I got my female puppy on Friday, August 29. What a joy!! The most beautiful platnum colored pup. She was so full of energy and spunk. We loved her immediately. She was eating Eukanuba (1 1/3 c daily) and drinking lots of water and just playing until she dropped. On Monday night she went to sleep in her small kennel and woke up once around 1:30. I went to her, not taking her out and petted her and within minutes she was content and went back to sleep. I was so shocked when the next time I woke up was 6:00 am. I ran down stairs so surprised she has slept all night only to discover she was not well. She was listless and just not good. I took her outside and she had diarrhea. I brought her in and she threw up frothy spit. Not much of anything. She would not eat. I took her to the vet. She did a "stamp" parvo test and told me it was positive and that my puppy was probably going to die. She told me my options were to put her to sleep RIGHT THEN or agree to aggressive treatment which would cost me $900-$1400!!!. I was devastated... I agreed to treatment until I could contact the breeder. The breeder was furious!! She said that puppy does not have parvo.. She called the vet and told them they needed to look for something else. The vet basically said it was parvo and that is the treatment. The breeder then said she was coming to get the puppy and would treat it herself. The breeder has had my pup now for 5 days. She put her back with her mother to nurse at night. The puppy has responded to antibiotics but is not totally well. She still has some diarrhea but she is eating. The breeder is giving her baby food w/ turkey in it. The breeder told me that she thinks she has campylobacter. She is taking her to her vet on Tuesday and we will get an update at that time. What does all this sound like to you guys with experience?? Thanks Dot

Hi, I'm sorry that I don't have any useful information for you, as I know nothing about this. However, I just wanted to say how sorry I am. We have a sick puppy at present and it is a truly dreadful experience, so I have some idea of what you are going through. If the pup is responding to antibiotics then it is likely it is something bacterial, and not viral (unless there is a secondary bacterial infection as well as something viral). However, I am no expert. Also the fact that she's eating is generally a good sign. Out of interest, I am just wondering how the breeder knows that it is not Parvo when a stamp test says it is? I have no idea about the reliability of stamp tests, so don't know how certain the diagnosis can be.

Anyway, I will stop waffling now. All I really wanted to do is wish you the best of luck in curing your baby, and hope that it all turns out well for you. Best wishes, Imp

Thanks to those of you who responded to my message. At this time I have no new news. Will know something tomorrow and will post then. To Imp, I hope your puppy is better. According to my breeder, the "stamp" test for parvo is very unreliable. Her vet has stopped using it. My puppy also tested negative for parvo through the stool sample. I guess we never know for sure. My breeder said she wouldn't even have considered taking the puppy back to her kennel if she thought it had parvo. Thanks for the concern. Dot

Like the other reply I can't really offer advice on the cause or treatment but I do know that Campylobacter is a particularly nasty form of salmonella Food Poisoning which I had last year. It is also highly contagious so if this is what your pup has got then it's prob best she's not with you (especially if you have children) I was off work for nearly three weeks and lost over a stone in weight. I really thought that I was going to die at one point and have never felt pain like it (doctor said the cramps were on a par with labour pains and week long labour pains are just not funny!)

So basically all I can say is how much I feel for your little baby. It's one thing for an adult human to be so ill and the doctors to be able to explain what's wrong but your poor puppy must be so frightened.

One thing I would say is - can you not get a second opinion from another vet?

Please keep us posted.

yes id get a second opionion like the breeder is saying and even if she has to have the treatment id phone around for a vet who does the treatment cheaper , it dose sound alot of money shame your dident get her insured, i think mine was insured at 6 or 7 weeks old , its definatly worth paying the money "just incase"
hope your pup gets better soon
lady xxxxxxxxxx

If it is Campylobactor that she has got then the usual treatment for this is a drug called Erythromycin and they usually give a drug called emequelle ( not sure if that is spelt right ) about half an hour before the other because it makes them feel sick and this drug stops it, give plenty of lectade to stop dehydration and a light diet of chicken or fish, it is contagious to other dogs and to humans, so keeping everything sterile is a must.

Hope your pup gets better soon

Diane

Hi
I am really puzzled by this, I can't see that the Vet would have told you it was Parvo if it's not!. Did you have a certificate from the Breeder when you got the puppy to say that she had been vaccinated against Parvo???. It sounds to me like the breeder is trying to cover her/his back by taking the puppy back.

Personally I wouldn't have given the puppy back to them. Ger her back and as the other person said speak to another vet in the area and see what they say. If you are worried about the money ask the vet if you can pay them back in installments, I had to do this with my dog once before I got her insured and my Vet was really helpful and we came to a good agrangement over how long I could make the payment over.

I really do hope she is ok, but do get her back and seek further advise

Jo
x

You are obviously in America Dotpool so I really can't comment. Over here in the UK it is not usual to start the inoculations until about 8 weeks old so at the age of your puppy it would be unlikely to be vaccinated yet. So saying, the natural immunity from the bitch would normally hold the puppy until the jabs.

I would not be blaming the breeder if it is Parvo because there is very little a breeder can do anyway. As to the "Stamp" test, I have never heard of it over here? (Does anyone have any info on it over here?) So all in all I cannot help you much. All I can say is that I hope your puppy will soon be fit and well.

Regards, John

Hi John, Yes you are right, I am an American living in Pennsylvania. Our puppies are vaccinated beginning at 6 weeks. They have boosters every 3 weeks or so until 12 weeks. The mother's milk was one of the main things the breeder did. She took Bailey and put her back with her mother to nurse for the antiboties the mother's milk has. That was another reason I knew that she did not have parvo. You would not put a puppy with parvo in with its Mother and other puppies. As for the "stamp test", I still have no info on that either. Thanks for your concern. Dot

Hi Jo, Yes my puppy was vaccinated and guaranteed. I think the vet was just quick to diagnose. I do know that you must treat parvo very aggressively at the very beginning. But to rule out other courses of treatment and to suggest putting the dog down immediately, I think was wrong. I got several references on my breeder before I purchased the puppy and I think she did the right thing. Either way, she saved me a ton of money (no my vet would not work out a payment plan, I did try that). I am to get Bailey back on Friday. She has been checked by the breeder's vet and has a clean bill of health (which she also had when I got her). But somewhere along the way she picked up a bacteria (at least that is what the vet says). I have found a new vet and have already gone to visit them myself to familiarize them with Bailey and our situation. They are looking forward to meeting her. Thanks for your reply. Dot

Glad things are working out for you Dot. I must say, some vets seem more into money that treatment. I can remember trying a couple before finding a young vet who I could relate to. I've been with that practise now for over 40 years!

Best wishes, John