My baby is at the vet!

Late last night, my 6 1/2-week-old Shih Poo girl started running around crying and sometimes screaming in pain and trying to get at something in her rear leg area and sometimes her actual rear end. She wouldn't sleep more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time and was just acting insane, writhing everywhere. The only time she was halfway lucid was when I would pick her up and carry her around or when I fed her some moist puppy food. She ate that like she was starving and actually had double her usual amount. My vet was nice enough to let me drop her off this morning so they could work her in but I'm worried to death. If you're a religious bunch, say prayers please!!

 

At 6 1/2 weeks she should still be with her mother.

Has she been wormed or do you not know if the breeder did this?

She could have either hurt her leg or if its coming from her bottom area it could be worms.
Dogs or puppies that go for there back legs as if something has biten them is an indication of worm burden.

Please let us know what your vet finds out and my prayers are with uyou and your little girl...

Mike

 

Just got back from the vet.

I just got her back and they said all they could find was some worm eggs in her poo so they gave me a yellow creamy wormer stuff to give her when we got home and I did that about 20 minutes ago. She pooped about 5 minutes after I gave it but nothing was in it so I wonder if it just takes longer than that to work. They, of course, couldn't get her to do the running in circles and crying thing there but now she does it every so often here while she's not nosing around and re-smelling everything.

She's black with a white ruff and paws on her body and her face is white with a black mask and ears. Very cute but it's hard to listen to her cry and rub her butt on the floor and try to get to it but she can't since she's such a little butterball.

I know she should still be with her mother but was not told when she was born by the lady I got her from. I don't think she was a breeder. Just her son's Shih Tzu and her Miniature Poodle apparently got together at the wrong time. I met her at 10 o'clock at night during a tornado warning in a bank parking lot in a little farming community and she practically threw her at me and shoved a piece of paper with her info on it and a can of moist puppy food. I didn't know until I got in my car and looked on the calendar that she was only 5-1/2 weeks old at the time. She's been fine the past week and they claim to have wormed her and given her a corona shot but who knows with people really. I never went through this little tiny baby stuff with my Shih Tzu as I did get him from a breeder who had done all the first shots and worming and he was 12 weeks old and much more capable of being on his own. My girl is beyond pathetic even still.

 

I am glad its nothing serious, It can take a couple of hours for the worming paste to work into her system and usually you will find ojnce its started to work for a couple of days after depending on how bad she has worms that she will pass them for a couple of days.

I know it sounds disgusting but after each time she has had a poop check it for indications that there is a worm infestation and that the wormer is working.

She will be back to normal in a day or so and will be a normal bouncy lively pup.

Mike

 

I hope she gets better soon!! I cant imagine how little she must be!! I was scared to death of Rascal being so small, and he was a 8 week ball of fluff when I brought him home!!! You must have been terrified when that SUPER little one got sick!!
Melissa

 

AGGHH She's still doing it!!

Shouldn't she have had some comfort yet? She sleeps for an hour or two now but ever since I got up an hour ago all I've heard is the same crying and whimpering and she's trying to chew on her rear end. She has pooed several times but I don't see a lot of evidence of anything in it...hair, it's a bit gummy and stringy like but no definite "spaghetti" or "rice" pieces like they told me. I think I'll call the vet again this morning and ask her if it couldn't be a blockage of some kind. She does rub her rear on the floor though. Maybe she just needs more wormer?

 

Went back to the vet

I called the vet this morning and they said more wormer wouldn't help so I took her back in and waited until she did the crying and running around chasing her back end and the vet saw and at first said she sounded like a puppy who misses her littermates and mom. Well yes I'm sure she does but I've had her a week and she never did that before. Then, she saw her actually do it and picked her up and picked her back legs up and Sugar started crying again.
They did an x-ray and said something about her growth plate is abnormal in one of her back hips and could be causing her pain but the girl at the front desk didn't know how it could be treated. She said the vet is out on a farm call and may not be back in today but when she calls she'll have her call me and tell me what I can do for her if anything. She said she wants to do a repeat x-ray in 10 days but didn't offer up anything like pain meds or something until then. I can't see having her running around crying and screaming in pain for 10 more days and doing nothing about it. WAH! She's such a good puppy too and always makes a bee line for the pads usually except the past 2 days when she's been out of sorts and forgets some but heck, she's only 6-1/2 weeks old.

 

Got a call back

The vet called back and said to keep her confined to a crate for the next 3-6 weeks but in 10 days they are going to do another x-ray to see if the other side matches since right now it doesn't. She said usually they grow out of this one hip being different than the other. She said if she doesn't then sometimes the leg doesn't grow and it would have to be amputated but that's not anything to worry about right now. She seemed hopeful about it so that's good. She said they put her in an incubator and made her all warm and she just went to sleep so the best thing is to do that at home with a small crate and I have a bag filled with beans that I microwave for 3 minutes and it stays warm a few hours so I'll put that in there with her. I can get her tomorrow. I'm sure she feels better in that incubator for now and someone checks on the animals through the night there plus someone lives upstairs and can check on them as well, she said.

