My life changed dramatically and forever when I lost TJ.

I welcome you to follow along as I adjust to my "new normal".

It is not all puppies and ice cream but it is my life....real and honest.


Monday, April 1, 2013

Parvo

Well it was bound to happen to me eventually. I have been warned numerous times over the years by different vets, family and friends. But there is something in me that can't turn my head on a stray dog. I have adopted so many over the years. Even as a child I was always bringing home strays. I have never had any problems. Well, I can't say that any longer.

Maggie had parvo when I brought her into my home. She infected my other 2 dogs and consequently I had a week from hell. If you are not familiar with parvo this is a brief synopsis I hijacked from Wikipedia:

Dogs that develop the disease show symptoms of the illness within 3 to 10 days. The symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea (usually bloody). Diarrhea and vomiting result in dehydration and secondary infections can set in. Due to dehydration, the dog's electrolyte balance can become critically affected. Because the normal intestinal lining is also compromised, blood and protein leak into the intestines leading to anemia and loss of protein, and endotoxins escaping into the bloodstream, causing endotoxemia. Dogs have a distinctive odor in the later stages of the infection. The white blood cell level falls, further weakening the dog. Any or all of these factors can lead to shock and death.[19] The first sign of CPV is lethargy. Usually the second symptoms would be loss of appetite or diarrhea followed by vomiting.  Vaccines can prevent this infection, but mortality can reach 91% in untreated cases.

For brevity purposes I will give you a timeline of what happened. The symptoms described above are terrible and because of them every floor in my house has been bleached several times, all dog beds have been thrown away as were any plastic bowls.


Monday, March 18
Maggie was brought into my home to live forever. I loved her and thought she was such a cutie pie.

Wednesday, March 20
We took Maggie to the vet as she was very sick and discovered that she had parvo and was severely dehydrated. Because she was in such bad shape the decision was made to put her down.

Thursday, March 21
Upon arriving home from work I discovered that Tater Tot was exhibiting symptoms of Parvo. I was devastated and rushed him to the vet. Armed with Zantac, Pedialyte, and an antibiotic I returned home to begin the long process of trying to save his life.

Saturday, March 23
Mickey began showing symptoms of Parvo. She is 13 years old and my vet informed me that if she got it she probably not survive because of her age. Again, I am devastated. I spent my entire weekend force feeding, cleaning up "messes", and forcing fluids into my dogs. Hoping with everything I had in me that I could save them. I was riddled with guilt that I had done this to my precious dogs.

Sunday, March 24
Both Tater and Mickey were showing signs of improvement.

Monday, March 25
I arrive home from work to find Mickey had taken a turn for the worse again. I spent that afternoon, night and the next day at her side trying to save her.

Tuesday, March 26
By this afternoon Mickey is once again showing improvement. I cautiously begin to think she might make it.

Thursday, March 28
All is good. Both of my dogs have survived Parvo!! I survived too. It is nothing short of a miracle that got us through this.

The above is a very brief description of what we endured. I barely slept the entire time and when I did it was a short nap on the couch. I did have to work but fortunately I work from home on Tuesdays and Fridays and that enabled me to give around the clock care. Because Tater is fairly young (2 years old) and healthy he didn't get as sick as Mickey. Mickey on the other hand was so weak at one point that she was laying on the floor unable to get up to vomit or use the bathroom. I truly believed she wasn't going to survive.


Tater on his first day of being sick. I think it is very noticeable that he doesn't feel well. It broke my heart to see him this way.


Mickey resting on the dog bed that is now in a landfill somewhere. Honestly people, this dog is too tough to die!


 RIP Maggie. Your time was short but you were loved deeply.

10 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry Sandy. I'm glad you wrote about this though as a reminder to all of us with a tendency to want to bring home strays.

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  2. Ooo, so so sorry, dear. :(

    The doggies are adorable Xx

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  3. That's really tough. When my dog Sheeba was a puppy, she got Parvo and I took her to the vet who recommended that I put her down. I couldn't do it even though they told me she probably wouldn't make it. I nursed her back to health and she and I grew into adulthood together. I got her when I was 17 and she died when I was 31. She was a great dog. Two weeks later, I got Sasha and well, you know how long I had her.

    Did you receive my letter? The first time I mailed it, it came back to me because I didn't have enough postage. Just hoping that it made its destination.

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  4. How horrible! I'm glad your dogs survived, but so sorry Maggie didn't. Parvo is such an awful dog disease.

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  5. Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this. Maggie sure was a beautiful dog.

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  6. ahh very sorry to hear that Sandy. Maggie looked liked a good dog. I am glad Tater and Mickey made it. I think Mickey just might outlive you though. :).

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  7. Oh no! What a horrible thing to have to go through, for the dogs and you! So sorry about little Maggie, she was a cutie. I'm glad the other two pulled through thanks to your heroic efforts!
    I looked at a free puppy the other day in Tombstone. This is a good reminder to all of us to be extra careful.

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  8. Oh, I know how difficult that must have been for you. You are their hero, Sandy! And at least Maggie had someone to really love her when she felt so bad.

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  9. Were your dogs vaccinated against Parvo? I'm asking because I wonder if they can get it still, but in a milder form. It doesn't sound like this was anything mild though. I am so sorry to hear about all that you went through after all your good intentions in rescuing Maggie. We have rescued so many dogs and none of them came here with Parvo.

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  10. Thanks for stopping by to read my A to Z adventures. I hope your doggies are feeling much better by now.

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