A strange puppy Tale. (Not tail)

[Sunny1979]

GDAY Everyone

 

Statutory warning : We are total newbs when it comes to pets.

 

So got a puppy on Xmas night 25th 2018. A golden Retriever. 6-7 weeks old as we could not get his exact age.  So excited to bring him home on first day, everything was rosy and happy go lucky. He played with us a-lot, ate good food, drank water and slept at least 20 hours in day. A complete cheeky monkey. Felt like we got a dream puppy. So next few days he woke up at 1 am in night, which was ok, we as a family have been doing a lot of reading. We expected him to wake us up, so we comforted him took him on pads for potty. In morning he woke up at 5 and we took him for a walk. He was so tired he could not walk back home. We picked him up in our arms on our way back home. Also forgot to mention he kissed many other dogs first day. We assumed it was kind of saying hello DOGGY STYLE. So first day we gave him little rice mixed with eggs and carrots and finely chopped beans. He enjoyed his meal.  We are giving him 4 meals of 30-45 gms  of food on average. Second night also he did the same thing, except in night he vomited what he ate in night. We cleaned up next morning. As usual gave him his some food, he refused to eat. We did not care much as he was doing good.  He refused to eat at noon and in evening, so we were little concerned but did not pay much attention. My wife suggested to mix his food with Chicken broth.  He licked all the broth but did not eat the food. Now the alarm bells started ringing. Next morning we were at the vet. 

 

No fever

He was very lethargic  

Doc gave him some snacks and he ate them. We were kind of embarrassed 

Checked his teeth and his ears

Put something in his arse ( i think that was to check temperature)

We told him his de-worming was done on 15, so the doc correctly guided us to do de-worming again on 31st. 

 

He told us Tuffy is doing fine and he has no problems at all. He gave us another appointment for his vaccinations. We came back home with joy, and since he ate at the doc, assuming he would be hungry we prepared his meal. Bugger wont even taste it. Tried again with chicken broth . Still very lethargic. Went to his bed and took a nap. When he woke up we tried to play with him, he would go in a corner and sleep moving objects did not interest him at all. First time puppy owners, really confused. 

So next day Took him to doc again.Doc gave him gravy and chicken canned food and he licked all the gravy refused to eat the food. We were given  2 tonics to  improve his hunger to remove any gas related issues.Did multiple test to find if he is infected with any virus. He tested positive with Parvo virus.  We were given option to put him down or give him treatment and survival rate was not so good.

The treatment is very expensive for parvo, So we went back home and did  some reading on internet about this virus.  We decided to give him some home remedy first to see if his situation will improve.

 

That evening  something magical happened, we gave him only chicken soup with some boneless chicken. He drank the soup and again did not eat any chicken. But this was improvement considering he did not consume anything from  last 24 hours not even water. He played a little after that and went to sleep. He woke up at night again and we tried to give him some food. 

 

He ate!  very little like 8-10 pieces of Pedigree  and then slept again.

 

Next morning he ate a little more and drank a lot more. He appeared very skinny, he started asking for food and started licking his bowl. Now 7 days have passed he is eating and drinking as all puppies should. I see a shiny bowl after every meal, he licks and cleans it very nicely.

 

 

So my first question is, Did he recover from Parvo? Is it possible that he did not even have pravo? Maybe he was missing home? He could have been cold and missing warmth of her mother etc etc.?

 

Shall I consider testing him from another place? On internet they say with parvo virus dogs don't usually survive more then three days?

 

 

Once I get the answer to these questions, I have now other set of problems that I need to dicuss, but I guess need to take it 1 step at a time

[Rozzie]

6-7 weeks old? Way too young to have left his mum and littermates.

Taking a baby puppy for a walk and letting it interact with unknown dogs. Not fully vaccinated. Recipe for disaster.

Research good quality puppy food and raw feeding. Rice, eggs, carrots and beans is not a suitable diet for a puppy. 

If it was parvo he'd be dead without treatment. 

Quote

Dogs that develop parvo will show symptoms 3-10 days after being exposed. Symptoms include: vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea (usually bloody), and fever. Mortality rate: 90 percent if left untreated, 5-20 percent if aggressively treated. 80 percent of adult dogs show no symptoms; puppies are most susceptible.

