As a dog mom to a Cocker Spaniel who loves goat milk, I am excited to share the best milk replacer for newborn puppies. Tailspring milk replacer for puppies is made with whole goat milk by Meyenberg, who has been America’s favorite goat milk brand since 1934. Anyone can claim to be the best, but Tailspring has been put to the test by those who need it the most: orphaned puppies and kittens!
Newborn puppies require a lot of care, attention, and time, especially if they are newborn orphaned puppies. Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been an influx of orphaned puppies and kittens across the United States. These newborns didn’t ask to be brought into the world, but they are hungry and in need of care. Newborn pups who don’t have access to their mother’s milk or if their mother is unable to nurse them will perish without a proper milk replacer.
Fidose of Reality is proud to partner with Tailspring and the folks at Itsie Bitsie Rescue in a journey of orphaned Pit Bull mix puppies who were found at a homeless camp in Fair Oaks, California. Tailspring is the cleanest milk replacer in the marketplace, and I asked the volunteers at the rescue group to tell me about their experience feeding Tailspring milk replacer to newborn puppies. Buckle up for a cute, fun, educational, and squee-inducing post full of newborn puppy pictures and progress.
This post is sponsored by Tailspring. Fidose of Reality only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tailspring is not responsible for the contents of this article.
Is Milk Replacer Good For Puppies?
Milk replacer is a must for newborn puppies who don’t have access to their mother’s milk, but not all milk replacement products are created equal.
A quality milk replacer should be human grade approved, easy to digest, hypo-allergenic for sensitive newborn tummies, and contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Milk replacer is good for puppies if the quality is of high importance to the manufacturer. When puppies are raised with their mother’s milk, it helps them to build a strong immune system. Unfortunately, there are times when a mother’s milk is not available.
Unlike my first Cocker Spaniel, who was rescued from a puppy mill, and my current dog, who came from a quality purebred breeder, not all puppies have access to their mom’s milk. A quality milk replacer is superior to a cow’s milk if it meets specific nutritional standards.
What Is The Best Milk Replacer For Newborn Puppies?
Our choice for the best milk replacement for puppies is Tailspring. Newborn pups who are without access to their mother’s milk have a tough enough start in life. Thankfully, Tailspring takes the guesswork out of milk replacement for pups.
Tailspring’s milk replacement products are completely unlike any other on the market. It is formulated with goat milk, making it easier to digest and highly nutritious. It has been called the “universal mother’s milk” and is very nourishing.
Unlike other milk replacement products, Tailspring’s milk replacement product:
| Improves overall digestion and fur quality |
| Is the only pet nutrition brand formulated exclusively with goat milk |
| Is 100% human-grade approved by AAFCO |
| Balanced nutrition to closely match mother’s milk |
| Contains 16 additional clean ingredients (nutrients & vitamins) |
| Contains NO soy or vegetable oils like other milk replacers |
| Has the shortest and cleanest ingredient list on the market |
| Is hypo-allergenic due to lower content of Alpha S2 casein |
| Forms smaller curds in the stomach for rapid energy absorption |
| Is available in liquid or powder formulations for puppies & kittens |
Tailspring is made by northern California-based brand, Meyenberg, which has been making fresh, powdered, and evaporated goat milk products since 1934. I love a brand that has stood the test of time and genuinely cares about animals. Since goat milk has smaller fat globules, it is easier to digest and easier for puppies to break down.
I allowed my dog to try the Tailspring canned milk replacement product in moderation as an occasional meal topper over the past few weeks. Tailspring’s products are designed for newborn puppies and kittens, who have the lactase enzyme to digest the lactose in the product.
As puppies grow up, they lose their ability to break lactose down, which is why many adult dogs get stomach upset from dairy products. However, in moderation and an occasional meal topper treat, Dexter has thoroughly enjoyed the Tailspring milk replacer. After all, he’s my 12-years-young puppy!
Fun fact: I put one tablespoon of Tailspring milk replacer on Dexter’s dinner two times a week for an extra yummy treat that’s good for him.
Feeding Orphaned Newborn Puppies
We partnered with Itsie Bitsie Rescue in Fair Oaks, California for this product review. There is no way we can recommend the best milk replacement product for puppies without having newborn puppies try it.
Makenna Whitney and her mom, Lori, found a box of orphaned kittens near their northern California home about 12 years ago. They scooped the little ones up, took them home, and started searching online ‘what to do for orphaned kittens.’ They found a resource in Itsie Bitsie Rescue, and their founder told them to bring the kittens over to her home. A love affair of the furriest kind was born that day.
“We fell in love with the rescue that day and are volunteers in the organization,” Makenna shared. “As a team, we were the first foster with Itsie Bitsie Rescue, and we’ve grown to 60 active foster homes and 75 volunteers.”
Is there really an epidemic of orphaned newborn puppies and kittens? Absolutely! Makenna said their group saved 735 kittens and 175 puppies in 2020, a record-setting year.
Where do the orphaned puppies and kittens come from? Good samaritans stumble upon them, sometimes they are abandoned, and other times, they get a call from someone in the community.
“We have many different factors at play,” Makenna told me. “Sometimes people find orphaned animals and they don’t know what to do. We have trained foster homes to bottle feed them.”
Makenna’s job is to assess the puppies and kittens on arrival. As Director of Operations and Intake Coordinator, the little ones come to her first. She decides what the furbabies need from a medical standpoint, what care they must have, and she matches them up with the appropriate foster home. She calls herself a “transition home” and proudly shares that all volunteers have full-time jobs outside the rescue effort.
Meet the Itsie Bitsie Rescue Tailspring Litter Of Puppies
When they were just a few weeks old, a litter of Pit Bull mixed pups arrived for intake. This would be the first litter of pups to try the Tailspring milk replacer product.
The grade A whole milk product is available in powder formula which can be mixed with water, and a liquid formula that is ready to feed. Since it is designed for newborn puppies between the ages of newborn and eight weeks, the next step was seeing if the pups liked it.
“This was our first experience with the Tailspring product,” according to Makenna, “and the puppies did really well on it; they loved it.”
Even cooler, the pups digested the product well and were able to easily transition to puppy kibble many weeks later. Makenna considers it a success. They plan to feed it to the many litters of newborn kittens they receive as well.
If you love watching a newborn puppy on a “milk high,” you must visit my Instagram page to see the little pup enjoying his Tailspring bottle.
Where To Buy Tailspring Goat Milk Replacer
Tailspring milk replacer for puppies is available online direct from the company website or on Amazon. Click the links below for more information.
Click the images to purchase directly from Tailspring.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases if you click through and purchase something on the links. Please see my disclosure policy for details.
Purchase Tailspring milk replacer powder on Amazon
Purchase Tailspring milk replacer canned on Amazon
Have further questions about Tailspring? Get your most frequently asked questions answered right here.
Fun Fact: Can be used as a nutritious meal topper or treat for adult dogs.
How To Help Itsie Bitsie Rescue
Since Itsie Bitsie Rescue is 100 percent volunteer and they count on donations to help the babies, they welcome donations through the following link:
Itsie Bitsie Rescue website
Fidose of Reality believes in helping dogs in need, and our fundraising arm, Wigglebutt Warriors, is proud to know Itsie Bitsie Rescue.
