Hand-Rearing
Toy Dogs
Success
in hand-rearing puppies greatly improves if they receive
colostrum at birth.Feed Impact Colostrum Supplement to puppies
that did not get colostrum from the bitch. Keep puppies
in a clean, draught-free environment at about 30o C. Warm
Wombaroo to about 35o C. Feed from a bottle with teat every
2 hours for the first 3 days, reducing this to every 4 hours
by the end of the first week. Stimulate puppies to defecate
and urinate after each feed. During the second week reduce
feeding to 6 hourly intervals. Encourage puppies to lap
once their eyes are open and voluntary bowel motions begin.
To avoid dehydration during periods of hot weather give
puppies a drink of pre-boiled water between feeds. Always
offer puppies drinking water once their eyes are open and
they become mobile. Consult your veterinarian or breeder
for particular advice about caring for your breed of puppy.
Different breeds of
puppies have different growth rates. Carers should contact
their veterinarian or breeder for information about the
growth rate of their particular breed. It is important to
weigh puppies regularly to verify weight gains and determine
the volume of milk to feed. Overfeeding milk can cause diarrhoea
so feed the suggested volumes in our tables.
Guide
To Feeding A Puppy:
INGREDIENTS:
Whole milk solids, whey protein isolates, caseinates,vegetable
oils, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.
WEIGHT
g |
|
|
WEIGHT
g |
FEED
ml/day
|
80 |
20 |
|
600 |
90 |
90 |
21 |
|
700 |
100 |
100 |
23 |
|
800 |
110 |
110 |
25 |
|
900 |
120 |
120 |
27 |
|
1000 |
130 |
130 |
28 |
|
1100 |
140 |
140 |
30 |
|
1200 |
150 |
150 |
31 |
|
1300 |
160 |
160 |
33 |
|
1400 |
165 |
170 |
34 |
|
1500 |
175 |
180 |
36 |
|
1600 |
185 |
190 |
37 |
|
1700 |
195 |
200 |
39 |
|
1800 |
200 |
250 |
46 |
|
1900 |
205 |
300 |
55 |
|
2000 |
210 |
350 |
60 |
|
2200 |
230 |
400 |
65 |
|
2400 |
250 |
450 |
70 |
|
2600 |
265 |
500 |
75 |
|
2800 |
280 |
The
Newborns:
The first 36 hrs of a puppies life is
the critical period nutritionally. Healthy puppies will nurse
right away and then every few hours. The pups must nurse from
their mother within 12 hours of birth to receive her antibodies
against disease. After 12 hours, their stomachs will not absorb
antibodies. After this first 12 hours, if the mother does
not have enough milk, or if her litter is too large, then
the pups' diet can be supplemented with commercial puppy milk
replacer. Cow's milk is nutritionally inadequate for puppies.
Supplemental heat should only be used for orphans or if the
room's temperature is too cold for the mother's comfort. A
newborn pup can't generate body heat until it develops the
shiver reflex, at about two and half weeks of age. Orphan
pups need an environmental
temperature of about 97°F (36°C) the first week, in
the mid 80's the second week, then in the 70's. If the mother
is there to keep the pups warm, high temperatures are unnecessary
and will make her uncomfortable.If you have more than one
puppy to raise, provide separate boxes and beds. With separate
quarters you can monitor bowel eliminations and food intake.
Orphan puppies less than one week old must be stimulated to
urinate and eliminate. This is accomplished by gentle massage
of the abdomen and genital area with a piece of cotton wool
or tissue, dampened with warm water.
Here are some
helpful hints:
- Aspirate
the pups' throat and nostrils at birth
-
Always pre-boil water and cool prior to using in formulas
- Burp puppies after
feeding, to reduce any gas they may have
- A pup inhaling milk
into its lungs will cause pneumonia. Make sure the nipple
hole is not too large or too small! When you hold the bottle
upside down the milk should drip out, but never flow
- The pup may have
little bubbles on the side of its lips, but the milk should
not run out of the sides of the mouth
- Calorie and fluid
intake must be adjusted so puppies consume adequate formula
to meet nutrient needs for growth, but not over or under
consume fluid volume.
The hand raising of
newborn toy dogs is time consuming, tiring but most of all
an accomplishment of devotion. Yes it can be done. No doubt
you will be frazzled and irritable but it does not last
forever. There are many reasons why this must be done. Perhaps
your dam has had eclampsia or a Caesarean birth with complications
or a premature birth where puppies have not developed their
sucking reflex. For whatever reason you are responsible
for bringing these tiny lives into being. I will give you
fair warning, however, every one you save will be doubly
precious and very hard to part with. Their temperament is
especially calm and they will be strongly "bonded"
with you.
I weigh every newborn
twice a day on a gram scale for the first two weeks. This
early handling makes for a placid pup.
The
pups most at risk for mortality include the following:
1. Whelps that are
20% below birth weight of their litter mates.
2. Whelps that feel
cold to the touch and are limp or conversely cry constantly
and crawl aimlessly. I usually suspect an infection in a
very vocal puppy. This can be an e-Coli or herpes virus
to name a few. . . In a distressed puppy under 6 days of
age I usually
start them on a liquid form of Ampicilin or cavulonic acid.
One caution here, however, if a crying whelp feels well
rounded and is feeding it could be simple overheating. Some
breeders think if warmth is good hot must be better. Use
common sense here.
