Tube Feeding Puppies

Tube feeding puppies may be necessary if a mother abandons her litter or you find just one puppy too young to eat. Until the puppy can learn to suckle, tube feeding may be the only way to keep him alive.

Sizing the Tube for Puppies

To ensure the fewest mistakes possible, ask your veterinarian to help you determine the proper size of catheter to select to use for tube feeding. You will also need properly sized syringes to hold the formula.

Measure the appropriate amount to enter into the puppy's body by measure your puppy from the nostril to the last rib. You will need to remeasure this each day as the puppies may grow. Mark the correct amount on the tube with a pen to avoid mistakes.

Entering the Tube

  1. Place the puppy in your lap with his head and chest inclined slightly upward. Hold the back of the puppy's head gently with the same hand that you will use to pry his mouth open.
  2. Direct the tube into his mouth from the front of the mouth, not the side.
  3. Move the tube lightly through the mouth without pushing it hard down the throat. Once the tube reaches the dog's esophagus, he will begin to swallow and guide the tube down himself. This will help you avoid pushing it down the trachea.
  4. Once the tube has reached the amount you have marked off, you can release the formula from the syringe. Practice doing this a couple of times before the tube is actually in the puppy's stomach so you can see what type of pressure you will need and how fast the formula empties the syringe. You must be gentle to avoid damaging the stomach wall.

If you have never tube fed a puppy before, seek out the instruction of someone who has, such as an experienced breeder, a veterinarian or a vet tech. They can provide you with tips and practice to give you more confidence.

Preparing the Formula for the Tube

There are many over the counter formulas available for feeding young puppies. You may also choose to make the formula yourself. Just be sure to heat it to lukewarm before feeding and prepare more than you think you will need, just in case you make a mistake.

Once you have finished feeding the puppy half of the food, you must burp him. You must repeat this after you have finished feeding. A young puppy will also need to be stimulated around his anus and genitals with a warm washcloth to encourage urination and defecation.

Avoiding Mistakes When Feeding a Puppy with a Tube

A common mistake is to insert the tube into the trachea, which can be fatal. If the puppy starts coughing and burping as you begin to release the syringe, remove immediately and try again.

Before entering the food, consider listening through the catheter to see what you hear. You should not be able to feel or hear the puppy's breath through the tube. You may hear stomach gurgling, however. That's a sign you've inserted it into the right place.

Another common mistake is to overfeed the puppy. If there is a question, feed less. You can always feed more often if the puppy is still hungry.

If the puppy vomits his meal, don't try to re-feed for that meal. If this persists for more than two meals, contact your veterinarian.