What's the best way to care for a premature puppy born to my dog?

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!

Sometimes the mother will reject puppies that she feels won't make it, and in a large litter with such a small breed dog I would not be surprised if some of the pups just weren't viable. Your best bet in the future is to make sure the puppies are kept well-warmed - a heat lamp is good for this - and also watch the mom closely, especially in the first few days, to make sure that her mothering instincts are taking over and she's not trying to sit on any of the puppies. If you find some of them unresponsive, wrap them in a warm towel and try stimulating them by vigorous rubbing. You can also gently blow into their mouths, and use a bulb syringe to suction any accumulated mucous from the airway.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the puppy. Puppies from the same litter can vary in size. Be sure the puppy is nursing well. Keep it clean, dry and warm. Hopefully it will do well. After mom has finished delivering the remaining pups, it is a good idea to have her and the litter examined by a veterinarian. You will also want to weigh the puppy daily with a small gram scale. This way you can ensure that it is gaining weight daily. I hope this information helps!

Oh no, those poor puppies! How lovely of you to look after the puppies. You will have to bottle feed them, and first thing you need to get is puppy formula replacer. You can get it from a pet store or a vet's office. I will put a link below on how to raise orphan puppies. Keep in mind it is intensive the first couple of weeks, and will take a lot of your time. I hope this helps! http://www.2ndchance.info/orphanpuppy.htm

Unfortunately this is really hard to do. You want to make sure the kitten is warm and body temperature never gets cold. I would recommend taking the kitten to a vet so they can show you how to place a feeding tube and start feeding a kitten milk supplement. It is very important that the kitten gets colostrum with in 24 hours. Colostrum has antibodies in it to help support the kitten.

Hi, so sorry to hear that the puppy is not doing well. If the puppy is cold to the touch try to warm him or her with a blanket and make sure the airway is clear by gently opening the mouth. In some cases, we have to use a bulb syringe to remove saliva or secretions from the airway. Then attempt to get the puppy to nurse. If the puppy fails to show interest in nursing you should purchase a baby bottle and formula (Esbilac) and attempt to feed every 2 hours using. Also, stimulate the puppy to urinate and defecate by gently wiping the anus with a warm wet washcloth. If the puppy fails to show signs of improvement contact your veterinarian.

The puppy at this stage is best being close to the mother. Because you don't have access to her, you'll want to create the environment. You'll need to visit your local Pet store and pick up a puppy feeding kit. This should include a breastmilk substitute/formula, a bottle, and nipples. He'll need to be fed often until he's a little older. Keep him warm with a warm water bottle and be sure to stay close. If he seems weak or unresponsive you'll need to take him to the Veterinarian immediately. The best solution would be to find his mother (if you can) and let him stay with her until 6-8 weeks of age.