Sponge Bob Square pants here we come!
Be sure to thank Pat Larson for sharing this handy tip for supplementing newborn puppies. Often those new babies refuse bottle feeding and many breeders feel a bit squeamish about tube feeding – OK – well, maybe that’s just me. I am a big baby when it comes to the need for tubes, I’d rather eat dirt. But now, thanks to Pat I have another trick up my sleeve that works, and will be much easier on the puppy’s delicate digestive tract.
Start your engines and head on over to the make-up aisle of any discount store where for a buck or two you can pick up a pack of what will soon become your disposable nipple and bottle replacements – make-up sponges.
Pat cut the tips of these triangular-shaped sponges down to a size that fit the puppy’s mouth, (mimic the nipple size of the dam) then she soaked the sponge in puppy formula and with a bit of patience helped the pup learn to suck from it. She said it works great, so great that once you get the pup started nursing they take to it so well they will nearly pull the sponge out your hand with their grip. When both you and puppy are working well as a team you’ll be keeping the sponge full of milk while the puppy sucks by using a syringe to inject milk from the opposite end.
Included below is a link to a YouTube video that demonstrates the technique. But wait, don’t leave us before sharing what you recommend as a milk replacer when feeding puppies? Use the comment section below for your suggestions, sharing is caring you know.
Wishing you all the best with those Gordon Setter babies!
Gordon Setter Expert 
From our Facebook reader: Carla Joyce – Also wanted to tell you I used your puppy glucose sol. With a litter of 11, Mom needed a little help. It worked just like you said. It kept my puppies hydrated and happy for about 24hrs, they started refusing it after that and it was clear they needed food.
Started supplementing using the cosmetic sponges. This was my first chance to try it. Wow, whoever thought of this is a genius. Kinda messy but I may not have good technique yet. The first time I cut the wedges in half (lengthwise). A Gordon puppy can suck a lot of sponge😏. After that I just trimmed a bit off the corners.
Wanted to share this easy recipe from my vet. She can raise anything. She studies and adjusts to the species needed. This is her recipe for puppies. I have used it for many litters, always with great success.
4 oz. Condensed Goats milk
1 1\2 oz water
1 1\2 oz whole milk
1 oz 1\2&1\2
Whole milk plain yogurt can be added for a boost of probiotics.
Carla Joyce
Tandera Gordon Setters
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where does one buy condensed goats miilk
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try health food stores that sell organic foods
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What a great idea – we use “Your Droolly” Veterinary milk powder which is Made in New Zealand for MasterPet.
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From our Facebook followers:
Lynn E Hartgerink-Kullman: Yes it works great!
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