3. Whelps that are
chilled. A cold pup is a gagging pup and is soon a dead
one. Since the exact cause can not always be ascertained
here is the recipe step by step for any ill neonate.
-
Remove pup from dam and put under your clothing in direct
contact with your skin.
-
Constantly for the first half hour rub coat upwards to it's
neck. While doing this turn pup over every few minutes to
ensure lungs are drained.
- Now the hard part.
The only chance of survival is for you to master the art
of tube feeding. Your baby will need a feed once each hour
with a glucose and sterile water solution at ½ ml.
per 1 oz. (30g) of body weight. This may take 2 to 3 hours
depending on the condition of the pup and after slow warming
next to your skin. In 3 hours most viable pups will be wiggling
and cheeping. Tube feeding is not difficult if the proper
size tube is used. Your Vet should be happy to demonstrate.
For those who are not in travelling distance of his/her
surgery I can send diagrams, tubes and detailed instructions.However
if you have a respectful relationship with your Vet he is
the man/woman to see. Please do not wake a professional
at 3 in the morning with a moribund pup and expect miracles.
Discuss these things before whelping takes place.
-If all has gone well
your squirming baby is ready for his first milk feed. I
start mine with goat's milk equally diluted with sterile
water for the first three feeds. These are given every 2
and one half to 3 hours. Pup should be fed with a marsupial
teat in a sitting up position. If wrapped in a hanky and
placed on a pillow on your lap things will go well once
pup has learned to suckle effectively. Sometimes this takes
a feed or two. (Remember breast feeding your first babe?)
You will teach each other what feels right. Apologies to
male breeders out there but you get my drift.
Feeding
Methods
Alternative feeding
methods will are necessary when the mothers milk is dried
up or the mother is ill.
Note:
if you have another nursing mother you can give her the
litter but you will still need to help her by bottle feeding
or tube feeding the pups.
Note: Never
feed a chilled puppy if a pups temp is below 94 degrees,
they should NOT be nursing and you should NOT be tube feeding.
Bottle
Feeding satisfies
the natural instinct to suck. It also gives the puppy a
choice on the amount it wishes to consume.
· Pups can
get gas if they are not burped after feeding.
· There is
always the danger of a pup inhaling milk into its lungs
and then getting pneumonia. Make sure your nipple hole is
not to large or to small. Stick a hot paper clip in the
nipple. Hold it upside down the milk should drip out, but
never flow.
· Encourage
the pup by wiggling the nipple across his lips.
· You will
know if he is getting the milk by measuring the amount in
the bottle and after burping can you see if he has a full
belly or he needs
more.
· The puppies
mouth may have little bubbles on the side of his lips but
the milk should not run out the sides of his mouth.
Making up formulas
and feeding a litter of puppies is very time consuming.
It seems like as soon as your finished its time to began
again.
Useful
Recipes For Dachshund Pups
Recipe
1: Substitution Milk
· 1 x 8 oz.
carton of vanilla yoghurt
· 1 x can of
evaporated milk (not low fat)6 oz boiled cooled water
· 2 x egg yolks
(someone once told me to add a tablespoon of mayonnaise)
This keeps well in
the refrigerator and the pups thrive on it. Put a drop of
Pet Nutri Drops or any vitamins you may choose in before
the feeding or on their tongues before the feeding.
Recipe
2: Emergency Puppy Milk Replacer
· 1 cup whole
milk (cow or goat)
· 1 pinch table
grade salt
· 3 egg yolks
- no whites
· 1 tablespoon
corn oil
· ¼
teaspoon liquid vitamins
Blend and serve at
95° - 100° or skin temperature.
Recipe
3: Weak Puppy Booster
This formula is meant
to be used on newborns who are chilled, weak or otherwise
compromised. This formula should be administered every 1-2
hours (or more often) by stomach tube and the puppy should
be warmed slowly. Once the puppy begins to maintain a normal
body temperature, regular feeding can resume. NEVER FEED
A CHILLED PUPPY MILK REPLACER.
· 8oz. lactated
ringers solution or sterilized water
· 1 tablespoon
white Karo syrup or white sugar (do not use honey)
OR
· Substitute
plain, unflavoured Pedialyte
Mix ingredients and
warm to body temperature. Preferred administration is stomach
tube (to ensure correct dosage). Feed ½ cc per 2
oz. of body weight once per hour. If puppy is very weak,
you may half the dosage and feed twice as often. This formula
should be followed up with milk replacer as soon as the
puppy is maintaining normal body temperature. This formula
should not be
fed exclusively for more than 8 hours.
Recipe
4: Anaemic Nursing Mothers & If Dogs Won't Eat
Pudding Recipe Mix
· large 4 cup
size vanilla pudding
· ½
cup sugar
· 4 cups of
milk
· 4 egg yolks
Cook on low heat to
pudding consistency and offer to new mother at body temperature.
She can eat as much as she wants. Has never caused diarrhoea
and brings in abundance of milk!!!
OR
from scratch...mix
the following in a saucepan and cook to pudding consistency.
· 2/3 cup sugar
· 6 tablespoons cornstarch
· ½
teas salt
· 4 cups milk
(or one can evap milk plus equal parts water to make quart)
· 4 egg yolks
· 3 teaspoons
vanilla
Feed with syringe,
on spoon, or let eat from bowl....full of protein and nourishment....have
never had it cause diarrhoea.
