The West Highland White Terrier is a small terrier breed. It may be tiny, but it is sturdy, determined, and playful. If you are caring for a Westie that has not yet been weaned, you will have a lot to manage. Without the mother dog, survival becomes difficult, and the puppy must usually be fed infant formula or goat milk as a substitute for maternal milk. Temperature, environment, and cleanliness also become very important.
In fact, the best advice is not to raise an unweaned Westie yourself unless absolutely necessary, because the survival rate is low. Before the puppies are born, the mother's nipples should be cleaned and extra hair around them trimmed so the puppies can nurse more easily. In a healthy situation, each newborn puppy should begin pushing forward to nurse soon after birth. During the first two days, the puppy absorbs antibodies from the colostrum that help protect it during the first six to ten weeks of life.
For about the first five days after birth, the mother produces colostrum, which contains especially rich nutrition and antibodies. Nothing except specialized milk replacer comes close to replacing it properly. After five days, the level of nutrients and antibodies begins to drop. If the puppy is only three days old, the best option is still to let it nurse from the mother if at all possible, even if the mother has to be held still for a while and then released again for exercise. Feedings should happen about four to six times a day. After the puppy is about seven days old, hand-rearing success becomes somewhat more realistic. At that stage, skim milk powder may be used if proper puppy milk replacer is not available, still given four to six times a day.
The most important thing for an unweaned Westie is warmth. The room temperature should stay above 23 degrees Celsius. If it drops below 21 degrees, a small electric heating pad or hot water bottle may be needed, but it must be wrapped in a towel to prevent burns. Under normal circumstances, the puppy should mostly sleep and nurse, just like a human baby. If it cries or seems restless, the owner should consider whether it is cold, whether the mother is cleaning its urination and defecation properly, and whether the milk supply is adequate. Weak puppies may need extra help, either by being allowed to nurse first or by receiving some milk replacer by hand.
Unweaned Westie puppies are extremely delicate. The best solution is always to leave them with the mother if possible, especially in the first three days of life, when hand-raising is particularly difficult. After the first week, hand feeding with infant formula or goat milk becomes more possible, and if warmth, cleanliness, and feeding are handled correctly, the little Westie still has a good chance of growing up successfully.