Helpppppppppp, dog with parvo question

Wannafish · Jan 9, 2004

Richard,
I forgot to mention - please be sure to make the animal shelter aware of your dilemma. They need to know as soon as possible.

Regards,

Rick

Richard · Jan 9, 2004

Just talked to the Vet's office. Seems Otis has been standing up today (he also stood up when I stopped by this morning to visit him)

Gal said he HAS regurgitated some today, however, his temperature is "normal" and he has not had much (though I want to remember she said none?) bowel movement today. She said he seems a bit more tired today, so my guess is (if we use a 5 day window) that we are now in the beginning of the 3rd day or LATE in the swing of the 2nd day. Obviously only a guess.

I asked her if he in fact dies from this, given how "fast" they said it coudl happen, could he die in the next 10 minutes or would there maybe be a 3 hour decline. She said given his current responsiveness, she'd expect maybe an hours warning though all dogs are different.

Seems Otis has caught the fond attentions of the folks at the vet, but then again, I presume the vets office is populated with people that tend to love animals. I feel kind of nice that they seem to be taking a genuine interest in his health and not just him passing through as a faceless/nameless statistic.

The wife stopped by on her way to work and i'm stopping by on my way home. I cautioned the wife that when we visit, it MIGHT be better for Otis if we simply said hi to him and didn't get him all excited by seeing us... I suspect he's better off utilizing that energy fighting this horrid disease. If he makes it through, he can spend the rest of his lifetime sharing the love (and chewing up my shoes /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Richard

Richard · Jan 9, 2004

Wannafish

Yes they know. When I was at Vet yesterday, a gal walked in to get HER puppy shots (her puppy, not her /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif). It was our #2 pick, a choc lab. Long story short, she's with some Lab rescue group and was going to get back to the shelter. I talked to vet this morning about it and the Dr. said THEY also inform the shelter, however, that the shelter hears this about every other week or so. In other words, it seems to be "accepted" that the shelter has the virus permanantly established there. Not sure if that's really true and it doesn't make me feel good hearing/knowing that but that's what the Doc said/implied. I fear most of those pups I saw the other day are in for a bad week soon.

What kind of DOUBLE bites me is when the Wifey paid the shelter for the dog, she wrote a SECOND check and gave them a donation for $50.00 to put to their new place they are trying to get funds for. We laughed today on phone wondering if we ought to go back to them and ask for the $50 back so we can apply it to the $200/night fee.

Richard

Hmmm.... I was re-reading this before hitting 'post' and had a recollection. It seems to me I smelled bleach while at the shelter. I didn't pay MUCH attention to it as I (erroneously) presumed they did the spaying/neutering there and might use bleach for ???

In view of todays facts, I wonder if they use that as some ongoing program of trying to fight this virus.

leaddog · Jan 9, 2004

Unfortionatly all dog shelters have to fight the virus as it is in the world of all dogs. this virus traveled the world with in 6mo of mutating from cat distemper. There is also several corona viruses that are very simular. It sounds like your dog is going to make it. It will take a few days for the intestine to heal itself but if the dog stops loseing fluids it should survive. Most all dogs get the virus just some get it when they have some imunity so it doesn't show up. Puppys are very prone because they are more apt to have parasites and other stress. also old dogs have more problems. Good Luck and keep us informed
leaddog

Richard · Jan 9, 2004

( Good Luck and keep us informed )

Thank you..and I will

Update: /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Just got home from Vet. Seems Otis did throw up a tad today and did expel some out his backside today, but very little on both. She said when he had a bowel movement, he passed some worms (yeah, he has them too /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif) but a good sign was the worms he passed were dead, "implying" that the medication he took (and subsequently regurtitated) was partially being absorbed by his intestinal tract.

She (Vet assistant) felt that we'd know by Sunday. They're open Saturday 8-12 and I told her I'd probably be back in the morning (15 miles away)

Otis was laying down when I got there and when she opened the door to the isolation chamber /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif he made the effort to sit up and partially stand. She laughed and said he did that earlier and tried to fall asleep while standing up and leaning against the cage. She said it took him a while to figure out he could lay down with the iv they have in his leg.

I asked her if they 'preferred' he lay there & be still to conserve his energy, she said yes, however, they also preferred to see a dog that still had the interest and energy to wag its tail and getup when it sees someone. So far, Otis has had the interest to situp when someone comes to visit (he's a very well mannored patient /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif)

I told him to hang in there, that we were pulling for him and then I let them get about their other business and left.

