Dog Community

Sick puppy... need advice asap :(

Posted : 5/12/2006 3:36:31 PM

I have an 11 week old golden retriever puppy who seems to be rather sick at the moment.

Last night, she woke me up around 5am (which is very unusual for her since she always sleeps through the night) and obviously needed to go out. I took her out and her BM seemed to be kind of runny, but it was hard to tell since it was dark and I didn't look closely. Then she woke me up again around 6:30 and this time it was very liquidy and she was straining a lot. From then on, she kept needing to go out at least every half-hour to hour, and it was the same thing every time.

I gave her a little breakfast and she ate it, and I thought it was good that she still had an appetite... I also called the vet and they basically said not to worry. She has had 2 sets of shots so far, and they said it was unlikely it could be anything serious. They said to call back Monday if she was still having problems.

Then around noon I had to leave for about a half-hour and when I came back there she had vomited everywhere. This is when I started to get really concerned. She vomited again about an hour later and still had diarrhea too. I called the vet again and they said the same thing as before -- since she's had 2 sets of shots, it's probably nothing to worry about.

I'm worried though!! She's also more lethargic than usual and is sleeping a lot. What do you all think I should do?? This is my first puppy so I just don't know if I'm being overly paranoid or what... I've just been searching all over the internet and keep finding things about parvo and other scary things, but I have no idea if I should be worrying about that since she has her shots. Also, I'm supposed to be going out for 2-3 hours tonight and I'm going to feel so awful leaving her... Anyway, your advice would be appreciated!

-Sara-

sharismom

Posted : 5/12/2006 3:38:58 PM

No offense, but I would cancel your plans and get this pup to the vet ASAP.

Sara Fehling

Posted : 5/12/2006 3:41:45 PM

Well of course I'll cancel my plans if there's a chance it could be serious...! But when the vet keeps telling me it isn't, what should I do? Just insist that they let me bring her in?

forpaws

Posted : 5/12/2006 3:49:43 PM

I would also just take her in especially if she is not acting like herself and I would go now.

Do you know how to take a temp? Norm range is between 100-102 If it is higher, I would definately take her in. Course I would take her in just because she is not acting right or feeling well either.
Keep us posted.
Good luck and sending healing vibes to your pupster.

glenmar

Posted : 5/12/2006 3:50:28 PM

Honestly? I'd find another vet.

She shouldn't have HAD two sets of shots yet. She's only 11 weeks old. Dr. Jean Dodds recommends vacinating with parvo/distemper ONLY at 9, 12 and between16-20 weeks. There is a reason for this.

Pups will loose mommas immunities between 8-15 weeks. But, no one knows which one looses it when. So, by giving the vaccines in a series, they catch the early, middle and late "loosers". The "boosters" don't add more immunity. ONE shot is all that does the job. Before they loose immunity, it's wasted and AFTER the first shot does it's job, it's wasted. But this is the only way to insure that EVERYONE is protected. So, if your pup had vaccine at say 9 weeks, and lost her immunities at 10 weeks, she wasn't protected.

Your pup NEEDS TO SEE THE VET. And she needs to be tested for parvo AND distemper. And even if she has neither, at this age, diaherra can cause dehydration in UNDER a day. This can be dangerous and she needs to be seen. NOW.

dyan

Posted : 5/12/2006 3:50:32 PM

If you don't take your puppy soon, you might have to end up taking it to emergency vet and that will cost you a lot more money,,and worry. Plus the fact that this is the weekend,,,it makes it worse. It seems that this has gone on long enough,,,,
The same kind of thing happened to my sons Dane years ago....and the vet gave it medicine and said he had a stomach infection. I dont know,,,we think it was from the vaccinations,,he got sick right after. BUT the big thing is that it took help from the vet to get him better.

Kelly Bonanno

Posted : 5/12/2006 3:55:57 PM

I'm just wondering . . . has she had any de-worming medications recently? The reason why I ask is because I adopted a puppy from a shelter and they gave us a powdered dewormer. We gave it to her and the next morning she had the same type of symptoms. It started out as a minimally runny BM and then progressed to much worse. Then she started vomiting. She threw up three or so times and was sleepy and lethargic. We had just gotten her so the shelter took care of having her seen by a vet, but they believe that she simply didn't react to the de-worming medication well and that it upset her stomach. This is a possibility since she is a puppy.

The main problem is that since she is vomiting and has loose BM's that she may become dehydrated, which is not a good thing, and as others have suggested, may cause you to wind up at the ER vet.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

sharismom

Posted : 5/12/2006 3:57:16 PM

ORIGINAL: mesmerize

Well of course I'll cancel my plans if there's a chance it could be serious...! But when the vet keeps telling me it isn't, what should I do? Just insist that they let me bring her in?