 

Since this is a problem with her growth plate is abnormal this indicates either one or both parents have never been health checked and one of the has the condition in there bloodline, Which will pass to all of there litters.

I would not worry to much wait and see what the next x-rays show and hopefully everything will work out.

My prayers are with you and your little one.

Keep us posted of her progress.

Mike

 

I feel bad but....

I am thinking of contacting the lady I got her from and asking her to take her back and refund my money. Is that bad or is that something she should do under the circumstances? I've never had this issue with a pup. I just got her home and fed her and watered her and she peed and pooed and then I warmed up this heating bag I have and put it in her crate with plenty of towels, a biscuit, and some toys and she whined and cried and had a fit for about 15 minutes and is sleeping now so I don't know. I feel like a bad person for wanting to give her back but she really shouldn't even be away from her mother now. I've had her a week so I'd hate her to think I was abandoning her. She was very glad to see me at the vet's office. AGGH I don't know what to do. Advice please!

 

What you can do is contact the breeder and tell him/her the situation and see what they are going to do, Even if they agree to pay some or most of your vets bills because they have basically given you a puppy that should still be with its mum and is not in great health, These are qualities from backyard breeders who are just out to make some money.

I can only imagen the pain she must be in as i have never had a a litter with anything like this, I have a feeling that you may find that all the pups from the litter has the same problems.

I also have a feeling that you may not be able to contact the breeder or they will not want to know.

Let us know what you decide.

Mike

 

Thats a tough one, I can see where you are coming from either way...you hate to give her back (imagine her life then...sheesh) but then again this may be a major financial obligation, not to mention her pain, and this is not what anyone asks for when they pay to get a new puppy.
Like the last post though, if this person was as irresponsible as it seems (taking her away from mother so early, breeding without screening, and your whole drop off story) then you may have a hard time contacting them to get any money or help.....or even any concern. I wish you lived near me....I would help you :cry:
Melissa

 

I am broken hearted reading through this thread..... I can't imagine the poor baby is in pain and they didn't offer pain meds??? what the??

It's been almost a week since the last post... can you please update?

As far as contacting the breeder.... in my OWN opinion, I'd kiss that lady longgggggggg goodbye!! She obviously doesn't give a d*mn about the puppy and only about the money... it's clear by her actions with removing pups so young (GRRR!!) and throwing the pup at you? UGH.... I'm a strong believer in fate and think that baby was meant to be with you. If you can afford it, I'd keep her and give her the love and good home that you have been doing

 

Thanks for the reply

She's doing better. She has her moments where she's a little "whiny butt" as I call her but I've only noticed her trying to get at her back end a few times since she came home from the vet. I was puppy sitting a Husky mix female and she really liked her but that type of dog was so rambunctious for my tiny apartment I was glad to see her go..LOL. After she left, the hip seemed to bother her a lot more but now she's settled down again. Hopefully, next week with her re-xray, the problem will be fixed.

On the no pain meds right now, the vet said you want to keep her as quiet as possible so the hip has time to catch up with the other with no further injury and if she were on pain meds she would feel too good and not know when to slow down. I don't really know what they do if they do the x-ray and nothing's changed. Hopefully, it will be corrected one way or the other, naturally or surgically. I'd hate for her to have to live like that her whole life since she's not even 3 months old yet.

 

I'm happy to hear that she is doing a little better (I still dont' understand the comment about why no meds, but heyyyy I'm no vet doctor....)

So it sounds to me like you've decided to keep her, eh?

 

I probably never would have sent her back...

LOL I'm too big of a softy and obviously that woman didn't have her best interest at heart. She is such a smart little girl and runs to her pee pads if she has to go pee. She used to do both on the pads but I've been taking her out 4-5 times a day with my older male Shih Tzu and she seems to hold that until we go out. I'm very proud of her.

 

That's fabulous that she's doing so well on the potty training!!! ESPECIALLY at such a young age.... (Except I'm wondering if she's suppose to go outside if she's not fully vaccinated yet?)

Do you have pictures of your sweetie? I'd love to see her... .shihpoos are the bestest

 

Just took one of her...

She's lounging across my 1-year-old male Shih Tzu

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/A ... 8weeks.jpg

 

I can't tell who is who... is the black/white your Sugar? or shihtzu?

 

Yes, that's her, Miss Sugar

This is Gizmo, the full Tzu..

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/A ... Gizmo2.jpg

and here is Sugar's other "brother," my Chihuahua, Sparky who is just a world of trouble right now with not eating and had to be taken to the ER and he's just 12 weeks old..only had him a week. I swear someone needs to come to Missouri and weed out all the bad "breeders."

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/A ... Sparky.jpg