offer too much space to prevent them from getting lost and unable to find the heat source. 

Puppies are unable to regulate their body temperature until three to four weeks of age. Until then they will need some type of heat source. A cold puppy will not be as inclined to eat and if their body temperature drops too low, they will become hypothermic. With the non-timed heat pad, you will always set it to the low setting. It is important to cover it with single layer of bedding on top of the heat pad to allow the puppy to feel the warmth but avoid burning. It is also important to leave an area unheated so the puppy can cool down by moving off it if needed.