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Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. This can be a very challenging situation. Sometimes puppies won’t nurse from a bottle and have to be tube-fed. It’s critical to their normal development that they get adequate nutrition at this stage of their lives.

If you’ve never tube-fed a puppy you’ll need to get a lesson on how to do it. It’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it but you can definitely do it wrong (i.e. Pass the tube into the lungs instead of the esophagus, so make an appointment with your vet so that they can demonstrate how to do it. You’ll also want to buy a gram scale so that you can track the puppy’s daily weight gain to make sure that she’s maturing normally.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

Dogs need food and water to survive. However, if they are otherwise well, they can survive for around 5 days without food, as long as they are drinking. It`s true that dogs have survived for much longer periods without food, but there is a great risk of irreversible damage to their organs and tissues, or death.
Puppies up to two weeks old can generally consume their daily intake in 4-5 meals per day. Small breed puppies should be limited to 10-15mL per feeding during the first week of life in order to prevent diarrhea. Commercial milk replacers are labeled to help you calculate the total volume to be fed per day.
If he won`t eat, try stroking him. Tilt the bottle up slightly to prevent the puppy from inhaling too much air. Do not force the puppy to nurse, or allow him to nurse too fast. After each feeding, the puppy should be burped.
How Long Can a Dog Go Without Food? Dogs can usually go three to five days without food, however, this is not ideal. If your dog has gone two days without food, it is highly recommended you call a veterinarian if you haven`t already. More important than your dog eating is their water intake.
When do puppies start drinking water? Before you even bring your puppy home, they will have already been introduced to to drinking water. Puppies start drinking water at around 3 – 4 weeks of age, at the same time they switch from milk to solid food and once their teeth have started to grow.
Puppies less than two weeks of age should be fed every 3-4 hours. Puppies two to four weeks of age do well with feedings every 6-8 hours. Weaning, as described below, should begin at three to four weeks of age.
THe most common reasons a puppy may refuse to eat include: stress and anxiety, environmental issues, digestive issues, illnesses, teething pain, and food preferences. If your puppy refuses to eat, it`s important to consult with a veterinarian who can diagnose and provide appropriate treatment.
The most common cause for a dog not feeding her pups is canine mastitis, which is a bacterial infection which can cause feeding to become very painful for the mother as swelling develops. This can also cause the infection to spread to her milk which can make the milk toxic and unsafe for the puppies to drink.
Take the puppy to a veterinarian.

If the puppy is not responding to your attempts to warm her or won`t eat, you need to take her to the veterinarian for treatment. Dehydration is dangerous and puppies can quickly die from it if they are unable to nurse and adequate amount.

The first two weeks of life for a puppy are called the neonatal period. Puppies are born with their eyes and ear canals closed, and their main activities are sleeping and nursing. They cry or whine to seek contact or care from their mother.
For the best chances of saving a fading pup, contact a veterinarian at the first sign of trouble, like excessive crying or difficulty nursing. Ensuring that the pups nurse, maintaining their body temperature, and offering emergency care are your most effective options.
Puppies under two weeks old need to be fed every 3-4 hours. Slightly older puppies, aged two to four weeks, should be fed every 6-8 hours.
Yes, it is okay to force-feed your dog with a syringe, but not as a permanent solution. There are rare cases where your vet may suggest using a syringe to force-feed your canine in the long term, but this is not common. It is much more common for this to be a temporary measure.
For the first day or two after arriving at a new home, a dog may not eat. Be patient, they need time to adjust to their new environment. Lack of appetite can have multiple causes, such as environmental change, stress, depression, illness, food allergy or a change in food.
Two common signs of dehydration are the loss of elasticity in the skin and dry and sticky mucous membranes (gums) in the mouth. The skin will fail to return to its normal position after being pulled or raised (it doesn`t “snap” back into place) and the gums will feel `tacky` or clammy when touched.
Give the pup a sugar or honey solution.

If any pups are dehydrated or if you haven`t observed them nursing, call the vet and ask if you should administer honey, corn syrup, or a sugar-water solution. If the vet approves, put on surgical gloves and administer a drop of the syrup onto the pup`s gums every few hours.

