which milk do you breeder out there use,for a top up,the first time on my first litter i use shirley formula, which i didnot think it mixed every well,

Hi,
I used Welpi which I found they liked. In fact I still put it in their drinking water. This too can be hard to mix but I found if you use a balloon whisk and give it a good whisking it mixes up fairly easily.Hope this helps

TH came weaned on skinners puppy milk, it was almost the only thing that kept her going for 6 months, as she would only eat spasmodically. She's a monster now, so it can't be too bad.

skinners

Hi, I used to use Shirleys (with OK results) But a couple of years ago a friends vet told him that all the new borns he autopsied who had been bottle fed with a powder formula had a residue of the powder in the lungs, becasue it was impossible to completely dissolve it, and when the pups got any at all in the airways it caused real problems. Since then he (and me) have used the carnation/egg yolk/glucose/hot water formula - with great results
Gwen

I was told that the powders can also block the intestinal tract and will not use them on newborns (use LifeAid, condensed milk, water, Abidec instead if Mum can't feed).

I think we are often too quick to supplement - so what if a puppy is small, providing it is growing then I don't worry. By the time it is a few months old you generally can't tell who was biggest/smallest at birth and the smallest can end up larger than their littermates.

Chrisitne

where do you get your lifeaid from,i went on a semiar the speaker was heather rilley if mine rigth and she said about lifeaid.

Agree about not being too quick to supplement. I only use replacement make as a last resort (orphaned/rejected pup, cant latch on at all, etc) With just smaller, weaker pups I get the best results by doubling up on mums feeds (eg put the smaller pups on every hour, not 2 hours) making sure they get the best flowing teats, and monitoring feeds closely to make sure everyone gets all they need.
Gwen

Interested in what you and Christine say about powdered formula. Do either of you know if its mostly a case of problems happening when the powder is not properly mixed (eg by giving it a good whizz in the blender) or can it happen anyway?

From what my friends Vet told him, it is almost impossible to mix Powdered Milk formula so that it dissolves completely in the liquid. Some powdery residue is going to be present, even if you use a liquidiser to mix.

Gwen

Thanks Gwen .

After it was recommended to me (by a lady whose name I can't remember but she specialises in raising neonate pups) I asked my vet to get it in for me which they did. Although it is out of date I think I still have it somewhere so will look up the details later and add them to this post.

Christine
Edit Liquid Life-Aid, made by Norbrook Aminal Health. Maufactured by Norbrook Laboratories Ltd, Newry, BT35 6JP
Distributed by, Nrbrook Laboratories (GB) td, The Green, Great Corby, Carlisle, CA4 8LR

It is an oral rehydration therapy for Twin Lamb Disease, Calf Scour and Pig Scour - and, as far as I am concerned saved the life of my puppy as well!

We totally hand reared a litter of five on Whelpi changed over to Shirleys half way through and swopped back again, too much artificial milk can cause cataracts though !

Lorraine