Following the vet's advice, I made her some bland food and she ate and kept that down, went and played in the pasture and ran around. She had no fever, no lethargy, no diarrhea. They thought she had gotten into something gross and was on the rebound.
I took Ben and Chan to town to hang out with friends and Jake stayed here with the puppy. Last night she and Nia wrestled and played. Just before bed, she threw up again.
I woke up around 1 this morning and went to check her. She was pitiful. I told myself it was because it was the middle of the night and she was groggy, but I knew better.
Every hour or so, I gave her an ounce of fluids with the turkey baster. She seemed to keep it down fairly well. By 6, I knew there was something really wrong. Her eyes were so sad and she was so still. And she did not want anything to do with food-not even bacon or tuna. At 7:30, I was at the vet's office and at 8, when they actually arrived, I got her in to be looked at.
They took her history-one round of vaccinations at 8 weeks, one due now (tomorrow in fact), the last at 16 weeks, a month from now. She tested positive for parvo. They had 2 courses of action, neither great. The first was keeping her there for round the clock meds and fluids. That was $300 down and $100 a day until she died or went home. Treatment lasts around 7 days. The other was taking her and her meds home. I opted for that explaining there was no way I could justify a thousand dollars for a puppy that might not live. She was given a 50/50 chance either way and basically as long as was sure I could keep her hydrated, it did not matter to them which option I took.
We talked a long time, I have to say that for the vet, he answered a ton of questions. I can also say that if you go online, you can find a vet who will agree with any viewpoint you might want to have. The discrepancy in information for this single disease is terrifying. I have found if she lives three days, she will make it. That's today! I have read it will be 2 weeks until she is really in the clear. That's next year! I have read she will be immune, that she will always shed the virus and is now a carrier, that the virus will be gone from the soil anywhere from 6 months to 10 years.
I decided to use the money we had set aside for Christmas to cover it, so it was not coming out of savings or going on the credit card. And we should know by Christmas if she's going to make it, so I hope it turns out we get a miracle and not another funeral. Oh, that's morbid. I want to put out all the positive vibes I can, she needs lots of love and good thoughts along with her forced liquids. Poor baby!!
As still as I am likely to catch her.
When I took this one the other day I thought of it as the first shot of the 'adult' version of Kai-that muzzle and beautiful line of her head.
Here she is in the van waiting at the vet's. So super sad! She looks younger.
It will be worth missing our Christmas festivities to see her all better. I am so glad I had money set aside, we were just going to use it to go camping anyway, since Matt has forced vacation the next 2 weeks. That will be more fun when she and Nia are both full of sass and cramming in the tent with the boys. I will be cramming in the camper with the heater. hahaha!
I want to be positive and see all the positive signs-she's walking around, still curious. She's wagging her tail, she's drinking a little on her own and she's keeping down what I am getting in her. Matt is coming home with some unflavored pedialyte and I think that will help even more. She seems able to rest once she settles.
But she's weird-wandering and staring at corners, her feet and tail are freezing-that's the dehydration making her colder. She seems so restless and keeps looking at me like I can fix it and make her feel better. And all I am doing is poking hard pills in her throat and forcing her to swallow fluids she does not want at all. I see now why so many people hand over their puppy to the vet for the IV and isolation, despite the cost and knowing their puppy is probably scared to death. I'd rather not see her pooping blood or hear her groaning as she tries to get comfortable. I'd really rather not smell her. Parvo has it's own reek that is unmistakable and it hit her body around 2 today. Even her breath is horrible. I have already done 3 loads of laundry, she's gross!
I want to be on the other side of this and know what happens to her. Waiting is the worst invention ever.
But she's weird-wandering and staring at corners, her feet and tail are freezing-that's the dehydration making her colder. She seems so restless and keeps looking at me like I can fix it and make her feel better. And all I am doing is poking hard pills in her throat and forcing her to swallow fluids she does not want at all. I see now why so many people hand over their puppy to the vet for the IV and isolation, despite the cost and knowing their puppy is probably scared to death. I'd rather not see her pooping blood or hear her groaning as she tries to get comfortable. I'd really rather not smell her. Parvo has it's own reek that is unmistakable and it hit her body around 2 today. Even her breath is horrible. I have already done 3 loads of laundry, she's gross!
I want to be on the other side of this and know what happens to her. Waiting is the worst invention ever.
