How To Take Care Of Orphaned Puppies And Kittens

Unfortunately, there are cases of newborn puppies being orphaned, either because they are rejected by their mothers, or because they die. They are called orphan puppies or kittens, those who are not lucky enough to be under maternal protection and require the care and attention of a replacement mother so that they can survive until weaning.

Animals in these conditions are obviously unable to survive on their own, so they will completely depend on the care of a third person to clean themselves, eat, protect themselves, cover themselves from the cold and interact with others.

When you take responsibility for caring for orphaned kittens or puppies, you also need to check whether they are premature or not. In this case, in fact, the care and attention necessary for their correct development and survival will have to intensify.

Diet

Newborn dogs and cats must follow a diet that exclusively includes milk for lactating animals. Usually thanks to the milk, the mother protects her puppies by strengthening their immune system, thus keeping them safe from viruses and bacteria that can negatively affect their health.

In general they need to be fed at least 4 times a day. However this will depend on how many weeks the orphans have. Smaller, weaker puppies with shorter lifespans need to be fed every 3 hours to get stronger and to boost their development.

The milk that will be used as a substitute for the mother’s milk must be administered slowly and must be lukewarm. Feeding orphans cold milk, or giving it very quickly, could in fact cause regurgitation, bronchoaspiration and diarrhea. It would be better if the infant formula was prescribed directly by the veterinarian in order to avoid possible adverse reactions.

If the puppy doesn’t want to eat, don’t force him. However, if you go a long time without feeding it can be a bad sign. Orphans should spend most of the time they are awake eating. If any of them don’t do it properly or regularly, the best thing to do is take them to the vet. Remember to observe their needs, if you notice any changes in color, texture or smell, something may be wrong.

Do not use cow’s milk to feed newborn orphans, as it contains a lot of fat and sugar. Cats and dogs cannot digest it well, even when they are adults, so it is not recommended to feed them with this milk.

Environment

Orphans require a warm and comfortable space, you must protect them with blankets on a padded, preferably absorbent, base. Keep in mind that newborn puppies cannot regulate their temperature, so the cold can be a dangerous threat to them.

If the puppy is very small, you will need to consider an artificial heat source. In fact, under normal conditions, it is the mother who takes care of providing the microclimate suitable for them, therefore by failing this environment, orphans are more likely to suffer from hypothermia, which can even lead to death.

Likewise, animals will need external stimuli that invite them to explore their surroundings. Although excessive noises, smells and visual stimuli can cause stress, the same elements can be considered positive in moderate doses, because they help the neurological development of orphans. Animals that do not receive stimuli develop atypical behaviors, such as nervousness and aggression.

Contact with siblings is very important to them, because it partially compensates for the absence of the mother. However, care must be taken because orphans tend to suck each other and can cause skin lesions.

Hygiene

Orphaned animals are unable to clean themselves, so they are more at risk of contracting infections. You have to clean the puppy’s coat several times a day with the help of a damp cloth, in the same way you have to remove the feces every time the puppies do their needs.

Even those who take care of the puppy must be very careful to wash their hands thoroughly before picking it up or touching it, it can in fact transmit infections through dirty hands. You can stimulate the puppy to do his own needs by touching his belly, back and perianal area with damp cotton. The puppy will begin to do his needs voluntarily only from the third week.

Remember that the bottles, syringes and other utensils you will use with your orphaned puppies must be kept clean because it is very easy to transmit bacteria through the mouth.