Why shouldn't puppies drink human baby formula if they can survive?

Ideally no you cannot, as it can cause gastrointestinal signs like vomiting and diarrhoea. Puppy replacement milk is specifically designed for dogs. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Infamil is not made for puppies so that is likely why he won't drink it. You need a milk replacer made for puppies like Esbilac. Are you using a bottle? https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/petag-esbilac-powder-puppy-milk-replacer-and-dog-food-supplement My recommendation is to consult with a local veterinarian that can teach you how to raise an orphan puppy if you are unsure on how to do it. That is going to give Karter the best chance at survival. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

There are commercial puppy formulas that are the best option, but there are some homemade puppy formulas as well. I am attaching a handout below on caring for orphan puppies. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=576 It recommends the following formula for puppies if a commercial formula is not available. "Makeshift Formula until Commercial Formula can be Obtained Puppies 1 cup whole milk 1 tsp. salad oil 1 drop multi-vitamins (if you have any) 2 egg yolks" Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Puppy formula is really the cheapest option. Other recipes that use goat or cow milk are not appropriately balanced for puppies. Here is an article on orphaned puppies, but I do not recommend using the recipe they provide: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2 2108

This is a good question, and I really wish the answer was yes. Unfortunately puppies and kittens can't drink cows milk. They need a formula solution that can be found at your local pet store or Veterinarian. The milk we drink can cause upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea and can't be safely substituted for mothers milk.

If, in an emergency or some remote location where you cannot obtain puppy milk replacement, you can mix a formula. Mine consists of one-half cup evaporated whole milk, one half cup boiled water, one teaspoon full of corn oil, one drop of pediatric human multivitamin (Visorbin or equivalent), two raw eggs and a tablespoon full of plain whole yogurt. For some reason, formulas based on evaporated milk cause less diarrhea and indigestion than those based on fresh cow’s milk. Adding a quarter of a lactase tablet to each batch of formula might help the puppy deal with the large amount of lactose present in cow’s milk. Get puppy formula first thing in the morning.

The most important thing is to make sure they are gaining weight appropriately. Since they are still nursing, they may be getting all the food they need between the formula and heaven's milk. Here is a link which has some helpful information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/orphaned-puppies-how-to-raise-them/ I hope this helps.