How do you feed a puppy with a feeding tube? In this Vet Minute, Revival’s Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Marty Greer, shares six quick tips on how to tube feed newborn puppies. If you need help with feeding puppies, call us at 800.786.4751.
Tube Feeding Newborn Puppies
Faced with a puppy tube feeding dilemma? Tube feeding is a great option for puppies who aren’t nursing well. Follow these six steps to do newborn puppy tube feeding correctly.
- The first step is to premeasure your puppy feeding tube.
- The second is to prewarm the puppy and the Breeder’s Edge Foster Care Canine milk replacer formula.
- The third is to pass with the tube to the left.
- The fourth is to pass the tube with the chin of the puppy down.
- The fifth is to pinch the tail or toe of the puppy prior to feeding to make sure you’re not in the airway.
- The sixth is to place the end of the tube in a bowl of water to check for bubbles (I personally don’t do this step but it can be reassuring when you are not quite sure and all alone.) If there are bubbles, you are in the airway. You need to pull the tube and start over.
If you have more questions on tube feeding puppies, call us at 800.786.4751.
LEARN MORE:
How to Tube Feed a Puppy
With the proper equipment and care, you can feed a litter of newborn pups. Dr. Marty Greer shows step-by step how to tube feed puppies.
Tube Feeding – Puppies or Kittens
Tube-feeding a puppy or kitten can lead to disaster if you don't know the right technique. This "how-to" guide presents helpful tips to ensure success.
Bottle Feeding Puppies and Kittens
How to bottle feed newborn puppies or kittens? Follow this simple guide for bottle feeding newborn puppies and kittens. Tips on how much to feed, how to warm the formula, how to stimulate elimination, and how often to bottle feed a puppy or kitten.
Newborn Puppy Care: Managing Neonates and High-Risk Puppies
Improve neonatal survival outcomes when puppies are in trouble. Dr. Greer provides resources to measure and strengthen the health of newborn puppies.
Written by: Marty Greer, DVM
Director of Veterinary Services
Marty Greer, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, has 40+ years’ experience in veterinary medicine, with special interests in canine reproduction and pediatrics. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1981. She’s served as Revival’s Director of Veterinary Services since 2019. In 2023, Dr. Greer was named the Westminster Kennel Club Veterinarian of the Year.