What to do if my 2-week-old bottle-fed puppy is bloated and weak?

I recommend you have him rechecked by a vet as soon as possible - although you do not mention his age or breed a 5ml feed of liquids should not cause bloating in a 5week old pup and it is vital he receive nutrition immediately in order to grow and develop. Contact the bluecross centre also to see if they have had any similar issues with his siblings

I'm very sorry this puppy is so sick! Newborn puppies are extremely fragile, and when they are sick, they have to see a vet immediately. She needs medical treatment from a vet right away for her best chance of survival, and I would take her into one now.

Hi there. Poor pup! Bottle babies are very hard to raise-it's just like having a baby and I commend you on trying. These babies can have parasites, a "failure to thrive" (usually because of lack of antibodies from mom), etc. make sure your milk is mixed and stored properly. The pre made cans of esbilac are my favorite for bottle puppies and have easy feeding directions. Your puppy also needs to eat about every 3 hours at most. Make sure the puppy is passing gas and that you are also not overfeeding (which is also very serious). If Cow continues to do poorly, best to see a doctor. I hope this helps! Good luck to you.

I would recommend a vet check to determine if there are nay underlying medical causes but the fact she eats well is a good sign. Monitor for regular stools and no pain or vomiting and ensure she is dewormed regularly with an appropriate puppy wormer (every 2-4 weeks depending on the product). Keep her isolated from other dogs (especially dog parks etc) until she is fully up to date with her vaccines

It is unclear from your post whether your puppy is being hand-raised or is still with its mother. If you are hand-raising, it is important to know whether you are bottle feeding or tube feeding. However, based on the information you have given, I suspect one of the following things could be contributing to your puppy's condition: 1) When hand-raising a neonate puppy, you must stimulate the puppy to urinate and defecate. Failure to do so can cause distension of the abdomen and discomfort. To stimulate, take a paper towel moistened with warm water and gently (but firmly) rub the anogenital area until the puppy releases urine and bowels. 2) Overfeeding can cause a bloated, distended stomach and diarrhea, esp. If tube-feeding. 3) Giving the wrong formula. A poorly tolerated formula can cause gas and stomach irritation. My preferred formula for puppies is Esbilac. ( If you decide to switch formulas, transition slowly or you will give your puppy diarrhea)

I would be concerned that there is a functional issue such as a cleft palate or other problem that is preventing him from being able to suckle, or that may be causing him discomfort. If he is losing weight, unable to suckle and has the symptoms of pneumonia, then it is best to seek out veterinary care immediately as dehydration and lack of nutrition can quickly kill a puppy. Once he has been checked out by a vet, you can return to trying to bottle feed him. Keeping him on his belly may help with aspiration if he has a hard time, however your vet can recommend additional options depending on their exam. Most puppy formulations will also have feeding instructions on the can so you know how much to give and how often (usually every few hours until they are older, and then decreasing as they transition to food around 4-6 weeks of age.)

If the mom is not producing enough milk then you need to supplement and bottle feed them with a puppy milk replacer. You should also be weighing them daily to monitor their weight gain. If the puppies continue to have problems then they should be examined by a vet to determine the cause.