Temporary
Milk Substitute
When the entire litter
is deprived of the mother's milk, if the mother dies or
her milk does not come in (agalactia), is not sufficient
(hypogalactia) or is toxic (mastitis), use of a milk substitute
adapted for dogs usually ensures the survival of the puppies,
although there may be a slight slowdown (less than ten percent)
in growth compared to the average of the breed, which is
often regained later by spontaneous consumption of a weaning
formula. On their own, puppies will nurse more than twenty
times per day. It would be difficult for the owner to keep
up with such a feeding schedule! A schedule of feeding once
every three hours for the first week should be adequate,
as long as the feedings are regular and the sleep schedule
is respected (puppies sleep more than ninety percent of
the time during the first week) so the puppies get the rest
so essential to bonding and imprinting. While it is possible
to adapt cow's milk for puppies, powdered puppy formulas
are much better, especially since their lactose content
is limited. In addition to saving time and money, powdered
puppy formulas are packaged dry. This limits the risk of
diarrhea in the puppies, whose stomach acid is not yet strong
enough to completely sterilize the digesting food. After
adding water and heating the formula to 37°C, the owner
can feed the puppy either by means of a bottle, or by gavage,
using a probe (urinary probe), if the puppy refuses to nurse.
If the milk is given by mouth using a syringe, it should
have the consistency of rather thick baby cereal to trigger
the swallowing reflex and limit the risk of food "going
down the wrong way." If food enters the respiratory
tract, bronchial pneumonia may result. The following are
a few points that will help decide how much milk to feed
the puppies:
· One kilogram
of bitch milk contains about 1350 kilocalories.
· A puppy
needs three to four millilitres of milk per gram of weight
gain.
· The caloric
requirements of nursing puppies are more than two-and-a-half
times greater than the maintenance requirements of an adult
dog of the same weight.
For example, if a
one-month-old puppy weighs three kilograms (adult weight
twenty-two kilograms), its daily average weight gain is
about six grams per kilogram of estimated adult weight,
or 130 grams per day. To gain this much weight, the puppy
must eat 4 x 130 = 520 grams of milk per day, which is equal
to 0.52 x 1350 = 600 kilocalories.
A household recipe
that can be used temporarily as a substitute for bitch milk:
· 270g Unsweetened
Evaporated Milk
· 70g Fresh
Cream
· 450g Nine
eggs without shell
· 56g One
egg with shell
·
154g Mineral Water
TOTAL
1000g
If you are hand raising
puppies and they develop medical problems you will need
to contact your vet. Please do not email me and ask what
to do. It would be inappropriate for me to guess at the
medical needs of your sick puppy.
Here are some general rules for bottle feeding puppies:
-
Always boil water before using - allow time to cool.
-Burp your pups after feeding.
-A pup may have little bubbles by his mouth but there should
not be milk running out of his mouth.
- When the bottle is held upside down the milk should drip
out - NOT FLOW OUT in a stream - pups that get milk in their
lungs will get pneumonia and more than likely die.
Calorie in tack needs
to be adjusted according to growth of puppies. A general
rule of thumb (unless someone has a better idea) is 1 CC
per OZ. of body weight every 3 hours.
You must have an accurate scale to weigh pups if you are
going to get the best success.Use a kitchen food scale.
(we sell an excellent scale)
Dehydration
In Puppies
Newborn puppies quickly
become dehydrated if they are not nursing. They can also
become dehydrated if their environment is hot and dry. Two
indicators of dehydration are loss of elasticity in the
skin (the skin stays tented when gently pinched up) and
decreased saliva production (the gums and tongue feel tacky
or dry).
In addition to providing adequate
nutrition, you may need to humidify the puppy box or room
if the puppy is small or weak. Be careful not to make the
box too hot and humid; this can cause respiratory distress.
A home humidifier should be adequate.
The Make Up Of Milk
You may have noticed that there is
dog milk replacer, cat milk replacer, cow milk replacer...
Why all the different kinds? The constituents of milk vary
widely from species to species. The metabolism and proper
function of the digestive tract of newborn animals depends
on them receiving the proper amounts and ratios of the components
that make up their normal milk.
The major constituents of milk include:
·
Fat, the principle energy component
· Carbohydrates, mostly in
the form of the sugar lactose
· Protein
· Minerals and vitamins
· Water
The amount and ratio of these constituents
varies widely between species.
Some milk, like that
of the polar bear and seal, have extremely high levels of
fat. When you think about where these animals live and their
environment, that is understandable. The newborns will need
a lot of fat to keep them warm. Some milk, like that of
the horse and cow are over 85% water. If newborns of these
species were fed a more concentrated milk, they would develop
serious digestive tract problems.If you have a nursing pet,
and it needs supplemental milk, find a commercial product
designed specifically for your species. If no commercial
products are available, you will need to make a home formula
that closely approximates the milk of its mother. Components
may include commercial cat milk replacer, cow or goat milk,
condensed milk, yogurt, egg yolks, vegetable oil, Karo syrup,
salt, and vitamin supplements. Talk to your veterinarian,
wildlife rehabilitator, or other expert before making any
formula on your own. Knowing how much to feed and how often
is also very important.Note: Many 'orphaned' wild animals
are not orphaned; their mothers are close by and watching.
Leave young wild animals alone, and call the humane society,
wildlife rehabilitator, or government natural resources
office if you feel the young are truly orphaned. These
people have the most experience and will provide the best
care for these animals if they are actually orphaned. In
addition, remember that keeping wild animals, even orphans,
without being a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, is against
the law in many places.
