Need advice on new poorly puppy.

Tulip09

Hiya, as some will know i acquired a puppy from a really crappy home. Not what i had planned or have experience of so i need a little advice before i really panic and behave like a new mother about everything going wrong and my new baby is really sick. She was born on the 18th November 2010 and is a mini lab/ lhaso apso cross.

After 1 day of owning her she started to get really poorly, lost the will to walk/ play etc and we thought she was being to pampered/ carried everywhere and oh well she is a baby maybe she is a little tired/ fed up etc. Then she started being sick 2/3 times only at night. We took her to the vet who said she is "just adjusting"

Day 3 - She could barely walk/ seemed really out of sorts and just lay flat out on the floor/bed/settee, Her stomach is huge and seems tender to touch and hard, and she is being sick where she is sitting. We took her back to the vets who said she could have worms and gave her a flee treatment just incase, worm injection just incase (took 1 day to work) & her first lot of injections and told us just to feed her 1 chicken breast and rice (steamed) with lots of water for each meal 2/3 times per day.

So now we are at Day 11 of having a puppy (spending a fortune on chicken breast and vet bill is over £150 already)- she is still being sick, perks up every few hours for about 5/10 minutes (where she is a usual puppy- chewing/biting/jumping etc) then back to sleep again. She is eating fine & drinking 2 medium bowls of water a day at least.

She has worms still coming out of her every few hours about 7/8 inchs long, some are white, some red (these are smaller). Her poo is like white gunge as if its like phlem & riddled with worms. We have been weighing her and she is putting on a little weight over the past few days now but we are only talking 4 grams. (She weighs 6 grams less than the day we got her)

We don't know what else to do with her but she seems so uncomfortable & sad sometimes. She perks up in my walk in shower for some reason, so is it worth giving her a bath to see if that can help her? Is there anything else we can do for her, i don't want to keep running off to the vets at £25 a time just for them to say don't panic she is fine.

How long will the worms take to come out of her system in total from the day of injection? should we be doing something else to make her feel comfortable or to hurry it along. Her nose is hot (which i always thought of a sign of illness but the vet said don't worry to much again) Her temperature is fine apparently.

But I feel totally clueless & powerless to help her Can someone give me some ideas as i'm panicking about this and think she is really sick. This is worse than when my children got ill

Thanks for your advice & sorry my post is so long.

Tropez

Puppies sleep for up to 20 hours a day, more if they're poorly so don't be too alarmed that she is only perking up for short periods. Eating and drinking are good signs.

Worms will make a puppy sick. It sounds like she has had these worms for some time and they have populated quite aggressively inside her. However, she is now receiving treatment and eliminating the worms so this is a positive step.

For the benefit of the vet, keep a journal of all her behaviour. When she goes potty, when she perks up, when she's sleeping, when she's expressing discomfort etc. Times, dates etc. It is too easy to forget to detail the full picture to a vet when simply discussing the problem - a journal is a complete record for the vet to examine.

How long it will take for the worms to finally leave her depends on too many factors for anybody here to estimate. If she is putting on weight now it is a sign that the worms are beginning to decline.

If you're concerned that your vet isn't doing enough, then speak to another vet (armed with the journal if possible).

Just be vigilant and continue to monitor her behaviour and mannerisms and let the vets deal with the treatment.

Tulip09

Thank you, thats a great idea and i will start keeping a journal. Im sure the vet thinks im like some sort of over anxious mother. Never having had a puppy before i think i am proberly panicking a little bit.

Froglet

Quite honestly i would get a second opinion.The vet was slow to react and start treating her,wasn't he? Ask around and get the best one available,even if it costs more initially.Poor little thing must have suffered such a lot with those worms.|So long as you are able to tell a new vet everything she has been treated with so far,so there is no danger of overdosing i think it would be in your best interest.

I would also get some insurance sorted out pronto.Her early neglect could have repercussions later on and could start costing you big time if the damage is permanent.Hopefully it won't come to that but better to be prepared.

Let us know how she goes on,and a big well done on rescuing her and giving her the best chance of a better life.

Sagz_2

Might be worth a call to talk to the Vet as I'm not sure if there is any lasting effect from a worming injection - so if pup is still passing worms she may still be infected.

The journal is an excellent idea Tropez, will give the Vet a better idea of what's going on.

chris_n_tj

I am with everyone else, go back to your Vet, if you are still not happy try another Vet.

Also a whole chicken breast and rice for one meal seems so be quite a lot I would cut that down and feed little and often. We have always been told that young puppies need at least 4 meals a day to begin with.

I hope things pick up soon, its so hard when your puppy is ill. Fingers crossed for you both. xx

DogsBody

Did your vet tell you that you should be worming her every two weeks anyway until she is 12 weeks old, then every month until she is 6 months? She's not much over 8 weeks now and seems to have a very heavy worm burden, so will have less energy etc than a 'regular' pup, as Tropez says, pups of this age sleep a lot anyway even when they are fully healthy.

Certainly more than 2/3 meals a day at this age, 4 is usual. Would have thought chicken and rice would not be a long term thing, ask vet if you can gradually change back to puppy food.

Eating and gaining weight is good.

Good advice from others - ringing the vet for advice is usually free!:)

Tulip09

Sorry for posting and running pup was really sick and started coughing up what i think was mucus & blood then she was just lying on her bed making squeaks & shaking all over. She is spending the night in another vets just now as he thinks she could have been having some sort of fit so will keep an eye on her overnight. The new vet said that she is just really sick from the worms and that her temp is a 'fraction' up but not dangerously so they are running some tests. The other vet told us not to put her back on puppy food for at least 3 weeks and that as she is so tiny that the vet would worm her etc every few weeks and not to attempt to do it ourselves. At the moment she is eating 3 chicken breasts a day with a handful of steamed rice each time. She usually leaves some and her bowl is never empty so i presume she is getting enough food?

In regards to pet insurance - we have looked into it but didn't take it up yet as we had only just brought her home. Hopefully they will take us now.

Thanks for your advice xx

Tropez

All the best for you and your pup. She's in the best hands right now and I truly hope she makes a full recovery.

Tulip09

Thanks alot. I have blubbered like an idiot all day and worked myself into a state a few times. I know she will be in the best hands but now im worried she is lonely she has'nt spent a night alone yet as i have been sleeping downstairs with her. God im such a sop really. This is worse than having babies, at least i sort of knew what i was doing.

Thank you for your advice/good wishes though it really is appreciated.

Tropez

Nah, you're not a sop - it is natural to be worried. The reason you have her is to make her a member of your family so it doesn't say anything other than she has a caring mother waiting at home for her when the vet gives her the all clear.

It is an unfortunate situation and I don't envy you at all. If any of my girls were going through the same thing then I'd be a wreck too (and I'm a man and therefore not supposed to blubber apparently). The good thing is though that most vets who have overnight services usually have at least one nurse on and those nurses are often the most loving, affectionate animal lovers there are, so if your girl does feel a bit lonely and upset then there will probably be someone around to give her a comforting voice.

It is always worth remembering at times like this that most vets could have made it as doctors but chose vet work (and lower pay!) purely because of the love they have for animals.