Fostering - Raising

If for any reason your bitch should die, be unable to feed her puppies herself, or has not got enough milk to satisfy a large litter, prompt action needs to be taken.

Hand rearing is one option available to you, extreme caution and immediate expert veterinary advice should be sought with regard to the correct equipment and which suitable bitch's milk replacement powder to use.

If you are feeding puppies by hand as a supplement to the bitch's milk because the litter is too large for her to cope with, it is important to allow each puppy to feed at least once from the mother, the first milk produced by the bitch is called colostrums and provides the puppies with precious antibodies.

It is possible to return puppies to the bitch in between feeds without detriment; this would be the best practice ensuring that the puppies are handled to a minimum and stroking the bitch with your hands first to disguise your own smell.

Never leave puppies alone that have been fed and placed in a separate container or box as the bitch may decide to leave her nest and climb into this, resulting in the puppies being suffocated or squashed.

Whether you are supplementing your puppies or hand rearing them completely, they should be fed at regular intervals of usually two hours for newborn puppies, up to three hours for stronger and older puppies.

It is important that all equipment used for the feeding of puppies is sterilised with boiled water and a well known sterilising solution or tablets.

If the puppies are being completely hand reared it is important to ensure that other maternal functions are mimicked i.e. cleaning and gently rubbing the genitals with a damp warm cloth to stimulate and encourage the emptying of the bladder and bowels, also after feeding gently clean puppies with clean, warm, damp cloth as would be usual if the bitch was present.

As with any aspect of hand rearing, if you have any concerns or worries do not hesitate to consult your veterinary surgeon.

If you have no other option open to you other than fostering, then again, time is an important factor in finding a foster bitch.

Important Note: - Care must be taken with bitches that have lost their own puppies and are offered for fostering, the cause of this must be established before fostering can be considered.