I asked what their proceedure was if he DID expire there. She said we can come pick him up or they'd cremate him. Up to us. I said, "if we pick him up and bury him... will we not have a virus issue from contamination"???

She said she had no idea (hmm... frankly, I would think that would be a reasonable thing to know)

None the less..I'm not thinking that way, cause Otis has just GOT to make it. The poor wifey is going beserke with this tension in the air. It'll make her soooooooooooooooooooooo happy when he comes bounding home.

Richard

Golfgar4 · Jan 10, 2004

( The poor wifey is going beserke with this tension in the air. It'll make her soooooooooooooooooooooo happy when he comes bounding home.
)

Richard,

If the combined thoughts and prayers of people have any effect on solving problems, then you and your wife will have a happy, frolicksome puppy heading your way very soon. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Because you have the combined effort of all of us here at TBN sending our thoughts and prayers directly to Otis. We're with you! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Richard · Jan 10, 2004

Thank you for your thoughts & prayers.

I went to Vet this morning and spent about 1 1/2 hours there. Upon talking to the Dr., he has ... "concluded" (though it's only still a guess) that my wife caught this VERY early. Indeed, probably on the first day of showing symptoms. If true, he feels that we would now be on day 3. SO far (fingers crossed) Otis has not shown blood in his stool. The doc said if he DOES, it will be as red as a firetruck and if that happens, it's essentially over.

Vet closed at noon. He said someone checks on all the animals there this evening, and several times tomorrow. He said they'd call me if Otis makes a noticeable turn for the better, or worse. If I do NOT hear from them, I'm to presume things are status quo.

So far (5:26 pm) I've not heard a thing. When I saw Otis, he was MORE lethargic than yesterday. He just layed there staring out to space. He tried to move his eyes to see me and I thought that might be straining him, so I knelt down so that, given his position, I'd be in his natural line of vision. He just watched me and I told him to fight it and hang in there. He didn't even wag his tail which is evidently a bad sign. By the time I got up to leave, he had tried to sit up, and in fact, moved himself over to the other side of his cage. I took that as a positive.

The doc said one of their most obvious clues as to a dog making a turn for the better is when they start to chew at their IV. He said they get annoyed with it and get feisty. My gut feeling is, his pinnacle will be today, up through tomorrow morning/afternoon. I have this feeling if he can make it until then, it's done and I bring home a weak, but happy pup to the happy wife.

I hope when the vet goes back tonight, they have a cranky dog there, chewing at his IV /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I DO currently have a good shot of him in my film camera (presuming it turns out). If he makes it home, I'll take another pic of him on same role and get it developed and give you all a face shot of a trouper. He'll probably bite me for taking a picture of him "looking his worst"... oh wait, he's a guy, he wont' care.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

OhioTC18 · Jan 10, 2004

Richard,
Keep your head up.......that little pup will be chewing that IV in no time.

OhioTC18

Inspector507 · Jan 10, 2004

Otis is going through a lot right now with the disease and with the meds he's getting. Takes a lot out of the little bugger, I'd guess. Hopefully he will be a bit more chipper next time you see him /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Richard · Jan 11, 2004

( Hopefully he will be a bit more chipper next time you see him )

(trying to say the next with a joke atmosphere)

He was so lethargic when I last saw him that if he was comatose the "next" time I saw him, it would be defined as more chipper. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I say that kind of with a joke, because the Vet called at 9:00 this morning (Sunday).

He was making his weekend rounds and wanted me/us to know that Otis had more energy today than he did yesterday. though he did not put it into words literally, I think the Vet thinks Otis is 'over the hump', as he DID say he thought it was possible we could bring Otis home tomorrow!!

Seems Otis had diarreah the day the wife brought him home. No one thought a thing about it, as the shelter informed the wife about it and we all thought maybe just ill, food, other...

Since we don't know the real date he started, we're using Wednesday and as such, today would be 4.

I'm stopping by Vet on way to work tomorrow at 7:30 tomorrow to visit Otis and confirm the trend. If indeed we can bring him home tomorrow, I'll ask that they give him a bath during day (he's pretty soiled 'back there' /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) and I'll pick him up at 5.

We will bring our neice over for couple days and let her stay with us so Otis will have some company while we are at work. Wifey is off Wed/Thurs, so she'll take over from there.

I LOVE waking up in the morning and seeing the sun shining, it seems to bring nice things.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif