How to feed a small, weak puppy struggling to nurse with littermates?

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.)

Hello. Just keep a close eye on everyone. Even the weaker puppies will fight for a nipple. As long as the puppies seem warm & content, & you see the mother dog cleaning up after the puppies, all will be well. Usually the only time you will need to supplement a puppy is if the mother dog is sick, or she has an extremely large litter. If you do find the need to help with supplemental feedings, make sure you use a puppy nursing formula like Esbilac. Take care.

You can try supplemental feeding with dog milk replacer and keep him warm and next to the mother and others if possible. Sometimes there is an underlying medical problem with the runt and in spite of your best efforts they do not survive. Dogs and other animals have litters with several pups because there is often one or two that don’t live. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lucky.

I'm so sorry to hear about your pup. First step is to warm him up. A Heating pad set on low with the cloth cover on will work. Other types of warm packs are ok too as long as there is a towel/cloth between the heat source and the pup. Keep heating until a rectal temp of 99 is achieved. Meanwhile, rub a small amount of white karo syrup or honey on his gums to help with low blood sugar. Between these two things he will hopefully perk up within 10-20 minutes enough to take the bottle/teat. Then feed as often as he cries. DO NOT try to syringe or force food until you are sure he is swallowing well as this can cause pneumonia if he accidentally inhales a little. Side note: I know it's silly, but be sure that you have poked a hole in the nipple of the bottle (many come with no opening which is weird). Sometimes, despite these efforts, a puppy will not respond and you will need to see the emergency vet for IV bloodsugar and fluids, etc. Even then, we sometimes cannot save them and they do pass. Many times these are the runts of the liver or we suspect there is something else going on (born with a congenital organ problem). Hope this helps and best of luck to you and the baby!

Puppies typically nurse every 2-4 hours until 3-4 weeks old then it can be every 4-6 hours. If he has a good suckle reflex that is a good sign and he is probably hungry. You will use puppy milk replacement until he is weaned which generally starts around 4-5 weeks of age the. Transition to soft puppy food and decrease milk feedings. They do have to stay warm. Their normal body temperature is 100 so that can be a sign if shaking. You have to gently wipe their behind and probates to stimulate them to go to the bathroom. This should be done after every meal. They generally sleep a lot and as they get older and more coordinated then they stay awake longer

The puppy may generally be weak, have a birth defect or did not develop properly. This is actually why dogs have many puppies, as there may always be one that will not do well and possibly die. I suggest you take the whole litter and mother to your veterinarian for an exam. There are so many possible causes for this that is not possible to determine the cause from your description and without a hands-on exam.

I would recommend to continue to supplemental feeding. Its possible that there is a congenital problem that is causing her to be so small compared to her littermates. I would recommend a vet visit to see if anything can be determined on physical exam. I would also recommend deworming the whole litter and mom to make sure parasites aren't a problem. The doctor may recommend bloodwork to check for any signs of liver problems. I hope this helps!