Most people own puppies when they are beyond bottle feeding. But what if your puppy is only weeks old and needs to be bottle fed? The process of making a nutritious formula and bottle-feeding it to a puppy can be done by most adults. With some store-bought products and a steady hand for feeding, a young puppy can safely eat and grow into a healthy dog. Just remember to slowly feed your dog to prevent overfeeding and to ensure the food is properly ingested.
Making Formula
Place 10 oz. of evaporated goat's milk, 3 oz. of sterilized water, 1 pasteurized egg, 1 cup of whole fat yogurt, and 1/2 tsp. of corn syrup in a blender.
Blend the contents until completely mixed together.
Pour the mixture into a pot and warm the mixture over a low flame.
Heat the mixture until it reaches 101 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the body temperature of a dog and the optimal temperature to serve the formula.
Feeding Technique
Place the formula in a bottle while it is still warm.
Poke a small hole in the nipple with a pin. Make sure that drops of formula come out of the nipple when pressure is applied and not a stream. Too much formula coming from the nipple can cause the puppy to inhale the liquid.
Have the puppy lay down on its stomach while you are feeding it. This will help prevent the puppy from inhaling the formula.
Pry the puppy's mouth open with the nipple and allow the puppy to feed off the nipple. If you see the puppy trying to take too much formula at once (e.g. you see an abundance of formula dribbling from the puppy's mouth), you can remove the nipple for a minute to allow the puppy to ingest what is already in its mouth.
Tips
Puppy formula can be bought at pet stores but, according to Leerburg.com, the higher caloric count of the mixture described here provides more energy for a growing puppy.
The formula can also be mixed together in a bowl and with a whisk if a blender is not available.
The puppy should be able to suck on the nipple on its own. No additional pressure needs to be applied.
Discard any unused formula after 7 days.
Warnings
Do not use a nipple with a hole that is too big. A large hole will cause the formula to pour out in a stream and possibly enter the puppy's lungs, the result of which can be life threatening. Make sure the formula only drips out from the nipple.
Warnings
Do not use a nipple with a hole that is too big. A large hole will cause the formula to pour out in a stream and possibly enter the puppy's lungs, the result of which can be life threatening. Make sure the formula only drips out from the nipple.
Tips
Puppy formula can be bought at pet stores but, according to Leerburg.com, the higher caloric count of the mixture described here provides more energy for a growing puppy.
The formula can also be mixed together in a bowl and with a whisk if a blender is not available.
The puppy should be able to suck on the nipple on its own. No additional pressure needs to be applied.
Discard any unused formula after 7 days.
Items You Will Need
- Blender
- 1 pot
- Feeding bottle
- Stove
- Sterilized water
- Evaporated goat's milk
- Corn syrup
- Whole fat yogurt
- 1 pasteurized egg
References
Tips
- Puppy formula can be bought at pet stores but, according to Leerburg.com, the higher caloric count of the mixture described here provides more energy for a growing puppy.
- The formula can also be mixed together in a bowl and with a whisk if a blender is not available.
- The puppy should be able to suck on the nipple on its own. No additional pressure needs to be applied.
- Discard any unused formula after 7 days.
Warnings
- Do not use a nipple with a hole that is too big. A large hole will cause the formula to pour out in a stream and possibly enter the puppy's lungs, the result of which can be life threatening. Make sure the formula only drips out from the nipple.
Writer Bio
David Montoya is an attorney who graduated from the UCLA School of Law. He also holds a Master of Arts in American Indian studies. Montoya's writings often cover legal topics such as contract law, estate law, family law and business.