Feeding a newborn puppy can be scary, but by following the tips of the post “How to Tube Feed a Puppy – Failure to Thrive”, you will have learn easily the right way.

This post will guide you how to feed your new  puppy.

Tube Feeding a Newborn Puppy

If you have no vet or mentor to instruct. you should really consider using a glove’s finger or a small puppy bottle for bottle feeding. Check the resource box below for video link.

Things You’ll Need:

• Tubes (ask vet for correct sizing)
• Food – milk replacer.
• patience
• instruction preferred

If you have no vet or mentor to instruct you should really consider using a glove’s finger or a small puppy bottle for bottle feeding.

Check the resource box below for video link.
When feeding either by bottle or by using a latex glove finger, weigh the puppy before and after.

Make sure not to overfill. Get help so that you can feed every hour or two.

Syringes are available at most feed stores and pet stores. An eyedropper if you are desperate would also work.

Our veterinarian recommended that we tube fee our failing puppy.

It was very scary and our puppy never did thrive. A puppy whose mom is refusing to nurse or that is a failure to thrive puppy should always be seen by vet.

Our vet not only instructed us but allowed us to practice and provided the tubes at no extra charge.

Esbilac is the most popular milk replacement formula. You can buy it at Wal-Mart and pet stores.

If you are unable to locate it there are recipes on the internet for emergency milk replacement.

To Tube feed make sure you have instruction from vet or mentor and watch the video linked here.

Print out these instructions and keep them handy.

1) Lay puppy flat out on towel. Having two people is easier.

Take the tube and measure it: using rounded tip place it behind the last rib of the puppy then stretch along chest and nose to just in front of puppy’s muzzle. Mark it with pen for measuring.

I say do it 2x to be sure as too long and you can puncture something and too short the puppy will choke and suffocate on fluids.

THIS IS IMPORTANT as tummies are very small and cannot be overfilled. Mark the tube at the spot where it hits the rib.

Make sure milk formula is barely warm about 100 degrees.

2) Attach the syringe to the catheter (tube). Put the catheter into the formula and withdraw the syringe from the plunger.

Fill the syringe just a trifle above the amount recommended by vet.

Keep moving with these importance instructions

3) Keep the catheter tip pointed down as you do not want air to come in. Get a feel for how fast or slow the drip is by slightly pressing on plunger.

It may be easier to now do this with the puppy lying on a towel on your lap. The pups head is elevated slightly.

Using one hand you can stroke the edges of the mouth (with thumbs and fingers) and hopefully the pups mouth will open.

5) Gently insert tube in mouth down the throat DO NOT ANGLE. You will stop for a split second as you pass the back part of the palate.

If there is resistance – stop – Never force it. Force makes it go down windpipe instead of stomach.

Try again if you have to and gently apply just a bit of pressure to the tube and the pup will swallow it pretty much and allow you to slide the tube down to tummy.

Now SLOWLY depress plunger and feed pup slowly. You don’t want pups belly to swell nor to remain flat.

Feed 1/2 formula then withdraws tube and burp. Watch puppy carefully to make sure all is going well.

Use a cloth to wipe him and stimulate his reflexes.
Make sure to check with VET and learn to do this BEFORE you actually need to try it.

Much easier to learn when relaxed than when stressed about puppy not thriving.

Resources

• Milk replacement from Dr. Foster
• how to tube feed video
Photo or Video Credit
megrocksphotography Links to my other articles about dogs: