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Puppy Milk Replacers

Ideally, puppies should nurse from their mothers for the first four to eight weeks of their lives, but if the mother isn’t present or cannot provide enough milk, puppy formula can be a helpful replacement. A canine milk replacer is also a valuable tool in weaning puppies to solid food. Petco offers a variety of puppy milk formulas that contain the vitamins and minerals new puppies need to thrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Puppies require milk for at least the first four weeks of their lives. In some cases, mothers are not present or are unable to feed their puppies. In these instances, pet parents can provide their puppies specially formulated milk supplements for puppies. These dog milk replacers are essentially the canine version of baby formula and include the specific mixture of amino acids, vitamins and minerals that puppies need to grow up strong.

Dog milk replacer comes as a powder or liquid formula. Mix the powder with water to make the supplement. Be sure to read the directions carefully and to feed puppies according to the guidance of your vet.

As your puppy gets older, you can also use a milk supplement for puppies as part of the weaning process. Learn more about puppy nutrition and how much to feed a puppy.

Puppies should be given puppy milk formula until they are completely weaned if they are not otherwise able to get milk from their mother. The weaning process can begin around the four-month mark for most puppies when their teeth start coming in. Weaning should be done gradually over several weeks, and you’ll need to supplement your puppy’s wet food or dry food diet with dog formula. Some puppies wean faster than others, so have patience and let your puppy transition at their own pace.

One of the best ways to wean puppies is to mix puppy food with their familiar puppy formula to make a watery gruel. Over time, use more food and less formula until your puppy transitions fully to wet or dry puppy food.

Have a new puppy? Here’s a helpful new dog pet parent guide.

If you need to feed a dog milk replacer to your puppy because the mother is unavailable or unable, consult your veterinarian for guidance. Your vet can give you a recommendation on the best puppy milk replacer depending on your dog’s breed, size and unique needs. Once you begin using puppy formula, observe your puppy closely. If you notice diarrhea or vomiting, contact your vet as you may need to try a different formula.

Help keep your puppy feeling good throughout every stage of life with dog vitamins and supplements.

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