Caring for puppies who have lost their mother can be a harrowing, stressful event. It can also be rewarding to see the young pups grow and change with each day. The first and most important thing to do is consult a veterinarian. Puppies receive antibodies from their mother to develop their immune systems. Without their mother, they are more susceptible to infections and require special neonate care from a veterinarian.
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Environment
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Keep the babies as close together as possible. This allows them to grow and socialize as a group. It also serves to provide more body warmth than each individual puppy could generate on its own. Set up a nesting box for the pups. A nesting box can be any box with tall sides to prevent chills and to keep the puppies inside the box. A cardboard pet carrier is ideal for this. If possible, place a flattened, disposable child's diaper into the nesting box. This will wick away any moisture and allow for easy clean up of the box. The diaper should be changed three to four times a day, or more if needed.
It is also ideal to place a heating pad or hot water bottle beneath half of the nesting box. A puppy's temperature should be above 94 degrees Fahrenheit (ref. 1) and should it drop below this point, death can occur. A heated item allows extra warmth to permeate the box. Puppies can crawl to the unheated half of the nesting box should they become too warm. If a puppy's temperature is too cold, gradually warm the puppy over a period of one to two hours to prevent the undeveloped puppy's system from going into shock.
Diet
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Use a commercially available milk replacement formula. Just Born formula, and PetAg brand Esbilac are two of the most commonly available formulas on the market. These products are available as both liquids and powders, and contain the nutrients a neonate puppy needs.
Mix the formula according to the manufacturer's instructions. As the puppies grow, you may want to add less water. If diarrhea occurs, add more water to compensate for the loss of fluids due to enteric distress. Use a special pet nursing bottle to feed the formula to the puppies. Feeding them two to three times per day is enough to allow most puppies to sleep through the night. Tip the bottle when feeding to ensure that as little air as possible is swallowed. If the puppy is drinking too fast, a small amount of liquid will run from its nose. Adjust your feeding technique accordingly or call your veterinarian if an excessive amount of fluid leakage occurs. Rub and pat the belly of the puppies when they are done eating.
According to Wendy Brooks, DVM, "a puppy is expected to gain 10 percent of its birth weight every day and drink 22 to 26 cc of formula per 100 grams of body weight over the course of the day." Puppy growth can vary depending upon breed. Do not attempt to wake the puppies for feeding time if they are peacefully sleeping. They will wake on their own and let you know exactly when they are hungry.
When the puppies begin biting instead of nursing on their bottle, they may be given finely textured wet food. You may need to mix canned food and formula for a little while to allow the puppies to get used to the taste and texture. By four to six weeks of age, the puppies should be eating entirely solid foods.
Hygiene
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Young puppies are unable to urinate and defecate on their own. Their mother's tongue facilitates these manners. Since the mother is unavailable, you can stimulate the urinary and enteric systems by using a warm wash cloth to gently rub the genital and anal areas of the puppies. It is perfectly normal and acceptable for puppies to have rounded bellies. If you feel that they may be constipated, taking their temperature with a rectal thermometer can be enough to "loosen things up".
Bathe the pups regularly to prevent urine from scalding their delicate skin. Use a shampoo formulated specifically for puppies. Do not submerge the puppies, as drowning can easily occur. Bathe the puppies in water slightly warmer than room temperature. Gently blow dry the puppies after bathing. If the puppies are left wet, there is a good possibility that they will catch a chill.
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