Colostrum:
The Important First Milk
Over the years, we
have found that there are many, many, misconceptions about
the immunity that puppies derive from their mothers.
When a puppy is born, her immune system is not fully developed.
Therefore, on her own, this animal would be completely susceptible
to almost any infectious condition. If a serious disease
were encountered, the animal would probably die. Fortunately,
this is not the case, as Mother Nature has devised a method
to provide newborn animals with protection: colostrum, the
first milk.
Active
Immunity:
When people or animals
are exposed to a disease-causing organism by natural means
or vaccination, the organism or a part of it interacts with
the cells of the animal's immune system. These cells then
make antibodies (large protein molecules) that reside in
the animal's body and will recognize foreign organisms and
destroy them. The body activates cells which can kill the
disease-causing organism more directly. When an individual
has an immune system that will effectively protect him against
a disease-producing organism, he is said to have 'immunity'
or be 'immune' to that organism. When an animal's own immune
system provides that protection, it is referred to as 'active
immunity'.
Passive
Immunity:
When an animal receives
another animal's defense mechanisms (antibody and/or lymphocytes),
rather than developing her own defense system, we refer
to it as 'passive immunity.' Examples of passive immunity
include the antibodies received by a fetus through the placenta,
antibodies the newborn receives from her mother through
colostrum, antivenins to treat snakebite, and bone marrow
transplants which help replace the lymphocytes. A disadvantage
of passive immunity is that the animal's body does not have
the ability to replenish it (except in the case of a bone
marrow transplant). As the antibodies the animal received
break down through natural aging, or are used up destroying
disease-causing organisms, the animal's body cannot replace
them. However, in the case of active immunity, more antibodies
are produced whenever the immune system comes in contact
with the same organism again. Active immunity is self-perpetuating.
Passive immunity is
not.Two types of passive immunity protect young puppies.
All antibodies derived from the mother, either via her blood
or colostrum (first milk) are called maternal antibodies.
It must be noted that the puppy will only receive antibodies
against diseases for which the mother had been recently
vaccinated against or exposed to. As an example, a bitch
that had NOT been vaccinated against or exposed to parvovirus,
would not have any antibodies against parvovirus to pass
along to her puppies. The puppies then would be susceptible
to developing a parvovirus infection.Passive Immunity In
Utero (Through the Placenta): In some species, protective
antibodies pass through the placenta (the organ by which
a fetus is connected to her mother) from the mother's blood
system into the fetus while the unborn animal is still in
the uterus. A young animal, therefore, carries
this protection with her when she is born. She has immunity
to protect herself against disease conditions that she may
encounter before her own system is operating. Humans get
most of the immunity they receive from their mothers in
this manner.
Passive Immunity through
Colostrum: Dogs and cats, like many other mammals, pass
the majority of the mother's antibodies to the newborn via
colostrum. Defined as the first 24 hours of milk flow following
birth, colostrum is a highly concentrated mixture of large
protein antibody molecules, vitamins, electrolytes, and
nutrients.The puppy absorbs these antibodies into his blood
system through the intestinal wall. The absorption of such
large protein molecules unchanged across the intestinal
wall is one of the peculiarities of newborns. As animals
mature, their digestive systems hydrolyze protein molecules.
This is a process in which a molecule of water is added
to a protein molecule, breaking it into smaller sections.
Newborn puppies, through some process that we do not quite
understand, are able to absorb the large antibodies unchanged.
This is important because if the antibodies are
hydrolyzed and broken down into small pieces, they lose
their ability to destroy bacteria or viruses. Usually, before
the puppy is one day of age, he loses this ability of absorption,
and all large proteins are hydrolyzed. Therefore, even if
the mother continued to produce colostral antibodies, they
would be destroyed and not provide any protection to the
young animal.It is important that we now clarify one often-misunderstood
point. As stated, colostrum with its antibody protection
is only present in the first 24 hours of milk flow and newborns
can only gain colostral immunity if they nurse during that
time frame, and they are less than one day old. After that,
it makes no difference how much or how little they nurse,
they will not receive any more antibodies.Many breeders
and pet owners believe that as long as the puppy is nursing,
she is gaining more protection. Wrong. Others feel that
by allowing older puppies to nurse on a new mother immediately
after she gives birth will give the young animals another
dose of antibodies. Wrong again. Remember, the newborns
cannot absorb antibodies after their digestive tract loses
the ability to absorb large unaltered protein molecules.
All the protection the animal has is what she received in
that first day of life. Later on, we can only augment this
by vaccination.
Level
& Length Of Protection:
The amounts of immunoglobulins
(antibodies) that are present within the milk are directly
proportional to the levels of antibodies present in the
mother. We often speak of 'titers' as a way to quantify
the levels present in an animal. Tests are run on blood
from the animal in question and, in simple terms, the higher
the titers, the more antibodies are present. Mothers with
high titers pass higher concentrations of immunoglobulins
across the placenta and through their milk. Newborns that
have taken milk with larger quantities of antibodies are
able to absorb more antibodies, and therefore, have higher
concentrations in their blood. Since protein molecules break
down slowly and at different rates, newborns that start
out with higher levels of these colostral molecules
carry this protection for longer periods of time. This explains
why we want to be sure the bitch has a high antibody titer
before breeding, since she will be able to pass more protection
to her young. The young will then possess higher levels
of protection for longer periods of time against the diseases
that we commonly vaccinate for such as canine distemper,
canine parvovirus, and canine coronavirus.
