So, you just can't resist those parental urges, can you? Many of us have at one time reared orphan puppies and kittens, and it can be a very rewarding experience. It's a neat feeling to have a one-ounce bundle of life grow into a fine dog or cat and, good heavens, it sure beats watching a plant grow.

To raise puppies and kittens successfully, you need to provide them with a proper environment; feed them the right amounts types of food; find a regular schedule for sleeping, feeding, grooming, and exercise; and last, you need to help provide the newborns with the stimulus to use the bathroom! Be glad this lasts only three weeks; the diaper phase in kids last two to three years (or five years if you happen to be one of my daughters' best friends…it's not her fault though; her grandparents are psychiatrists)!

During the first weeks of life, newborns are unable to regulate their body temperature. They gradually adapt over about four weeks. During this time, try to house them where you can keep temperatures between 86 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and maintain humidity at about 55 percent to 60 percent. After about three weeks, they can handle temperatures as low as 75 degrees. This shouldn't be a problem in Florida; just don't use too much air conditioning during this time. Also, try to keep them from being overstimulated these first few weeks. In other words, put away your 3 year olds for awhile! What they really need during these first few weeks is to sleep, eat, poop and pee, exercise a little, and socialize with each other.

Dinner time! Unless you can find a foster mother (otherwise known as a wet nurse) you will need to find milk replacement Foster moms are great, but they are rare; you need to find a lactating dog or cat in the neighborhood and this can be tough for even the most seasoned scavenger hunters. So count on doing the feeding yourself. There are a number of quality milk replacements out there or you can make one; the commercial ones are better because they are closer to the real thing. Here's some homemade recipes: For puppies mix 120 ml of either cow or goat milk, 120 ml of water, 2 to 4 egg yolks, 1 to 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil and 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate (Tums). For kittens mix 90 ml of condensed milk, 90 ml of water, 120 ml of plain yogurt (not low fat), and 3 to 4 egg yolks.

Read the direction and find out how much to feed; as a rule of thumb feed 2 tablespoons per four ounces of body weight. Divide this into four daily feedings and warm it up to about 100 degrees before feeding for the first few weeks (remember that they can't regulate their body temperature the first few weeks). Don't overfeed the first few days of a newborn's life. The best way to feed is by using a nipple bottle and, no, not all nipples are created equal. There are different nipple bottles for cats and dogs. When you hold the bottle upside down, a drop of milk should gently fall off the nipple; we don't want any raging rivers here. If nothing comes out, you need to enlarge the hole in the nipple with a hot needle. You can also use a scissor to carefully cut away the very top of the nipple. When actually feeding, make sure the puppy or kitten has a strong sucking reflex; never force the milk out of the bottle. We don't want to drown anyone and it can happen if you aren't careful.

After eating, the abdomen (stomach area) should be a little enlarged but not engorged. Kittens should gain about 50 to 100 grams per week; most weigh around 100 to 120 grams at birth. Puppies should put on about one to two grams per day per pound of their anticipated adult weight for the first five months. For example, a mature 50-pound dog should gain 50 to 100 grams per day, or two to four ounces. Don't get too caught up in this, there are ups and downs.

After each feeding, the mother will stimulate the anogenital area with her tongue (the anus and the genitals). This stimulates the puppy or kitten to use the bathroom. This is your job now. Don't pass out now, you can do this with a cotton ball moistened with warm water. You need to do this after each feeding until they are three weeks old.

Puppies and kittens also benefit from mild exercise before they eat. This is usually in the form of handling and playing lightly with the young ones. It helps promote muscle development and also helps to socialize them. Once a week, plan on bathing them gently with a soft cloth; you don't need to use soap, just a damp cloth. This is what the mom would do, only she would use her tongue!

At three to four weeks of age, you should start to try to get the kids to eat a little solid food. You can mix the milk replacement with some canned food to make a gruel. Over the next few weeks, just taper the amount of milk replacement you add and you're all set. Visit your veterinarian when the puppies and kittens are three weeks of age for a checkup, to start dewormings, and to set up a vaccination schedule.

The last step is to try and find good homes for the children; you already have too many, don't you? Plus, your spouse will kill you if you keep any more. Spread the joy!

-Dr. Stephen Sheldon at and owns Hammocks Veterinary Hospital in Miami, Fla. A University of Florida graduate, he is the president of the South Florida Veterinary Medical Association and a member of the Veterinary Cancer Society. He can be reached at (305) 388-0880. Visit his website at http://www.hammocksvet.com