8 week old Puppy is sick - what to do?

If anyone can help or has faced a similar situation I would be very grateful for their input.
Basically, friend paid £250 for a puppy on Tuesday. She (puppy) came from registered breeder and is a cross.
Puppy is 8 weeks old and has one injection left to have.
No contract was signed but friend has receipt.
On Thursday (36 hours after being bought) puppy started with diarrohea which worsened over the next 24 hours.
Two vet visits later friend took pup to 24 hour pet clinic where she is now on a drip. She has been diagnosed with Gastro Enteritis which the Vet said takes roughly 5 days to incubate. If this is the case the puppy would have contracted it at the breeders.
Breeder didn't provide any insurance (!) but has offered to pay part of the costs incurred for puppy's treatment. She is upset and has contacted owners of other puppies she sold and, so far, none of them are ill.
Friend is totally devastated and pup hasn't improved during the night. The insurance friend took out commonly doesn't cover any illness during the first two weeks.
Costs are now up to £500 and, with another night's hospitalisation and tests which will need doing, scans etc., may even double.
Friend has the money to pay for it so that isn't the issue and she will pay whatever it costs.
But shouldn't the breeder be liable and is there anything friend can refer to? Are pets covered under Sale of Goods Act etc.?
It seems pretty awful to pay £250 for puppy then have to pay possibly the best part of £1,000 within a week of taking ownership.
I would be grateful if anyone can help and we are all hoping pup makes a full recovery because she is the most adorable little thing ever and has captured all our hearts.
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Comments

  • pixelation
    pixelation Posts: 157 Forumite
    edited 11 June 2011 at 11:49AM
    I'm so sorry to hear that this puppy is ill.
    Sadly puppies often get struck down with sickness after leaving their mum. Their immunity from the milk drops off and they pick up any thing going, including the new house's resident germs. If the other pups don't have it then it is less likely to have been caught at the breeders. Have vets run full blood and stool screen? Puppies sometimes just get puppy diarrhea which goes on its own, or can need intervention as in this case. Sometimes vets just call it "gastroenteritis" as a coverall. If it is bacterial ot viral it still is not so likely to have come via the breeder.
    IMHO the breeder is being very kind offering to help out.
    If you found this post useful please will you click "thank you"? It cheers me up. :j
  • Thank you. Friend would have expected some change in pup. I had 3 kittens from CP so know animals take time to adjust to new homes.
    I am only quoting what the Vet told her that the normal incubation period is 5 days. Pup has vomited since being in clinic and diarrohea has continued despite being on a drip overnight.
    I agree that the breeder is being kind by offering to part pay but if she had insured the puppies before selling them (even if she passed the cost on to the new owners) then my friend would not have to pay the best part of perhaps a £1,000 (and I fully expect this to rise as I paid via insurance company nearly £2,500 for one of my cats treatment).
    Unfortunately, as I said earlier, insuring pets isn't like insuring cars. There is a waiting period of two weeks before they become covered.
    No amount of money (even a full refund) can make up for what my friend is going through right now.
    Puppy hasn't been exposed to any other dog or even anyone who owns dogs. Only visitors have been me and OH.
    I don't doubt puppy is exposed to different germs in her new home but friend has just moved into new house herself where everything is brand new inc carpets and furnishings so it's less likely, in my opinion, to have picked up anything to have caused this kind of problem there.
  • Fire_Fox
    Fire_Fox Posts: 26,026
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    edited 11 June 2011 at 12:20PM
    Is the vet willing to provide a signed report that the infection MUST have taken place before your friend took ownership? Agree with Pixelation, you will need the specific pathogen identified for this. Dogs do not only contract infections from other dogs, most micro-organisms are not species-specific. Some can only be passed on through close contact, viruses particularly do not survive long outside a host as they are basically naked DNA. Some bacteria are spore formers whilst others are not, again identification of the pathogen is needed before you can speculate.

    Has your friend been communicating in writing (e-mail is fine) and retained copies of all correspondence? Why was no contract signed and no continuing insurance cover arranged with the breeder? If the breeder had her own insurance I am not sure this would have covered the treatment, as the puppy is no longer hers. IIRC animals are covered under the Sale of Goods Act, however if that is the case then the seller has the right to choose whether they 'repair', replace or refund. Usually refund or replacement is offered if the cost of the repair is more than the cost of the product, as in this case. I am assuming your friend does not want a refund or replacement as both mean returning the puppy?