Windows
Of Susceptibility:
The age at which young
animals can effectively be immunized is proportional to
the amount of antibody protection they received from their
mother. High levels of maternal antibodies present in a
young animal's bloodstream will block the effectiveness
of a vaccine. When the maternal antibodies drop to a low
enough level in the animal, immunity (protection from disease)
can be produced through vaccination.The antibodies from
the mother generally circulate in the newborn's blood for
a number of weeks. There is a period of time from several
days to several weeks in which the maternal antibodies are
too low to provide protection against the disease, but too
high to allow a vaccine to work. This period is called the
window of susceptibility.
This is the time when
despite being vaccinated, a young animal can still contract
the disease.The length and timing of the window of susceptibility
is different in every litter, and even between individuals
in a litter. A study of a cross section of different puppies
showed that the age at which they were able to respond to
a vaccine and develop protection (become immunized) covered
a wide period of time. At six weeks of age, 25% of the puppies
could be immunized. At 9 weeks, 40% of the puppies were
able to respond to the vaccine and were protected. The number
increased to 60% by 16 weeks, and by 18 weeks, 95% of the
puppies could be immunized.As you can see, it is really
impossible for us to determine, when in the presence of
passive immunity,
an individual animal should be vaccinated.
There are just too
many variables. Even if we did blood tests on them, each
animal in the litter would probably have a different titer.
Some will have absorbed more antibodies, the antibodies
may have broken down more quickly in others, or some may
have used a portion of their antibodies if they encountered
harmful bacteria or viruses. Additionally, a young animal
may have a protective titer (level of antibodies) for one
disease but not enough for another.Progress is being made.
Some of the newer vaccines can stimulate active immunity
in the young animal even when maternal antibodies are present.
As vaccines improve, we will
hopefully be better able to protect puppies throughout their
early life.
Other
Functions Of Colostrum:
Without receiving
large quantities of colostrum, a newborn's chances of survival
are greatly reduced. It is not only a source of protection
and nutrition, it is just as important in maintaining the
fluid level of the young animal. To function correctly,
the cardiovascular system (i.e., the heart and blood system)
needs a high volume of fluid. Newborns are properly hydrated
when their mucous membranes such as gums are moist. Water
makes up 75-80% of the newborn's body weight. Dehydration
is a serious condition in puppies.
It
is extremely important that puppies receive colostrum in
the first 24 hours of their lives. It provides protection,
nutrients, vitamins, and fluid for the animal. Making sure
a newborn receives colostrum will give it a great start
on the way to a happy and healthy life.
Food
& Yummy Treats
Every living thing
needs protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals,
and water to live, but the quantities of each nutrient vary
with the amount of physical or mental stress placed on the
organism. Thus athletes need more protein for muscle development,
fats and carbohydrates for sustained energy, vitamins and
minerals for efficient conversion of fats and carbohydrates
to energy, and water to replace that which is lost through
perspiration than non-athletes. Young puppies need relatively
more nutrients than adults do; moderately active adults
need more nutrients than sedentary ones; and malnourished
or sick dogs need more nutrients to regain health.
Canine
Nutrition:
Dog foods in addition
to protein, fats and carbohydrates also must contain vitamin
and mineral supplements in balanced concentrations. Too
much of one mineral may interfere with absorption of another;
too little of a mineral may interfere with vitamin use or
other mineral use. Major dog food companies make every effort
to provide balanced proportions of vitamins and minerals
for maximum benefit to the dog. Find out what to be aware
of in commercial dog food. Dogs will do well on any one
of several dry
dog foods, depending on his level of activity, his metabolism,
and his individual body chemistry. Because of the requirements
of a healthy coat many owners find that some dogs do best
on a diet that is high in protein and fat content. If your
dog is doing well on the food you are feeding do not switch.
If you have skin problems that cannot be traced to an obvious
cause such as fleas, consider a food with a higher fat content
or one of the hypoallergenic foods.
Understanding
Ingredients:
No matter the ingredients
in a dog food, most important is to supply nutrients in
a form the dog can use to translate into growth, energy,
and body repair. Nutrients are chemicals ingested by living
organisms that are necessary for survival. The six basic
nutrients needed by living things are protein, carbohydrate,
fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Fats, carbohydrates,
and water are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules
in different configurations; proteins include these elements
and nitrogen. Minerals are themselves elements; vitamins
are complex chemicals of different composition necessary
for various life processes.
Proteins
are chemicals made up of other chemicals known as amino
acids. Dogs can manufacture some amino acids in their bodies
and must be supplied others in their food. Proteins from
animal sources -- meat and meat byproducts -- are more complete
and easier to extract and digest than proteins from plant
sources. Proteins form the enzymes that metabolize food
into energy as well as the hormones that guide various body
functions. They themselves can also be metabolized to provide
energy. High protein feeds are recommended for puppies and
working dogs, but too much protein can cause renal (kidney)
disease and has been implicated in some temperament problems.
Fats
are probably the most misunderstood of the nutrients, for
they are popularly considered the cause of obesity. It is
true that a food high in fat will cause obesity in a dog
that has a low expenditure of energy, for fats are higher
in calorie than either protein or carbohydrates. However,
fats are essential for good health, particularly of the
skin. Today's homes are well-heated and have dry air that
can exacerbate dry skin conditions; the addition of Omega
fatty acids to dog diets either in the formula or as a supplement,
can help keep skin pliable and healthy. Fats increase the
palatability of food, provide a media for fat-soluble vitamins,
and affect food storage. They also are essential for healthy
coat and skin, reproductive efficiency, and kidney function.
