Parvo

[Marianne]

Hi everyone. My name is Marianne and I am new here. I think this site is wonderful so thank you to everyone who belongs!
We own a pet food delivery business and since we are rather new in town, thought we'd get involved with some rescue groups, etc. My first "job" was to go two plus hours south of me to rescue almost 30 puppies and take them to another shelter closer to me. Yeah - I have sucker on my forhead because I ended up (with permission) bringing one home with me (we already have three dogs and three cats) after transporting the other pups. Well, the vet can't fit him in that evening so I keep him seperated from my other dogs. I take him in the next morning and they give him his shots. A few days later he's showing signs of Parvo (although we thought they were due to his shots/worming). He is still seperated from the other dogs at this point and being paper trained since it's so wet and nasty outside for now (thank God!). This past Monday, he's completely not eating ANYTHING, has diarreha and vomitting. Take him to the vet and he test positive for parvo. He's been there since Monday, our bill is now over $600, and he won't eat, although the vomitting has ended but still has a few bouts of diarreha. We are considering bringing him home tomorrow thinking a home situation might convince him to eat. Any ideas? He's such a cutie - I fell in love with him instantly and really don't want him to die. They've had him on anitbiotics, iv drip, tamiflu, subcu now, and tried to force feed him but he spit it back out. They finally let me go today and hold and pet him. I told him we love him and he needs to eat so he can go home. I tried to hand feed him but he sniffed and snubbed his nose. I've been so depressed this week. I feel awful that he's so sick, that I have put my family in my financial hardship (with two mortgages still, etc things are very tight right now), and really fear that he won't eat. Here I was trying to do something good and it bit me! But, as I told the vet, there's no guarantee that if I hadn't taken him in that he'd be getting ANY treatment right now - they might have put him down!!! So I am praying that he eats tonight and can come home tomorrow and continue to eat and recover. Any thoughts on what might get him to eat? He hasn't vomited in 36 hours now but won't eat. Help!
Thank you
Marianne

[Catlady711]

That is so sad. I hope the puppy recovers!

Just make sure you change your clothes/shoes when you come home and wash your hands/face up good before handling your own dogs.

As for getting him to eat, I'm not as familiar with getting a reluctant dog to eat, but you might want to try:
Cooked skinless chicken or turkey
Boiled plain rice
Microwaving the food so he can smell it good

Good luck in your efforts to help this puppy!

[Reachoutrescue]

I have dealt with Parvo a lot lately. In a matter of 2 months I had pulled 6 puppies, 4 of which died of Parvo. The disease is just plain awful and mean. When the pups would not eat I did several things:

I mixed dry with soft food.
I offered them Gerber Stage 2 Lamb baby food.
I offered them turkey lunch meat.
I made little meal with Yogurt, rice, raw egg, and ground beef (either cooked or not will work).

When it was close to the end for the pups that did not make it, I syringe fed them the babyfood and also some yogurt.

Good luck and I hope your lil' pup gets well soon. Please keep us posted. By the way, WELCOME TO PET TALK.

[Pom mommy]

I recently posted about my son's German Shephard puppy who had Parvo. He spent a few days at the vet on IV, antibiotics etc and he came home yesterday :) . My son is still giving him sub q fluids when necessary and he's still on an anti nausea medicaiton.
He still isn't eating much but he does pick at his Purina prescription kibble for sensitive stomachs and also a little of the same variety in canned food. He also will now lick a little turkey or lamb baby food.
We're hopeful he's going to make it. He is eating a little more each day and becoming a little more active and curious.

[Marianne]

Thank you for the tips everyone so far! They've even tried cat food at the vets office but I am going to try the things you suggested at home. Someone here locally told me to try yogurt too and I'd thnk baby food would be a good one too.

Pom mommy - I read that post about the german sheppard and sat there saying "wow this sounds like us!!" I'm glad to hear he has come home and is starting to eat. I am hoping Kody gets to come home today or tomorrow - I just can't afford for him to be there any longer if I can take care of him here now. I asked about putting some probiotics in him but they weren't sure if we wanted to try that yet... then I found out (learn something new every day) that our puppy food has probiotics in it so I think once we can get him eating that his food will do some good - plus the yogurt will help until then. Has anyone here ever heard of Parvaid? It sounds awesome although 1 oz is $40! with two mortgages right now and two sets of utility bills, a new business, etc.. it's all a little overwhelming! I've never had a sick dog so this past week has been a little too much! Even him being at the vet was somewhat a blessing since I was so scared if he was here I'd do something wrong - but I'm feeling a little more confident after having time to do some research... that one was a double edge sword - my husband has been working out of town all week so I was scared to have him here but it's ended up costing a fortune.

