Sadly we lost one of the pups on Weds night through inhalation pneumonia - we had all four remaining pups at vets on Thurs and Friday. 2 on drips - they returned home on Fri evening all a bit chesty so we have to wean them as soon as poss off bottle. What a nightmare though, as they were 5 days prem their eyes are only just opening so I am struggling getting them to lap. Thanks for all help and concern.

Lorraine

Hi Lorraine, my friend phoned me tonight to let me know the bitch puppy in her litter has also died, but the tiny one, a dog, is doing well (fingers crossed) and is now 8oz, the other dog is a massive 19oz, just to let you see the difference in weights, the bitch was taken to the vets, and sadly died overnight. I will keep my fingers crossed for your pups.

Thanks Irene, please give my regards to your friend, I certainly know how she feels, our little bitch went to vet at 3 am in morning and died just after my husband brought her home, I brought her back three times but there was too much fluid in her lungs I guess. Never having hand reared before the amount of info available from vets is not particularly high, using the same philosophy as bottle feeding my son I honestly thought the more they took the better which has contributed to the pups problems with colic. I am trying a little baby rice in the Whelpi to try to get them lapping ( 4 t shirt changes today) but the kitchen is wearing most of the milk !.

regards

Lorraine

I'm very sorry to hear your story. I was a little luckier a few years back, when my dam became quite ill, and her pups were only 7 days old. (she made a full recovery, thankfully) This left me trying to bottle feed 8 pups, but I found they were getting a little milk on their lungs so I decided to try and get them lapping. First attempts with whelpi made the pups cough and milk was coming from their noses, so I decided to try and thicken the milk. I boiled an egg, and added a Farleys Rusk to the meal quantaty of milk (for all pups), I then blended it till the mixture was like a very light mouse. Useing a teaspoon , I fed each puppy individually. By 11 days old they were lapping like 4 weeker's and they all thrived. I also allowed then access to pro-boiled water for them to practice lapping. I hope this helps, keep us all posted.

All the best, Elmbridge.

Hi Elmbridge

Thanks for advice, only one has eyes open (apparantly Akitas are quite slow) so she is lapping quite well, others use nose as shovel - I have thickened consistency of rice and Whelpi and am finding it easier to get them to eat of my fingers which are well and truly crossed still !
many thanks again

Lorraine

Don't worry about their eyes being slow to open i am hand rearing 2 of a litter of 7 who can't feed properly from their mum they were 5 days prem and their eyes didn't open till 14-16 days, I have had to wean the 2 handreared ones early and because they can't lap properly they have been eating fresh steak mince soaked in lactol milk they love it they are 3 weeks old today and doing well good luck with yours

Thanks Emma,

They are all now off bottle since this morning ( wish I could say the same) am giving them baby rice, honey and Whelpi as a very thick mixture. Does the steak break down into a mush in the milk ? the vet gave me Eukanuba to try but they just spit it out.

Help much appreciated

cheers Lorraine

Hi Lorraine,
Eukanuba puppy food is very good, as is most makes of puppy food on the market today. You must PRE-SOAK the food and then blend it in to the milk, otherwise they will play with it without eating it. My breed (large GSD's) can't handle that size kibble untill the age of about 51/2 weeks old. When blended, it can be slowly introduced to the pups from 3 weeks onwards, or a bit earlier in your case. Remember, introduce the puppy food slowly and over a period of a week or so, so you won't make them ill
Regards

Elmbridge

Hi have you tried Pedigree chums weaning poridge it mixes into a thick poridge and as the pups get older you can change the consistancy to suit
we used this on all our litters and they always love it at early ages
Profeshional Choice also do a weaning poridge and thats available via the website.

Welcome to the forum Karin Leigh

Hi Lorraine I know this will sound daft but its works very well with puppies I have rescued and weaned get some pedigree chum puppy meat preferably chicken and rice (its very squishy) and press it down on a saucer with the milk (only a bit of milk at first) and they will go mad for it It worked by accident for me once when desperate and now I try them as soon as I can with this it I find they take to semi solid much better than milky stuff to lap..Good Luck

I always start mine on Pedigree chum canned puppy, mixed with cooled boiled water and some mushed up canned rice pudding-they love it!! Makes a smelly mess though!