Try taking him outside for toilet training. Look trough this forum for house training topics. You don't want a full grown Golden peeing on puppy pads.

[Sunny1979]

Dogs that develop parvo will show symptoms 3-10 days after being exposed. Symptoms include: vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea (usually bloody), and fever. Mortality rate: 90 percent if left untreated, 5-20 percent if aggressively treated. 80 percent of adult dogs show no symptoms; puppies are most susceptible.Tuffy Pics

 

Hi thanx for replying Rozzie,  so he does not have any such symptoms

 

No vomiting No diarrhea No Blood No fever No lethargy and he is very active and playful now. Do you think we should get parvo test again from some other place?  He sounds fine. 

 

 

I would love to learn from someone who has some experience with parvo. What if the symptoms are not present after 10 days? Is it possible that it may appear in future?

 

 

[RuralPug]

I would agree to having another parvo test. Puppy did not have parvo symptoms, although he is still susceptible - please do not let him touch the ground outside your home or lick other dogs until his vaccinations are completed.
If the breeder did not give you a proper diet sheet for him, the change of diet from what he was eating could have upset this stomach. Please do some research on feeding of baby puppies.

He is too young to have left the nest, i recommend that you also research rearing baby puppies.
 

[tdierikx]

If Tuffy was vaccinated within 10 days of the Parvo test, I would expect him to show a positive result... as the vaccination would have given him a tiny modified dose to stimulate his immune response. This does not mean he had Parvo.

 

Another possibility could be vaccinosis - if he'd been vaccinated just prior to you taking him home. Little immune systems can react adversely on occasion, and little ones can feel unwell for a few days.

 

I would expect a poor outcome, even with immediate treatment, in a 6-7 week old pup - if it did actually have Parvo. At the very least, he would have required hospital treatment on a drip...

 

I have seen pups go down with Parvo within 2 days of exposure... and they usually die within 3-4 days of the onset of symptoms, even with hospital care. It is an extremely nasty disease.

 

I have lots of experience with illnesses in puppies, as I used to foster them for rescue... have had well over 200 pups over the years. Feel free to ask any questions you need help with, OK?

 

T.

[JulesP]

Sounds like an upset tummy from the stress of a new home and new diet. Because he is so young not eating like that can make a puppy go down hill very quickly. You would have seen a very upset tummy if it was parvo. 

 

Puppy is too young for 'walks' btw. Even when his vaccinations are finished don't go walking long distances. Do very short walks more for socialisation than exercise. 

[persephone]

Welcome to you & Tuffy .

poor Tuffy - sounds as if the folks who sold him to you were not the most responsible people - and that is sad  
Puppies should still be with Mum at 6-7 weeks >
The seller should have given you an exact date of birth , details of his diet /any vet treatment /instructions on his care . 

Tuffy now needs plenty of good meaty food , cos they grow better on what their bodies  are built to eat   
he also needs to be kept safe from disease and cranky dogs ... so do lots of training in your own yard/house   

It's hard when everything is new & different, isn't it ? 

here are some snippets which might help. It's great you've joined up here ! We might get a bit  concerned and sound like your old maths teacher ..but it is because we CARE about pups/dogs, and helping new owners cope . OK ? 

A feeding thread to read
some info on  Parvo protection
   

[Tassie]

All of the above.  And .. did the vet check for a microchip?   The place he came from (much!! too young  ) should have given you his vaccination and worming history, and the papers to transfer the microchip details to your name.  If not, when he's settled down, please get the vet to microchip him, and then make sure you put your details on the microchip record.

[Loving my Oldies]

Poor little baby.  You obviously care deeply and want your puppy to be healthy and happy, but HE IS A TINY BABY.  He is tired and overwhelmed by all the enormous changes in his life.  

 

[Sunny1979]

Wow guys, I love you all so much. Thank you for so many replies. I did not expect so many people to come forward and help.  I will keep you posted on Tuffy's Help. I tried to post pictures of tuffy, but when i click on Insert other media at bottom and then paste the link it wont allow me to submit it. 