Puppies start to experiment with solid food as early as 3-weeks-old. They still nurse, and mothers continue to produce milk for up to 10 weeks. Some nursing is for nutrition, but it is also a comforting, bonding activity for the puppies.
During the first two weeks of their lives, your puppies won`t be able to support their weight and will crawl around on their belly, but at two – three weeks, they`ll start to walk – albeit a bit wobbly! Around this age their ears will open up too and they`ll start to be able to hear the world around them.
Dogs cannot drink milk. Do not give your dog regular quantities of cow`s milk since the fat, calories, and lactose can cause many short-term and long-term health issues, including stomach upset, diarrhea, obesity, and pancreatitis.
Homemade milk replacer for puppies2 • 1/2 cup (120 ml) cow`s or goat`s milk • 1/2 cup (120 ml) water • 2 to 4 egg yolks • 1 to 2 teaspoons vegetable oil • 1,000 mg calcium carbonate, if available. + Blend uniformly and warm to 95-100°F. ** Refrigerate between uses.
Older puppies may cry because they`re bored or lonely. But crying in newborn puppies is generally due to one of a few issues: Hunger. Make sure each puppy is nursing properly and is getting enough nursing time.
Signs of hypoglycemia in puppies include loss of appetite, lethargy, trembling, weakness, and seizures. Your puppy may also have discolored gums and skin. Responsible breeders should proactively look for any signs of hypoglycemia in their litters. Death can occur within a few hours if hypoglycemia is severe.
In fact, darkness at the right time can be good for dogs. According to the Sleep Foundation, dogs, like humans, have circadian rhythms that are influenced by light. It`s easier for them to sleep if it`s dark, or at least dim.
Puppies with fading puppy syndrome frequently die within 24 hours of showing signs. Also, some causes of the syndrome, such as birth defects, are not easily treatable. Immediate veterinary care is critical to try to save a fading puppy.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. I have a 2 week old pitbull massive mix and she won’t eat I bought the replacement milk from petco along with the feeding bottle but still nothing
ANSWER : A. This can be a very challenging situation. Sometimes puppies won’t nurse from a bottle and have to be tube-fed. It’s critical to their normal development that they get adequate nutrition at this stage of their lives.

If you’ve never tube-fed a puppy you’ll need to get a lesson on how to do it. It’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it but you can definitely do it wrong (i.e. Pass the tube into the lungs instead of the esophagus, so make an appointment with your vet so that they can demonstrate how to do it. You’ll also want to buy a gram scale so that you can track the puppy’s daily weight gain to make sure that she’s maturing normally.

Read Full Q/A … : Q & A – Guardian Rottweilers

Q. I have two 3 week old kittens that I am bottle feeding. The kittens both have diareaa and there buts are red. Is there anything I can do ?
ANSWER : A. Diarrhea in kittens can be caused by many things, including intestinal parasites (very common in kittens), wrong formula, recent changes in diet (from queen’s milk to formula or from one formula to another), and other gastrointestinal upsets. Their bottoms are likely red and irritated from the diarrhea soiling the fur and skin, trapping moisture against the skin and serving as a breeding ground for bacteria. First, stop feeding the formula. Second, collect a fecal sample to be analyzed by your veterinarian for intestinal parasites. Third, call your vet and make an appointment as soon as possible, ideally the same day. Diarrhea in kittens is serious business and can lead to death from dehydration and loss of nutrients. Finally, in place of formula give an electrolyte replacement solution (like Pedialyte for infants/children) – plain, no flavors, no colors – for at least the next 1-2 feedings. This is not the same as a sports drink. After the 1st or 2nd feeding of straight electrolyte replacement solution, start to add formula back into diet at 1/4 strength ( 1 part formula to 3 parts water), The following feeding mix 2 parts formula to 2 parts water. Then, 3 parts formula to 1 part water. Finally, offer full-strength formula. If the diarrhea continues or worsens with increasing amounts of formula, go back to just electrolyte solution and repeat the process.

Q. Why does my dog eat grass?
ANSWER : A. As another user mentioned, dogs can eat grass when they want to vomit. Sometimes, when a dog has an upset tummy, they will eat grass. If you notice your dog eating grass frantically, you can assume vomiting will shortly follow. Grass does not digest and pass normally. If your dog eats too much grass, it can cause serious issues with pooping. Your dogs poop can end up all tangled inside of her, and it can need veterinary assistance to remove it. The same goes for celery, so avoid feeding celery to your dog.

The other day my boyfriend accidentally left the laundry room door open where we were keeping the trash that was filled with cooked chicken bones. She ate one of the chicken bones lightning fast. We had to induce vomiting by feeding her some hydrogen peroxide. After we had fed her the peroxide, she immediately began frantically eating grass because her tummy was upset.

If there is something lacking in your dogs diet, it could be that your dog is eating grass to make up for it. I am sure that my dogs diet is extremely well balanced (I do not only feed her an air-dried raw food-type diet (Ziwipeak), but a wide variety of safe, healthy foods), so when she eats grass, I know that it is because she has an upset tummy.

That is why I think it is important making sure your dog has a very well balanced diet. If your dog is on a low quality kibble, your dog may be trying to let you know by eating grass (or eating poop).

Q. I got two puppies for Christmas a male and female for my kids the male all of a sudden is barely eating drinking and not very active??
ANSWER : A. If the age posted is correct, 6 weeks is too young to remove a pup from the mother. Eight weeks is better, 12 weeks is optimal for the health and socialization of the puppy. NutriCal is a calorie dense paste that can be used for quick energy or to supplement feeding. Most pet stores carry it. If you can’t find it, Karo syrup or even maple syrup will work. Rub a small amount on the gums to give a boost to your pup. Once he is more active, offer a quality canned puppy food. Mix in warm water to make it easy for him to eat. If he is alert, try bottle feeding. Esbilac is a puppy milk replacer also sold in pet stores. If he is not alert, do not attempt to bottle feed and seek veterinary attention immediately.