Carbohydrates
should make up about 50 percent of a balanced food for dogs.
The source of carbohydrates is an important consideration;
corn is the most popular choice, with soybeans a close second.
Other sources include rice and wheat. As long as the carbohydrate
source is clean and of good nutritional quality, that is,
it does not consist of floor sweepings or come from a poor
quality harvest, it probably does not matter. Some dogs
may be allergic to one or more of these sources, and some
dogs may experience bloating or flatulence on soybean formulas,
but most dogs do well on most sources of carbohydrate.
Vitamins and
minerals are necessary for proper absorption of
fats and carbohydrates and for the chemical reactions in
the body. Not only do organisms need these nutrients, but
also they need them in proper amounts and ratios for optimum
health. For example, unless calcium and phosphorus are in
balance, neither will be properly absorbed or utilized,
which can lead to bone or muscle problems. Some dogs may
need vitamin or mineral supplements at some time during
their lives. Some breeders give extra Vitamin C to dogs
recovering from injury and boost bitches with Vitamins C
and E during pregnancy. However, dogs manufacture their
own Vitamin C, so this may be redundant. Dogs with dry skin
may benefit from daily doses of Vitamin E, and dogs under
stress or bothered by fleas or biting flies may improve
if given Vitamin B complex. The operative word is "may";
brewer's yeast, that oft-touted, but essentially effective
treatment for flea problems is high in B-complex vitamins.
Vitamins are divided into fat-soluble and water-soluble
types. Water-soluble vitamins are excreted from the body
if they are not used; fat-soluble
vitamins are stored in fatty tissue.
· Water-soluble
vitamins are the B complex, including thiamin, riboflavin,
pantothenic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid,
choline, and B12, and C, ascorbic acid. B-vitamins help
convert food to energy; C can be manufactured by the dog
and supplementation is not necessary. However, some breeders
insist that Vitamin C is helpful for dogs that are under
stress.
· Fat-soluble
vitamins are A, D, E, and K. They are involved in several
body functions, including eyesight, bone formation and strength
(with calcium), cell stability, and blood coagulation. Vitamin
K can be synthesized by bacteria in the dog's intestine
and does not need to be added to the diet under ordinary
circumstances. Deficiencies of Vitamin E can cause muscle
tissue breakdown, reproductive failure, and impairment of
immune response. Vitamin A deficiency can cause several
eye problems, including dryness, corneal ulceration, and
inflammation of the conjunctiva. Vitamin D deficiency causes
rickets.
· Fat-soluble
vitamins can build up in tissues and become toxic. Excess
Vitamin A can lead to bone disease; too much Vitamin D can
cause calcification of soft tissue, lungs, and kidneys.
Evidence of toxicity in Vitamin E overdose is sketchy; there
may be some adverse effects on blood coagulation or thyroid
function, but more study is needed to ascertain the extent
of such effect.
Minerals
are essential for bone formation, muscle metabolism, fluid
balance, and nervous system function. Minerals are divided
into major and trace concentrations. Calcium and phosphorus
are necessary in particular ratio for bone formation and
strength. An imbalance in the ratio will cause bone problems.
Potassium is found within tissue cells and is important
in cellular activity; a deficiency causes muscle weakness
and heart and kidney lesions. Sodium is found in fluids
outside the tissue cells and performs a function similar
to potassium. It is usually found in the diet as sodium
chloride -- salt -- and is rarely deficient. Excess sodium
has been linked to hypertension in dogs. Magnesium is found
in soft tissue and bone; it interacts with calcium to provide
proper heart, muscle, and nervous tissue function and aids
in metabolism of potassium and sodium. Deficiency leads
to muscle weakness
and sometimes convulsions.
Preservatives
are necessary in foods that contain animal fats to prevent
rancidity. The fats are used in dry kibble for palatability,
a source of fatty acids, and a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins
can cause dog food to become toxic if they break down. Dog
food manufacturers use several chemicals called antioxidants
to prevent that breakdown, including BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin,
and Vitamins C and E.
Vitamins are used
in all natural and organic foods. They are more expensive
than other chemicals and not as efficient at the job. Foods
preserved with vitamins have a shorter shelf life than food
preserved with BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin.
Supplements:
Many nutritionists
and veterinarians feel that a dog being fed a balanced diet
that meets its requirement for nutrients does not need any
supplements of vitamins or minerals. Some go so far as to
say that supplements can unbalance the diet by disrupting
the necessary relationship between vitamins and minerals.
Some breeders disagree and regularly supplement their dogs
with one of a variety of products promoted for healthy coats
and skin, bone growth, reproductive capacity, etc. Some
owners who have dogs with dry skin may add a teaspoon or
tablespoon of corn oil to their pet's dinner, but many nutritionists
think that this adds only calories and that a food higher
in essential fatty acids will take care of the skin. Some
owners purchase essential fatty acids in a bottle and add
that to the food. Some owners think growing puppies need
extra calcium and add it in the form of bone meal. But this
can do more harm than good, for calcium must be in balance
with phosphorus and magnesium in the diet, and an overabundance
of calcium can cause a myriad of problems. Most dogs will
do well when fed good quality dry dog food; occasionally
add some canned or frozen food, some meat broth (no salt
added), or a bit of liver for a treat; and avoid supplements
unless recommended by a veterinarian. Those owners who would
like to cook their own food at home should contact a nutritionist
for a recipe to make sure the ration is balanced.