 

We are very excited to see Tuffy enjoying new foods.

 

Tuffy ate his first banana (he ate entire banana), took a bite at apple (maybe did not like it much but chewed when we mashed it for him), licked little Yogurt (did not like it at all) and ceralac wheat flavour ( mixed with water ). Earlier he did not eat egg but now he goes bananas for egg.  He is eating a good meal 4 times a day and on top of that we reward him  the treats. Funny part is he wants more and more. What a U TURN

 

We have appointment with VET again.  They are very uncomfortable to give him vaccinations right now.  I might be going for another PARVO test. I don't want to give up on him and put to sleep so quickly ( thats what the doc advises, he says it will get very ugly for us as we ( specially kids) will get attached to him) but what he doesn't realize we  already are attached with him.  He is a fighter.

 

So i will keep u updated with test and vaccination, Wish me some tuffy luck.

 

Cherio

 

 

 

[sandgrubber]

No way is this parvo.  They don't bounce back that quickly, they have incredible stomach pains and vomiting /diarrhea, and the smell is shocking. Yes, you can get a false positive on the test due to vaccination.  Vaccinations are generally given ~4 weeks apart, so probably too early for a second jab. 

Have you considered going to a different vet? I wouldn't feel comfortable with one who is recommending euthanasia for a puppy that seems to be on the mend. 

[Rebanne]

Please research what to feed a very young pup. He needs more biologically appropriate dog food.. Otherwise he's never going to grow correctly and possibly often be sick.

[persephone]

3 hours ago, Sunny1979 said:

Tuffy ate his first banana (he ate entire banana), took a bite at apple (maybe did not like it much but chewed when we mashed it for him), licked little Yogurt (did not like it at all) and ceralac wheat flavour ( mixed with water ). Earlier he did not eat egg but now he goes bananas for egg.  He is eating a good meal 4 times a day and on top of that we reward him  the treats. Funny part is he wants more and more.

Sunny ...great news that he's eating !!

banana and cerelac are HUMAN  baby foods ... chimpanzee baby foods ..NOT dog baby foods   

Would you feed your toddler raw chicken wings, or minced kidney ?  No... because it is not suitable human baby food . 

Growing pups NEED meat .
Dogs enjoy a tiny bit of fruit as a treat ... mine love watermelon  

To grow a puppy's body strong and healthy  , it needs the correct diet . 
banana, rice, wheat cereals , fruits  are not a correct diet, as they don't give puppies what is needed to grow bones and good  health
A pup's stomach works WAY different to a humans ....it is designed to  digest anything meaty   
puppy kibble , chicken wings, pet mince ..... things like this  ;) 
Rice and boiled chicken is a soothing meal for a puppy with an upset tummy ..but only temporary   

keep doing your homework ..it will only do Tuffy GOOD!! 

Just remember  a dog is NOT a human . 
A dog does NOT eat like a human 
A dog does not THINK like a human 

:) 

[*Avanti*]

Also be aware that some human foods are dangerous for dogs. I only mention it because you say you are a newbie to having pets. Avocado or grapes for instance can be toxic for dogs. A lot comes up on google; this is a page I found on a random search. https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/dog-care-advice/toxic-food-dogs 

 

I hope Tuffy continues to improve and has a long and happy life.

[Sunny1979]

No way is this parvo.  They don't bounce back that quickly, they have incredible stomach pains and vomiting /diarrhea, and the smell is shocking. Yes, you can get a false positive on the test due to vaccination.  Vaccinations are generally given ~4 weeks apart, so probably too early for a second jab. 

Have you considered going to a different vet? I wouldn't feel comfortable with one who is recommending euthanasia for a puppy that seems to be on the mend. 

 

Hi thats the reason why I am shocked, Not sure why test results came positive, Today it was his first vaccination so it cant be due to that. the Vet Did DHLPPI today and now next vaccination is on 9th. We changed the Vet, We were not at all happy with first one. The new doc does not see anything wrong with tuffy.  