Q. My 3 month puppy eats his own poop and is also biting what can I do to prevent this
ANSWER : A. When it comes to poop eating, you want to consider a few things. First off, what is his diet like? Maybe something is lacking in his diet that is causing him to want to eat his own poop. This is the most common reason why dogs eat THEIR OWN poop. Try a higher quality kibble like Taste of the Wild, Ziwipeak, Orijen.. and try feeding three meals per day, instead of the more common two meals per day. Remember to gradually switch his kibble. Add a little bit of the new kibble and reduce the old kibble very slowly.. little by little every couple of days until the bowl is mostly new kibble! You should also be cleaning up his poops IMMEDIATELY after he does them.. I mean like, you have a bag in your hand, and you are low enough to scoop it up RIGHT when he finished so he doesn’t have a chance to eat his poop.

When it comes to nipping there are a few things you can do. First, you should yelp as soon as the teeth touch your skin, stand up, cross your arms, and ignore the puppy until he is ignoring you. Once he is off doing his own thing, swoop down and calmly reward him by playing with him WITH A TOY so he doesn’t nip your hands. Whenever you pet him, or interact with him, you should always have a toy on-hand so you can give it to him. This toy should be a soft braided rope toy that YOU own. This means, your puppy is never allowed to have this toy on the floor, and your pup can never “win” tug games with this toy. This is YOUR toy that disappears when you’re finished playing, and reappears when you want to play. If you keep this up, in a weeks time, your puppy will be so excited to see that toy, that as soon as you bring it out, he stops nipping you because he wants to play with the toy. Another thing you can do is have two bags of toys. Bag#1 is full of chew toys/soft toys/squeaky toys/etc. After one week, Bag#1 disappears and out comes Bag#2. Bag#2 has the same types of toys as Bag#1, and it only stays out for one week. This keeps the toys feeling like new to your pup!

Q. My 8mo. puppy eats feces. Wedont scorn him for pottymishaps. He hides feces in his bed.I feed him blue buffalo 2 per day. How do I stop this?
ANSWER : A. A lot of dogs do this, and sometimes it is just because feces tastes good.. sometimes it is due to something lacking in their diet.. but a lot of the time, it’s just fun and tasty. The only way to handle this situation is management. You should be cleaning up your two dogs poops immediately when they happen. Scoop them up, throw them into the woods, or into a can. You cannot give your pup access to the poops.

You could also try adding things to your pups diet. Things like canned pumpkin for dogs (not the pie filling you find in the grocery store, that has way too much sugar in it). Or you could feed your dog raw chews like marrow bones, or beef tendons. You’ll have to add things to his diet in order to find out what is missing from it. If you allow him to continue eating poop, even if there is something lacking in his diet, he will continue eating poop when you’ve solved his diet issue because it will become a LEARNED behavior. This means he will continue eating poop because he learned he CAN eat poop. You could also try feeding him three meals per day. Feed him the same amount of food, but break it up into three feedings per day. This could help him feel a bit more full throughout the day.

Clean up your yard, and clean up after your pups immediately when they eliminate outdoors. Do not scold him, there is no need.. it isn’t his fault.

Read Full Q/A … : R

Q. My puppy refuses to walk outside on the leash. This only happens when we’re outside… Is it stubbornness or fear?
ANSWER : A. It is never stubbornness. Dogs are not stubborn, they can’t be. Dogs do not generalize well, and dogs display fearful behavior that appears to be stubbornness. Absolutely NEVER force this dog to walk outside when he is uncomfortable with doing so.. the more you force him to do it, opposition reflex – the more he will resist. The more he resists and is forced into it, the less he learns about being comfortable, and the more he becomes fearful of you and of the situation.

What you can do is carry extremely high value treats outside with you. Things like cooked white meat chicken, cooked fish, turkey pepperoni, turkey bacon, diced ham, mozzarella cheese sticks – all cut up into tiny little pea-sized pieces. You can also use peanut butter in a squeeze tube. First, put on the leash indoors and begin feeding him the treats. Help him make positive associations with having the leash put on. Then, take the leash off, and start over in 10min. Put the leash on, feed treats, walk to the door, open the door, feed treats, close door, take off leash. Start over in 10min. Put on leash, feed treats, go to door, feed treats, open door, feed treats, go outside, feed tons of treats and praise. Keep Titus in his comfort zone. If he doesn’t want to go far, just feed him tons of treats where he IS comfortable going. Make sure everything is calm/happy/positive. I bet in a week of doing this, he will be happy with walk further and further all of the time. If ever he is uncomfortable, feed him lots of treats for being a brave boy, and then turn around and go back home. It’s all about keeping him in his comfort zone.. it’s all about remaining within his threshold and never forcing him to feed uncomfortable.

This is very common for puppies. The world is scary! It’s brand new to them, and it’s up to you to make their interactions and discoveries positive, happy, calm, and to never force them into anything.

Q. I have a pup that haven’t been 2 1.2 months old eating good for week. I have worm her once a week since she been 2 weeks old.
ANSWER : A. It is recommended to worm a puppy every 2-3 weeks initially and then every 2-3 months so you don’t have to give her worming medications every week any longer.