What Do You Do When Newborn Puppies Don't Want to Eat?

Whether you're raising orphaned puppies or caring for a mother and her litter, you are responsible for the health and well-being of the puppies in your care. As their caretaker, you must ensure their needs are met. Newborn puppies need to nurse to receive nutrition, warmth and, if nursing from their mother, maternal antibodies that protect against disease. A puppy's refusal to nurse can signal trouble.

  1. Causes

    • Sometimes a puppy's refusal to eat stems from being full. Newborn puppies eat every two to four hours for the first two weeks of life. If less than four hours have passed since the puppy last fed, it may be not hungry. Gas and constipation are somewhat common occurrences in newborn puppies, particularly if they are bottle- or tube-fed or if their food suddenly changes. If a newborn puppy is too cold, it might also refuse to eat. Puppies born prematurely or those suffering from illness or malformation of the jaw, nose or throat may refuse or be unable to eat.

    Solutions

    • If your newborn puppy previously fed, wait about an hour and offer food again. If the puppy seems otherwise healthy and warm, you can burp the puppy by gently patting its stomach with one or two fingers. If the pup seems unable to defecate or has a swollen belly, stimulate the anus using a warm, damp washcloth to encourage defecation. If the puppy is refusing to eat because it is chilled, you must warm it up, both to encourage eating and to avoid further complications since newborn dogs cannot regulate their body temperature. Hold the puppy under your clothing against your skin to warm it, or wrap it in a towel fresh out of the dryer. Take premature puppies, lethargic puppies or puppies with obvious signs of illness or malformation that preclude eating to a veterinary professional for intervention.

    Considerations

    • Bottle-fed puppies can have a harder time than puppies who nurse from the mother. Make sure you are using the proper nipple size for your newborn puppy's bottle and that the nipple opening is no larger in diameter than a standard paper clip. The formula type may also affect a puppy's desire or ability to eat. Use a quality puppy milk replacement formula. Do not feed a newborn puppy cow's milk -- it is nutritionally inadequate and wreaks havoc on sensitive puppy digestive systems.

    Warning

    • Do not hesitate in taking your newborn puppy to the vet. Puppies do not have a reserve of fat or energy and cannot wait until the end of the day or the next morning in the event of a veterinary emergency. To stave off problems before getting to the vet, place a dab of karo syrup on the puppy's gums before heading out. The syrup absorbs through the gums and the small bit of energy provided may make the difference between life and death in a nutritionally deficient newborn. Newborn puppies that refuse to eat are at risk for malnutrition and dehydration, which can be deadly in as little as four or five hours. If you have doubts or concerns, seek veterinary medical attention as soon as possible.