Isn't it amazing what pets can do to us? Turns us into blubbering wimps! LOL.
We only had him less than a week before he got sick and then all of a sudden we were facing major decisions about his life! I can only imagine what new parents face when they find out a baby they just had needs surgery. I worried about that when I was pregnant too! LOL...

So hopefully I'll hear something here soon today and we'll go from there -

Thank you for listening!!!
Marianne

[critter crazy]

I have never had to deal with Parvo(knocks on wood). so all I can say is Good luck to you! I wish you and Kody the best of luck, and hope he comes home soon, and starts eating for you!

[Marianne]

Thanks! I never have had to deal with it either - I didn't even know much about it until now... talk about being shocked into learning! ha!
Marianne :eek:

[pitc9]

I hope the pups recovers quickly!!
Please keep us posted and pictures wouldn't hurt either! ;) :p

[Marianne]

Beautiful Sheppards Angie! Thanks for the note. I'm not too far from you - I'm just south of Dayton. I have a few customers up in the Toledo area.

I don't even have pics yet :( but as soon as I do, will work on posting them. How do you all do those great pics?
Marianne

[Marianne]

Kody came home tonight! We arrived at 5:40 at the vets office; they showed us his medicines then brought Kody in to us to show us how to give him his fluids. Yesterday when I went to see him, he was non responsive, his eyes were dull and I was extremely worried. No tail wagging, nothing - fell asleep in my arms.

Today, they brought him in and his tail was tucked under him and it starts to wag (all three of us were there). Next thing I know, he stands up, walks over to us (he was on the exam table so he's walking on it) and his tail is wagging a mile a minute. His eyes are alert and excited. He's turning his head to respond to noises. I felt like jumping up and down! So we bring him home and I let him lie on my lap while David was putting up his baby gates for the kitchen. He was very interested in things going on around the house - cats running back and forth, Dave working, wagged his tail again when Victoria came to pet him. Then I set him down in the kitchen and he walked around a bit then walked over to his bed. I put him in it and he layed down a bit then wanted out. I set him on the floor again and offered him some water - he took a few sips!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Up until now they've had him on subcu fluids since he wouldn't drink at the hospital. I only let him have a few sips so he wouldn't throw it up. The vet asked that we not give him any food tonight or water but I just wanted to see if he had any interest in it since he was home. So Ya!

So I am sitting out in the living room with my laptop and brought his bed out for him to lay in and he is stretched out in it sound asleep. At the hospital he was curled up in a tight ball, here he is S T R E T C H E D out in his bed. I am so thrilled! So say a prayer that he will start eating tomorrow, please. He's happy to be home, and definitely more relaxed. Hopefully tomorrow he will be hungry. But he was showing interest in his favorite stuffed animal - a ram - and he's sleeping right now with his head resting on him LOL.



Marianne :D

[Reachoutrescue]

I am so glad that Kody is doing better and that he is home. I sure hope he makes a full recovery! I am sure now that he is home he will flurish!! Just go slow with him and don't let him get too excited or run around too much. Him drinking the water is a good sign. Please let us know if he eats tomorrow for you. Best of luck and please keep us posted.

[Marianne]

Thanks!!! We are keeping him quiet. Right now he's sleeping in his bed. He's being a good boy. I'll be gone tomorrow and David will be here with him - Victoria will be with me so nice and quiet here tomorrow.
I'm so relieved to have him home!!!!
Marianne

[Daisy and Delilah]

Best of luck with this little boy. You're a sweetheart for helping him and loving him so much. I hope he makes a complete recovery quickly :)

[dukedogsmom]

I hope he continues to get better! It is something what animals can do to us.

[Marianne]

Good Morning! Kody slept in his bed next to mine all night without incident. He got up at 8:30am and drank some water and ate some yogurt! HE ATE!!!!!!!!!! He wanted more but I only gave him a teaspoon to make sure he'll hold it down, it's been an hour and a half so I'm trying a little more. Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes!!!!
Marianne and Kody ;)
P.S. David is taking some pics while I am gone today

[Marianne]

Hi Everyone! Well, we took Kody to the vet to weigh him yesterday (it's very nearby and I don't trust my scale - it keeps adding 20lbs to my real weight ROFL!!!)
Anyway, he's gained amost three total pounds since he came home! It's been two weeks now and you would never guess he was sick! He's eating, drinking, being mischievous... he still sleeps through the night and is good when I have to leave him to work or run errands. I'll let him have run of the closed off kitchen when I am downstairs doing laundry or working and he's very good about that too. I'm trying to keep him from developing seperation anxiety since he had bonded with me so much before he got sick. He still will come to me before anyone else - yesterday David called him and he shook his head no LOL and ran to me. He's such a sweet puppy!
Thank you all for all the well wishes and advice! It was a voice of sanity during a rough time and I am very grateful!
Marianne