Feeding Your
Puppy
Puppies should be
feed three times a day until they are three months old.
They should be then feed two times a day for the rest of
their lives. If you are feeding a dry kibble you may wish
to soak the kibble in water to soften this for younger puppies.
By the time they are three to four months old they should
be eating the kibble dry or with a little canned food mixed
in. Look for a kibble that comes in small bites. Feeding
a dry kibble will help with teeth and gum problems.
Feeding the
Older Dog
As you dog becomes
a senior citizen his nutritional requirements may change.
As he gets older he will naturally be less active than he
was as puppy and young adult and therefore may need less
energy from his diet. A special diet is sometimes needed
for him as he grows elderly. Adjustment in the content of
protein he gets might be needed as organs can become less
efficient in dealing with food. Many of the major brands
of dog food have formulas available for the elderly dog.
Obesity
Obesity in dogs is
a serious medical problem. Fat dogs are more at risk in
surgery, more prone to injury, and have more stress on their
heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and joints. Fat complicates
diseases, injuries, and surgery and stresses the body. Health
factors associated with obesity include skeletal stress,
cardiopulmonary disease, interference with normal reproductive
functions and puppy delivery, complications to diabetes,
difficulty in regulating body temperature, and potential
inflammation of the pancreas. Surgery takes longer if the
veterinarian has to work his way through layers of fat,
and obesity complicates drug therapy, anesthesia, and recovery
from injury. Approximately 25-30 percent of dogs either
suffers from obesity or is at risk of becoming obese. Dogs
become obese because they take in more calories than they
use. They will eat themselves into oblivion if given half
a chance, so you must be on your toes. To avoid overweight,
tailor the dog's diet to his activity level, walk the dog
daily, and cut back on treats, especially high fat treats.
Do not depend on the dog to exercise himself in the back
yard; like most people, dogs will not exercise sufficiently
without some incentive to do so. A regular schedule of walks
and a lower calorie diet will help avoid obesity in spayed
and neutered dogs. To return a dog to a healthy weight,
work with a veterinarian to rule out hormonal problems,
determine the dog's optimum weight, and devise a feeding
schedule that will achieve that weight with a minimum
of stress on the dog. Some dog food companies have a special
formula for overweight dogs that contain fewer calories.
If the dog is very hungry, a diet high in moisture may do
the trick because it provides more volume.
Treats
There are many commercially
prepared dog biscuits that make excellent rewards and snacks.
There are also preserved packaged meat products, either
beef or lamb based, in rolls that can be cut into small
bites for treats. You can find these products at most stores
that carry dog food. Care should be taken not to overfed
these treats so that your dog will not eat its regular diet.
Those interested in healthy foods will find that dogs like
vegetables such as raw carrots and broccoli cut up into
little bits. dogs seem to like the crunchy taste of these
treats, which are also excellent stimulation for the gums.
Sliced beef liver and a bunch of garlic (the kind that comes
cut up in a bottle) boiled until the beef liver is cooked
through (30 minutes) makes an excellent homemade treat.
The resultant liver is quite messy which can be solved by
placing on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 degrees and
bake, turning once until each side is dried out -- but not
dried to the point of the entire piece being hard. Cut this
up into little bits and keep in refrigerator. dogs love
this -- but you do need to use care to not give them too
much as it can cause diarrhea. And alternative to beef liver
is beef hearts. Basically cook this the same way as the
liver above. As your butcher for beef hearts or ask them
to special order for you. They are usually quite inexpensive.
You may need to buy a whole heart but the butcher will usually
cut up for you and you can freeze until needed. When cooked
this tastes much like roast beef and again the dogs love
this treat. Beef heart treats do not cause diarrhea that
that comes with the liver treats.
Baby
Food: Proper Feeding Of Orphan Pups
When a bitch is unable
to provide milk, we have several options to help ensure
that her puppies will grow into healthy, well-nourished
dogs.
There are many reasons why an owner
might have to hand-raise a puppy: The bitch may be ill or
not producing adequate amounts of milk, or the puppies may
have been abandoned. Whatever the reason, hand-rearing a
puppy is an intensive endeavor, but it can be very rewarding.
To be successful, it is important to know a little about
what constitutes normal nutrition for newborn puppies.
The first nutrition all puppies require
at birth is colostrum, the specialized milk produced by
the bitch the first one to two days after whelping. Colostrum
provides the puppy with protective antibodies, and it is
extremely high in calories, protein and vitamins. Therefore,
it is critical that a puppy nurse within the first 12 to
24 hours to obtain the important benefits of colostrum.
After the short period of colostrum production, the puppy's
caloric, protein, fat, vitamin, mineral and water requirements
must be met by
a steady supply of nutritionally balanced milk. Under normal
circumstances, the puppy's requirements for all these nutrients
are matched perfectly by the nutritional content of bitch's
milk.
Options:
When the bitch cannot provide milk,
it becomes our responsibility to provide it. There are a
number of methods you can use. The most natural and least
labor-intensive is to foster a puppy on another bitch who
is currently producing milk. Unfortunately, foster mothers
are rarely available. A second option is bottle-feeding.
