The 6 Ps of Tube Feeding Puppies

Last updated: May 13, 2019

In this Vet Minute, Revival's Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Marty Greer, shares six quick tips on how to tube feed newborn puppies.
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Video Transcript

Faced with a tube feeding dilemma? Hi, I'm Doctor Greer, Director of Veterinary Services with Revival Animal Health and in this Vet Minute we are going to be talking about why tube feeding is a great option for puppies who aren't nursing well. I want to be clear, tube feeding is scary for a lot of people. We want to have six steps so we do this correctly. The first step is to premeasure your tube, the second is to prewarm the puppy and the 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. And 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.

Marty Greer, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, has 35+ 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.