    In the eyes of the law it is not reasonable to expect the breeder to pay the full cost of diagnosis and 'repairs' which they have no say over. If the puppy is returned the breeder *may* choose to write the 'product' off, i.e. PTS. :( I appreciate I am sounding harsh here, but unfortunately if you invoke the SoGA you may have to treat a living creature as if he were an inanimate object. I hope the puppy makes a full recovery ASAP.
    Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
  • Tropez
    Tropez Posts: 3,696 Forumite
    Thank you. Friend would have expected some change in pup. I had 3 kittens from CP so know animals take time to adjust to new homes.
    I am only quoting what the Vet told her that the normal incubation period is 5 days. Pup has vomited since being in clinic and diarrohea has continued despite being on a drip overnight.
    I agree that the breeder is being kind by offering to part pay but if she had insured the puppies before selling them (even if she passed the cost on to the new owners) then my friend would not have to pay the best part of perhaps a £1,000 (and I fully expect this to rise as I paid via insurance company nearly £2,500 for one of my cats treatment).
    Unfortunately, as I said earlier, insuring pets isn't like insuring cars. There is a waiting period of two weeks before they become covered.
    No amount of money (even a full refund) can make up for what my friend is going through right now.
    Puppy hasn't been exposed to any other dog or even anyone who owns dogs. Only visitors have been me and OH.
    I don't doubt puppy is exposed to different germs in her new home but friend has just moved into new house herself where everything is brand new inc carpets and furnishings so it's less likely, in my opinion, to have picked up anything to have caused this kind of problem there.

    I've yet to encounter an insurance company that will insure a dog under the age of 8 weeks old. The reason for this is that dogs under 8 are susceptible to disease and more likely to die than a dog over the age of 8 weeks.

    I just ran a search for insurance for a 6 week old puppy through a Price Comparison site and all 20+ companies returned "Cannot provide a quote due to pet's age".
  • Thanks for that.
    Pup is the tiniest little thing, she fits in the palm of your hand at the moment, and wasn't the runt of the litter either.
    We are all worried but my friend is absolutely out of her mind.
    The practical part of me worries what happens if the worst happens.
    Can't put a price on the emotional upset and heartbreak but to be over a thousand pounds worse off for something you only had for two days just seems so wrong.
  • Fire_Fox
    Fire_Fox Posts: 26,026
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    Thanks for that.
    Pup is the tiniest little thing, she fits in the palm of your hand at the moment, and wasn't the runt of the litter either.
    We are all worried but my friend is absolutely out of her mind.
    The practical part of me worries what happens if the worst happens.
    Can't put a price on the emotional upset and heartbreak but to be over a thousand pounds worse off for something you only had for two days just seems so wrong.

    Are you sure the puppy is old/ large enough to have left her mother, what does the vet think? The fact that a dog is not an inanimate object is why contracts exist - a reputable breeder will insist you return one of their dogs/ cats if your circumstances change (even years later) and there should be an agreement if a genetic fault is discovered. If the breeder if legitimate, perhaps contact the registering body to find out what their stance is on a sick puppy with no insurance and no contract? Though as the puppy is a mongrel they may not be interested.
    Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
  • Fire_Fox wrote: »
    Is the vet willing to provide a signed report that the infection MUST have taken place before your friend took ownership?

    Has your friend been communicating in writing (e-mail is fine) and retained copies of all correspondence? Why was no contract signed and no continuing insurance cover arranged with the breeder? If the breeder had her own insurance I am not sure this would have covered the treatment, as the puppy is no longer hers. IIRC animals are covered under the Sale of Goods Act, however if that is the case then the seller has the right to choose whether they 'repair', replace or refund. Usually refund or replacement is offered if the cost of the repair is more than the cost of the product, as in this case. I am assuming your friend does not want a refund or replacement as both mean returning the puppy?
    I hope the puppy makes a full recovery ASAP.

    Thank you. Pup is still on a drip so tests won't be done unless she shows signs of worsening which will be in the morning. Vet said at least 24 hours on drip.
    No there was/is no written communication just phone calls and texts between friend and breeder.
    Breeder is very upset and asking for updates from friend. Obviously she has pups best interest at heart as we all do.
    I don't understand why breeder (fully registered and checked and 100% legitimate) doesn't give contracts either. Maybe because it's a crossbreed? At this rate, if she keeps her (verbal) word of part paying, she will be at least the price of two pups out of pocket.
    No, friend wants to keep pup at any cost and wouldn't dream of returning her.
    Will give updates as and when I get them.
  • Just had update. Pup now in isolation. Friend not allowed to see her!
  • Fire_Fox wrote: »
    Are you sure the puppy is old/ large enough to have left her mother, what does the vet think? The fact that a dog is not an inanimate object is why contracts exist - a reputable breeder will insist you return one of their dogs/ cats if your circumstances change (even years later) and there should be an agreement if a genetic fault is discovered. If the breeder if legitimate, perhaps contact the registering body to find out what their stance is on a sick puppy with no insurance and no contract? Though as the puppy is a mongrel they may not be interested.

    I thought a mongrel was more than one cross but I admit to not knowing about dogs? It's a brichon fris (?) cross.
    It is registered in another version of the KC but I don't know which.
    Yes puppy was large/old enough to leave. The others in the litter, 7 I think, left same day too.
    There is absolutely no chance of puppy going back even if friends costs escalate to ten thousand pounds. Just not happening. She is totally in love with her.
    Breeder is 100% legitimate, qualifications the lot.
    Just to re-iterate, breeder is also upset and I am not questioning her at all. If she isn't able to insure pups due to insurance company restrictions then that is it. But I do feel that the costs of treatment should not be borne by my friend.
  • peachyprice
    peachyprice Posts: 22,346
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    Did your friend meet the breeder and mum before the puppies were born? Can she therefore be 100% sure the puppy is 8+ weeks old?
    Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear
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