This method works well for vigorous puppies with a strong
suckle reflex. Healthy, vigorous puppies will suck until
they are full. Weaker or sick puppies usually will be unable
to get enough milk this way. If the puppy cannot suck adequately,
tube-feeding becomes necessary. Some people prefer tube-feeding
because it is less time-consuming than bottle-feeding, especially
if a whole litter has to be fed. If you choose to tube-feed,
however, you must be careful not to overfeed. Remember that
with this method it is you who is determines how much the
puppy ingests, as opposed to bottle-feeding, where the puppy
decides when it is full.
As previously mentioned, the ideal
diet for puppies is bitch's milk, but this is usually not
available in adequate quantities for hand-rearing. Therefore,
the goal is to match bitch's milk as closely as possible
in terms of protein, amino acids, fat, vitamins and minerals.
In addition, the digestibility should be high (at least
90 percent). Although it is impossible to exactly match
the nutritional quality of bitch's milk, many commercial
milk replacers do come close. One advantage of commercial
milk replacers is that the nutrient content is guaranteed.
If you start with a brand that approximates bitch's milk,
you can be assured that it will support growth. Nutritional
content does vary widely, however, among the various commercial
products. As an example, a puppy's dietary protein requirement
is 7.5 percent (on an as-fed basis), while the protein content
of commercial milk-replacers can range from 4.8 to 14.7
percent. Talk to your veterinarian or to a veterinary nutritionist
for assistance in selecting the most appropriate milk-replacement
product for your puppies.
Some owners prefer to use homemade
milk replacers, but formulating a nutritionally balanced
homemade milk-replacer is difficult. Bitch's milk contains
high amounts of fat, low amounts of lactose and moderate
amounts of protein. Cow's milk and goat's milk, on the other
hand, are high in lactose and lower in protein and fat.
Cow's milk and goat's milk are also lower in caloric density
than bitch's milk. Although supplements can be added to
cow's milk and goat's milk to make them more closely approximate
bitch's milk, they will still be too high in lactose, which
increases the risk of diarrhea. Recipes for homemade milk
replacers can be nutritionally unbalanced, some of them
extremely so. As just one example, a puppy's dietary calcium
requirement is 0.24 percent, whereas the percentages of
calcium in published homemade recipes range from 0.09 to
0.29 percent. Again, it is wise to talk to your veterinarian
or a veterinary nutritionist before deciding to use a homemade
diet.
Monitoring
Growth:
Puppies usually double their weight
in the first week and then gain 1 to 2 grams per pound of
anticipated adult weight each day. (In other words, an Airedale
puppy that is expected to weigh 50 pounds as an adult should
gain approximately 50 to 100 grams per day as a puppy.)
Puppies that are hand-reared may not grow quite as fast
as nursing puppies, so you should not be too concerned
if they fail to meet these expectations.
Weigh the puppy daily for at least
the first two weeks; monitor growth, and adjust the amount
of milk replacer accordingly. After that, monitoring growth
every three to four days is sufficient. A poor growth rate
suggests that there is a problem either with the milk replacer,
the amount being fed, or the method of feeding, or that
there is an underlying problem with the puppy. Be sure to
monitor the room temperature and humidity level, provide
stimulation for elimination, keep the environment sanitary
and ensure proper socialization. All of these actions are
necessary if you wish to raise a happy, healthy puppy.
Trouble-Shooting:
Sometimes hand-rearing will be complicated
by problems such as vomiting, diarrhea, bloating or aspiration
of food. If any of these occur, examine the following aspects
of your feeding methods:
1.
Feeding position. The puppy should not overextend its head
during feeding. This increases the risk of aspiration.
2. Temperature of the food. Make
sure that food is at body temperature when feeding. Cold
food can cause vomiting, but food that is too hot can burn
the puppy's mouth.
3. Speed. Watch out for feeding too
quickly. Rapid feeding by tube can cause vomiting or bloating.
Infuse the milk over one to two minutes.
4. Mixing the milk replacer. If the
milk replacer is not mixed according to directions, it may
be too concentrated (which can lead to vomiting, bloating
and diarrhea), or too diluted (which means you will have
to feed more to supply more calories).
5. Total amount. Overfeeding can
also cause problems. If there is resistance during tube-feeding,
this usually means the stomach is full. Avoid overfeeding,
especially at the beginning. If the puppy is not gaining
adequate weight, you can always increase the amount you
are feeding. This is easier than dealing with the consequences
of overfeeding, such as vomiting, diarrhea or aspiration.
On the other hand, to avoid underfeeding you must make sure
the puppy is gaining weight adequately, as discussed above.
6. Hygiene. In order to prevent infections
that can cause vomiting or diarrhea, it is especially important
for puppies to have a clean environment. Be sure to carefully
wash all feeding equipment, mixing only enough replacer
to last for 24 hours and refrigerating any unused quantities.
7. Underlying problems. If you have
double-checked all of the above, consider taking the puppy
to your veterinarian to make sure there is not an underlying
problem.
Feeding of a semisolid gruel, comprised
of a good-quality commercial puppy food mixed with water,
can be instituted at 3 to 4 weeks of age. Milk replacer,
however, should continue in reduced amounts until 6 weeks
to maintain adequate growth. Careful attention to the puppy's
diet and growth rate during these first six weeks will get
it off to a good start on the road to becoming a healthy,
well-nourished dog.
