I have a 3 day old orphaned Yorkie puppy. How large of a hole do I need on the nipple for your formula to get through?

Full Question:

I have an orphaned yorkie pup who was borne Saturday (now 3 days old). He seems to be thriving on the store bought puppy formula that I have been feeding him, however, I would like to start feeding him your formula to ensure that he continues to thrive. My question is, because he is so small (approximatly 5 oz), how large of a hole in the nipple would you suggest to allow your formula to flow (paper clip, pin). I know you recommend a baby bottle, but I believe a baby bottle is too large for the pup at this time. However, the store bought puppy bottle, in my opinion, is not great. The nipple seems to seal itself after I puncture it. One additional question. The pup's stool seems to be hard and a very light brownish color. I believe he may be a bit constipated so I have been adding a drop or two of mineral oil to the formula. Will your formula help with the constipation, also?

Thanks so much for your assistance.

Wendy

Cindy's Answer:

I think you need to buy several nipples and experiment, I can’t tell you how large the hole in the nipple needs to be.

I would switch him to our formula if you haven’t already done so, and if he is still constipated add a bit more water to the mixture. Usually hard stools in such a young puppy indicate the pup is getting dehydrated. Dehydration in puppies is as big a problem as getting the correct number of calories into them.

I highly recommend reading our Bottle feeding article as well if you haven't already.

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