How and what to fee a premee yorkiepoo 4 days old

Question
My Yorkiepoo had 3 premie puppies  10 days early.  One died the first night.  
The runt is not doing well and mom is not feeding it very well.  What do I get to
feed this tiny baby?  How often, how much?  Help, I don't want this baby to die.

Answer
Hi Armentia,

First, if one of the puppies isn't doing well, it needs to be taken to a veterinarian. Do not delay in this!

If the mother isn't nursing the puppies, they need to be bottle fed. If you can't get the puppies to nurse from a bottle, then you need to tube feed them.

Here are directions for both methods:

http://leerburg.com/bottlefeeding.htm
http://www.2ndchance.info/orphanpuppy.htm
http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/breeding/bottlefeeding3.htm

You can feed the puppies a canned milk replacer formula available at larger pet stores, or from your vet. Or you can make your own formula (recipe follows).

The prescribed daily milk portion corresponds to 25 percent of the animal's weight. Feed it six times a day during the first two weeks, then four times a day afterward, until it is weaned.

Mother's Milk Substitute for Kittens and Puppies
240 ml (8 oz) Homogenized (3.25% milk fat) or evaporated milk (if you use evaporated milk, dilute two parts milk in one part water). Mother's milk substitutes are also available at a vet's office.
5 ml (1 teaspoon)   Canola oil
1 drop Multivitamins (the kind made for children)
2 Egg yolks
5 ml (1 teaspoon)   Corn syrup

Put all ingredients in a mixer and warm the milk before each feeding.

After each feeding help the puppies to burp. Then wash its abdomen and genitals with warm water to stimulate urination and defecation. Gently dry then rub the animal.

If any problems arise such as the puppies don't gain weight as they should, or if they cry a lot, or if you can't get them to nurse, call your vet rather than waiting for a response over the internet!

Best of luck,
Patti