Many thanks yet again, will try pedigree chum next, the whelpi, rice and honey mix is going down pretty well but it dries like concrete ! am sponging them off after feed but need a chainsaw to cut through it !. Fingers crossed yet again as 3 weeks tomorrow but seems like a lifetime, I have been tempting fate by giving them names now so will hopefully be able to bore everybody again in a few days time with update. Even Vet was tearful today when I took photo of them walking round. Again thanks to everyone for making me feel that there is so much advice and support available.
Lorraine

Lorraine
3 weeks old--phew!! Keeping fingers crossed, but its a milestone!! Well done you! Just think, soon you'l be able to slleeeeeeppp!

Hi Jusjokin, whats this sleep u mention ? I think it must that thing I used to get 6 years ago before my son was born and started occupying our bed in the middle of the night, already shared by the two Rotts at the bottom. There is more room on the sofa were I have been for past three weeks, its just the noisy alarm clock every few hours that spoils it !!

cheers Lorraine

LOL!! yep, sleep is something you don't get much of with kids around!! Nothing ages you as much as kids! i expect you are well used to 'cat naps', and the sofa sounds the most comfy place in your house.............

Hi Jusjokin, cat naps is what my husband has !, I sleep for England when I get the chance, however my son never seems to need much, if I could bottle the energy I'd make a fortune. Our vet has taken to calling on her way home now to have a look at pups, so far so good, they are stuffing themselves on tesco rice and puppy meal, they have also started fighting which I hope is a good sign !!! I must admit sofa is good but bed is better, am hoping soon I will be able to return there, my rottie has just come in season but I cannnot bring myself to mate her. Our vet said today that my woo dog had heart failure probably due to the large amount of fluid that she had and that caused the inertia. I can honestly say I would never like to go through this again though and if anyone needs any help via what not to do in hand rearing I'm sure I could help.

regards Lorraine

When I start weaning my pups (I use Arden Grange) I heat up some goats milk in the microwave til it is warm (not hot) then I put the puppy food in the milk and wait till it soaks it up. Heating the milk gently helps a lot. Then I mix it into a paste and give it to the pups.

Unfortunatly goats milk has not got the same nutritional value as lactol i was handrearing 2 pups on it and they struggled to gain weight when i looked at the nutritional value it was half the fat and not as much protien and when handrearing this makes alot of diffence as they havn't a bitch to top up from.

The only reson i was puting milk in the mince was because on of the pups was refusing ANY liquid in her bottle and this was the only way to get any liquid in her{it still holds its mince texture but much softer and not as easy to feed as normal mince} as for the other one he sits on my lap and eats the mince in chunks and has done since he was 2.5 wekks old they were all started on mince as they just didn't seen to be able to lap very well at that age they now lap pedigree chum complete puppy well soaked and mashed and sloppy very well as they can stand properly, the pup I am handrearing still has mince and is trying the 'slop' but is finding mince easier and soooooo much cleaner mine are now 3.5 weeks old how old are your lot now?

Hi Emma,

Mine were three weeks yesterday, they are now eating a concoction of premium puppy meal soaked in Whelpi, a spoonful of honey and a little rice and canned puppy food. They actually look a third bigger today than yesterday especially in the tummy ! They still wont lap fluid and I have to hold them up while they eat so if you can imagine an Akita with all the facial hair gelled back but with a mohican between the ears they make for a good alien in a new film ! I had an enquiry from Germany yesterday but daren t tempt fate by sending details yet. We are still feeding every 4 hours but are now missing out one in middle of night, is this too much do u think ? I have only every weaned with mum around so have never fed solids so often early on.
help as ever appreciated
regards Lorraine

hello again well sadly the bitch puppy i was handrearing had to be PTS on tuesday, but then male is TRITHING he is the same size as the other pups, i only give him 3 bottles of milk a day , he has 4 meals a day 3 with his other brother and sisters the other is fresh mince fed whilst on my lap i don't feed him during the night as he dosn't need it.
I know what you mean about then not being able to stand whilst eating that was why i started them on mince whilst on my lap LESS MESS!!!!!!
My lot are now 3weks and 6days old and can happily lap the really runny parts of there dinner up you will be supprised how quickly they pick it up but the worst thing is when the food dries CRUSTY puppies or what good luck the worst is over now now comes the playing in poo and wee!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi again Emma, sympathies about your pup, I know how u feel all too well. Crusty pups is an understatement really isn t it !. Ma rottie has given up cleaning them now as they have started biting her nose when she tries, one of mine had its eye plastered shut yesterday after my husband had fed them. As for the poo and wee, well we have just started that, 2 of the pups are solid white with increasingly large yellow patches !! anyway good luck with yours and speak to you soon.

regards

Lorraine