 

 

All of the above.  And .. did the vet check for a microchip?   The place he came from (much!! too young  ) should have given you his vaccination and worming history, and the papers to transfer the microchip details to your name.  If not, when he's settled down, please get the vet to microchip him, and then make sure you put your details on the microchip record.

 

Tuffy is without microchip so far, but his p breeder family says they will be sending us the chip and docs within a month. 

 

 

Please research what to feed a very young pup. He needs more biologically appropriate dog food.. Otherwise he's never going to grow correctly and possibly often be sick

 

We are giving proper k9 food of high quality, We mix it with rice or ceralac at times.  We tried many things to see what he will like

 

We are using 

Maxi Starter

Pedigree Pro

Fresh chicken + rice

Fresh Mutton

Pork

eggs

yougurt

soya chunks

 

Banana and apple are used as treats.

 

Doc has recommended giving him banana at least 2 times in a week as he is very weak and recovering. Already his stomach is not so much squeezed like before.. I wanted to share a video but lets see if it allows me.

 

Sunny ...great news that he's eating !!

banana and cerelac are HUMAN  baby foods ... chimpanzee baby foods ..NOT dog baby foods   

Would you feed your toddler raw chicken wings, or minced kidney ?  No... because it is not suitable human baby food . 

Growing pups NEED meat .
Dogs enjoy a tiny bit of fruit as a treat ... mine love watermelon  

To grow a puppy's body strong and healthy  , it needs the correct diet . 
banana, rice, wheat cereals , fruits  are not a correct diet, as they don't give puppies what is needed to grow bones and good  health 
A pup's stomach works WAY different to a humans ....it is designed to  digest anything meaty   
puppy kibble , chicken wings, pet mince ..... things like this  ;) 
Rice and boiled chicken is a soothing meal for a puppy with an upset tummy ..but only temporary   

keep doing your homework ..it will only do Tuffy GOOD!! 

Just remember  a dog is NOT a human . 
A dog does NOT eat like a human 
A dog does not THINK like a human 


 

Yes doc advised us to give him banana and ceralac since he was not eating anything. Now its to be used as a supplement in his recovery.  We are not giving him banana everyday.

 

Yes thank you we are still reading here and on internet  what to give him. 

 

 

Thats tuffy going to the vet this morning

https://photos.app.goo.gl/r3Ms9y13R3aZCYCz8

[Sunny1979]

1 hour ago, *Avanti* said:

Also be aware that some human foods are dangerous for dogs. I only mention it because you say you are a newbie to having pets. Avocado or grapes for instance can be toxic for dogs. A lot comes up on google; this is a page I found on a random search. https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/dog-care-advice/toxic-food-dogs 

 

I hope Tuffy continues to improve and has a long and happy life.

 

Yes thanx for the list, we found a similar list on google earlier. Yes we are not giving him any Toxic foods. Only puppy friendly foods. We were desperate to save him earlier as he was very weak, but now recovered fast, posted a video of today morning going to vet.

[Rozzie]

Please buy him Puppy food. Maxi Starter is for bitches with pups and Pedigree is not a very good food. Royal Canin  medium Junior  would be a better choice.

He's cute . Please don't let him down outside before he is fully vaccinated.

[Loving my Oldies]

What country are you in, Sunny1979?

[Dogsfevr]

Your vets sound very weird .

Any decent vet would have suggested adding nutrigel if the pup is that weak and requiring added support.

If this pup is struggling then the diet needs to be changed ,it doesn’t need soya chunks ,it needs to go on a puppy dry ,meat and keep it simple to allow its body to adapt start to nourish itself and then add appropriate things slowly 

It doesn’t need rice,,cerelac,chopped beans .

Sleeping for 20 hrs is so not normal and if your walking a sick,exhausted puppy especially in the current warm weather it will deteriorate quickly .

 

There is no way this pup had parvo and survival rate without treatment and treatment very early is poor .

A dog with parvo is very easy to spot and for a vet some key factors that make it obvious namely the horrid smell 

 

Has this pup even been wormed .

 

Its sad you brought from such a shonky breeder and I hope you have no long term issues 

[persephone]

49 minutes ago, Loving my Oldies said:

What country are you in, Sunny1979?

Yes, I am wondering this as well