 Barked: Tue Aug 28, '12 2:01pm PST |
 | |  | | This last Friday (August 24th), my husband came across an ad for Boxer puppies...
I know, I know...we must be crazy, right?
Before I go on, let me explain: We've seen countless puppies and were always firm on our "no more, 2 is plenty" decision....until we saw that ad for Boxers.
The ad had a picture - the puppies were gorgeous. One of them, however, looked different - the only one that didn't have the solid black mask but had pink spots instead. My husband and I instantly said, "Should we go see her?" And of course, we did. All of her littermates were still there - so Allie was the first to go home with a new family. When we met her, I instantly noticed she was a bit on the thin side (not overly thin but just a bit thinner than a puppy should be). I asked about vaccination and worming documentation - and was told by her original owner, "My cousin took them to the vet and I don't have papers on that but I'll call them next week and see if they can get me something." (*cough*bunchofcrap*cough)
I fell in love with Allie, though. She was so loving, came straight to me and cuddled up right away and I knew that she was meant to be in our family -  - She's perfect.
We brought her home and thought she seemed scared - and she looked really sad. Saturday and Sunday, she did nothing but lay down. She wouldn't eat unless we fed her out of our hands. She wouldn't drink unless we held the bowl up to her as she laid down.
I thought she was lonely, missing her littermates - or scared in new surroundings because other than wanting to lay down and not really showing interest in food, she was very loving to whoever was within reach of her, wanting to be petted and giving constant kisses.
Monday (yesterday), Allie was suddenly a regular ol' spunky puppy - chasing Wicket around the house and vice versa, eating and drinking like a champ from her brand-new bowls, jumping around and playing - so I chalked up the weekend behavior to nerves and being in a new home with a new family.
Until today. Today, everything changed.
I left to bring Wicket to the groomer and my husband was home, asleep (he works 2nd/3rd shift hours). I came home around noon and my husband had just gotten up and was in the shower. Allie had a poop accident on the floor (as puppies will do.) I went to clean it up instantly and noticed something was very, very wrong.
Allie's "poop" was actually a very runny pile of blood - and lots of it.
I immediately grabbed her and rushed her to the vet (and called them on the way, of course). They took her from my arms and brought her back to an exam room and told me to wait in the lobby.
20 minutes later, the vet came out and asked to speak to me privately.
I knew this couldn't be good...I had a fear but wasn't entirely prepared for the diagnosis.
My sweet & perfect Allie was diagnosed with Parvovirus today. On top of that? She's full of hookworms. My heart is broken for my poor baby, that she has to battle this at only 9.5 weeks old.
The vet says she's not dehydrated at all (she even drank this morning) and we probably caught it very early on as she also hasn't vomited since she's been here. They gave her some shots and sent me home with some nausea/anti-vomiting medication. They also sent me home with booster shots for Wicket and BoBo, just to be sure they don't get infected (to be on the safe side even though their vaccinations are up-to-date).
I called the original owner and was told that all of her litter mates have found other homes but he said that they don't have the contact information for any of them. (I gave him mine when I got Allie, though...at my insistence.) So now I'm spending time, loving on Allie and worrying about her litter mates - will their new families pick up on the signs of Parvo and get them to a vet before it's too late?
I'm really hoping that Allie pulls through this - the vet said she has an excellent chance at survival as long as she doesn't start vomiting and she is still drinking. If she stops drinking or starts vomiting, I have the emergency vet number on hand and will take her in for IV fluids immediately. I'm already in love with my little Allie girl and I'm so sad for her, watching her go through this. The hookworms are the reason she's probably this thin, according to my vet, and I do have treatment for that as well but was told to wait until next week to give it to her, that we should let her battle the Parvo first.
Sorry this post is so long - but I'm a nervous wreck. I've never dealt with Parvo and it breaks my heart but I will do everything in my power - and not leave her side unless I absolutely have to - to make sure she overcomes this and can get back to enjoying being the beautiful puppy that she is. |  |  | |  |
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Bambi was extremely malnourished when I got him, and I doubt he would have survived. At the very least, she does not seem terribly sick from this yet, and looks to be a fairly big, healthy girl otherwise. Your family will be in my thoughts.
. I wouldn't run off and vaccinate your other dogs though, they've already been exposed and vaccinating them at this point isn't going to do any good. If they are both vaccinated as puppies then they will be plenty protected from it now.