Puppies Milk Replacers Buyer’s Guide
Feeding your pup with the best milk replacer is the only way to keep it nourished if the mom is not around to nurse it. However, when it comes to milk replacers, don’t just buy anything that you see online. You need to take your time to do your research and ensure that you only get the best for your pup.
So if you’re buying milk replacer for your furry friend, here’s a guide to help you out.
Ingredients
When it comes to buying any product that you’ll use to feed to your beloved pet, the ingredients should be among the first things that you need to check. Of course, the milk replacer should be made from premium quality ingredients.
If you’re going to feed your pet with low-grade milk, you could end up putting their health at high risk and make them susceptible to diseases. Look for a product that’s made of ingredients that are vet-approved and those that can support the development and growth of your pup.
For 1st-time puppy pet parents, we have compiled a comprehensive new puppy checklist of everything you need to get for a new pup.
Shelf Life
Just like with any pet food, shelf life is an important consideration when buying milk replacers. Remember that even if you store it in the best storage place, the product can still go bad as time goes by. So, find out the shelf life of the product before buying and make sure you can still use it to feed your pups for a long time so your money will not go to waste.
When not in use, be sure to store the milk replacers in the fridge or in an airtight storage container.
Age Group
Puppies need different kinds of food depending on their age. This is also applicable to milk replacers. When shopping for the best milk replacers for puppies, you must choose something ideal for their age.
As the puppy grows older, you can opt for breed specific foods such as Golden Retriever dog foods and Shih Tzu dog foods.
Usability
Of course, you should choose something that’s not too complicated to feed to your pup. It must be easy to prepare and incorporate to your pup’s diet. Choose a product that mixes well with water and something easy to serve to your dog. Avoid those that require some special devices or tools to feed to your pups.
Packaging
The packaging of a product can say a lot about the product itself! So check the packaging of the milk replacer before buying. If it’s packed in cheap plastic, this will put the product at risk to contamination and could make it spoil easily. Opt for products that have solid packages and are re-sealable since these products are guaranteed to stay fresh for longer.
Why You Should Buy Puppies Milk Replacers?
Before you start buying a milk replacer, you might want to ask yourself whether it’s vital for your pup.
Here are some reasons why you should feed your pup with a milk replacer:
- It has unique antibodies that can help to strengthen the pup’s immune system.
- It mimics the milk formula that the mother can feed to the pups, including the nutrients.
If the mother for whatever reason cannot nurse the puppy, then your best bet is to feed your pup with milk replacers. For as long as your pup will get the right amount of nutrient that it needs, you can be certain that your pup will grow healthy and strong.
But remember that the milk replacer is not only for puppies that don’t have mothers. There are mother dogs that cannot produce enough milk so they can’t feed their pups with enough nutrients. In this case, you can feed them with milk replacer to supplement the required nutrients.
Here's a list of other puppy guides that you might be interested in:
Milk Powder vs. Liquid Formulas
Both the milk powder and liquid formulas for a puppy have the same goal, and that is to nourish your newborn pup and help it to grow healthy and strong. If you cannot decide which of these products to buy, here’s what you need to know about them:
Powder
Since the milk powder formulas do not contain a significant amount of moisture, they tend to last much longer than their liquid counterparts. Moisture helps the bacteria to thrive, which is why powder formulas are better than the liquid ones. The powder formulas also tend to last longer than the liquid ones, which saves you money since you can avoid buying them frequently. This comparison is similar to baby milk products too.
But the downside with powder formulas is that they can’t be served right away. You may have to mix it with water before feeding to your pup. Also, some products require a bit of experimentation for you to achieve the right dose.
Liquid
The liquid milk formulas, on the other hand, are much easier to use since you no longer need to mix or prepare the milk before feeding it to your pup. You just basically need to measure them before feeding. But since they include water, they are easily prone to spoilage. This is why if you choose to purchase a liquid formula, you better make sure that your pup will consume it quickly or they could get soiled.
Remember, it’s absolutely not a good idea to feed your pup with soiled milk as this can make them suffer from certain illnesses, including diarrhea.
Why You Should Avoid Artificial Fillers?
When looking at the ingredients of the milk replacer, avoid those that contain artificial fillers and preservatives since this is not good for your pup. Artificial flavors and coloring could compromise your pup’s health since their digestive tract is very sensitive and their immune system is not yet fully developed.
Natural additives and fillers should be fine but avoid those that contain a lot of salt and sugar. These ingredients will not bring any nourishment to your pup and might just put them at high risk of developing certain diseases.
After 7 to 8 weeks of milk feeding, your puppy should be weaned and you can start feeding it puppy foods.
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