It's already very serious. Yes, insist or take her to another vet.

christina

Posted : 5/12/2006 5:11:18 PM

Please take your puppy to a vet - any vet. My puppy was very dehydrated from the same thing this past monday - he was sooo lethargic. He actually had a fever and the vet gave him antibiotics, medicine for the diahrea and vomiting and also fluids under the skin to rehydrate. I think your pup is very dehydrated and needs some medical attention. Please let us know how she is doing!!!!!

christina

Posted : 5/12/2006 5:14:28 PM

sorry - one more thing - if you insist on bringing her into the vet, your vet really can't say no. as a concerned pet parent, you have every right to bring your pet in for a check up. if you don't know another vet, some Petsmart locations have a Vet in the store, you can try calling them and see if they have evening hours or emergency care. Just take her somewhere!!!

calliecritturs

Posted : 5/12/2006 5:50:55 PM

Please do NOT go out tonight -- you could honestly lose your dog before you return.

I also PM'd you since it indicates you are "online".

Your pup sounds like a classic case of parvo or perhaps distemper. The vet's office is just plain not giving you an informed answer. Maybe it's just staff who are trying to give you an easy answer rather than checking with the vet -- but no vet should blow you off like this. ANY vet should know these shots should take 3 weeks to provide immunity and the first ones may not be effective at all!

This dog should *NOT* have had two sets of shots yet -- because neither may be effective. Mom's colostrum is likely still in effect which will negate shots. So this dog likely could have a deathly illness despite shots.

It takes 3-4 weeks for ANY shots to make 'immunity' even if the body is receptive. That's the whole point of doing two *sets* of shots because if the first set doesn't 'take' the second should. But the second set shouldn't be done til 14-16 weeks. NOT before 11 weeks.

Don't wait til morning - this dog is likely severely dehydrated (not your fault -- just the result of being so ill). Parvo is deadly -- and if they DO survive it can leave serious health issues. Distemper is as well -- and both can make it so you can't have *another* puppy in your yard for two years or over.

Please go to a different vet. Don't wait til morning -- it may be too late. If the pup is already lethargic you are in trouble.

Please let us know how it goes. Callie

Sofy Gil

Posted : 5/12/2006 6:57:09 PM

Please please take her in...i beg you! I just lost my baby who started out with these EXACT same symptoms. I don't want to scare you in any way but my bugs went in less than 24 hours. I agree with Glenmar have her tested for Parvo and distemper. Also DO NOT let them tell you no, take her in as an emergency, they're usually seen before walk-ins and appointments. Always always trust your gut instict.

Sara Fehling

Posted : 5/12/2006 10:10:12 PM

Well thankfully I have mostly-good news now...

We just got back from spending 3.5 hours at the emergency vet clinic... I called them at about 6:30 and told them the whole story, how my vet told me it wasn't necessary to bring her in. They immediately said basically the same thing that everyone here said -- that she could already be dehydrated and I really needed to have her checked out. So off we went to the emergency vet (which is ironically the same place my puppy was born -- her mommy had a c-section there!).

They did several tests, and we found out that (thank goodness) she tested negative for parvo. That was my biggest worry. They said that she does, however, have giardia. They said this didn't really explain the vomiting, though, so they said we could do a CBC to rule out other things. We had that done, and everything came back normal. So she's on antibiotics now, and hopefully she will be able to keep them down without vomiting anymore. I'm just so glad we found out what was causing this, and that it isn't anything too serious!

I'm sure it cost me a bit more money to have to take her to the emergency vet, but I didn't really have any other choice after 6 on a Friday night. She's worth it though, of course.

Thank you all for your help and advice!!

-Sara- (and Daisy Jane)

dyan

Posted : 5/12/2006 10:17:06 PM

Darn Sara,,,,, that was my thought when I posted before,,,hoping you could get your pup there before you had to spend the extra money at emergency! But I know your glad that you took her,,,and you have a lot less worry now.
A visit or phone call to your regular vet to report the fact that he caused you excess worry and money is in order I would think. ITs not fair that he/she did this to you...I think they should know that.
Keep us posted on how the pup is doing!

loveukaykay

Posted : 5/13/2006 12:46:34 AM

Im so glad to hear that!! And VERY glad you took her in!! I was going to suggest that may be what the problem was. I just saw this thread. Bailey just had Giardia and it was nasty nasty and had a big effect on her, and she did eventually throw up.... It may just be when its getting really bad...? Good job to you for going to the evet and yup they are totally worth it!! [

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I would suggest you try to find another vet, I know it may be a pain, but I just cant get over how they responded to your worries! I am overly worried about Bailey because of what happened to my Kayla, so I call my vets office all the time for stupid things and they have said to wait it out a bit BUT if I am worried to bring her by. I called about Bailey before I took her in to find she had Giardia and the vet (the actual vet - not her helper or anything) talked to me for a good 10 minutes about her symptoms and it was after they were closed. She tried to explain it was probably fine but what to look for that may be an emergency and even said "If you can wait till tomorrow please do, it will cost you way less and Ill take her first thing, but if not just go to the evet if only to ease your own worry".

My point is that there are better vets out there, and it feels good to find one that you know they care.

Welcome! Hope you stick around, lots of great people here![

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