Tried to save a puppy...

Tried to save a puppy...

This is 13. We called her that because it was her kennel number at the shelter. They give some of the dogs names to help them get adopted. This one we came to visit a few times for a week while she was on “stray hold.” So we would simply as to “see 13.” Kinda funny because it could be “lucky 13” gets adopted among all the other puppers.

We have another pup named Storm Pooper (see other posts) and were looking for a friend. After many pup play-mates, 13 was just the right fit!

And the perfect cuddler. Her hold lifted, to my surprise they got her in for her spay surgery and we were able to take her home that afternoon!!!

She came home and was a fun, playful, floppy pupper for about 36 hours... Then she stopped eating. I thought maybe it was the surgery and she had played a little too rough. And so I waited a day...

Being a holiday weekend of course it’s not easy getting vet help, and the only option was a 24 hour emergency hospital. Something was clearly wrong so I made the decision to bring her in. I still thought it wasn’t going to be a big deal, or something kind of silly that would right itself in a day anyways. But then lucky 13 tested positive for Parvo. She is now in the hospital for her second night. She went from normal temp w/normal white cell count to 103 w/ medium count in 12 hours, and just minutes ago 104 w/ practically no white cell count and possibly aspirated (vomit inhaled into lungs)

Oh my puppy. I am so sorry and I hope you are lucky 13.

I don’t know what I’m trying to accomplish by posting. I just feel helpless and depressed. All for this little pup. And she’s still fighting. I used to scoff when I would hear people hospitalizing their dogs and paying huge bills: “omg it’s just a dog.” But this experience has just flipped me over.
Oh my puppy. I hope you are lucky 13. Thank you Imgurians for reading and make sure boop your goodest-girls and goodest-boys for me.
Will update when I know more.

Edit: post morning visit: https://imgur.com/gallery/6mJkTbe
Currently doc says pros are that she is drinking water and holding it down, fever is gone, the amount of round worms she pooped out made the doctor gag (both good that they’re gone but bad in that it probably means another infection to fight off.) 13 is at the point of one of 2 things happening: either her body starts producing more white blood cells in time OR she goes into sepsis. We should see her go one way or the other in the next day or two. She is very weak but I have more hope today. Imgur you all have been very helpful in helping me be strong for her. Thank you all so much.

I will send more updates this afternoon/evening.

Edit: Wow, thank you all so much for your support. Many are asking for a GoFundMe to help and it’s making me cry to even post it. I never ask for help... Just simply “thank you!”
gofundme.com/saving-13-pup-vs-parvo

Edit 8pm 5/30/18: held her head so she would go to sleep for an hour or so. Kinda hard when in the contamination suit. No substantial change. She is absolutely exhausted to move, but will fight her way to make sure her nose is over the water bowl (and lapping it up) which is super positive. Doc suggests that the food tube will be inserted tonight or tomorrow morning. I can’t wait because she hasn’t eaten in 5 days and very little the two days she was eating. Still lots of diarrhea. Still very little eye movement like she’s in a daze. My hope is that a little nourishment will really help her morale. Fingers crossed and thank you for continuing to follow my pup.

Edit 3:15pm 5/31/18: lungs are clear, no fever, she stood up today, white blood cells are still very low, feeding tube going in. Crossing fingers some nutrition is key!

Edit 6pm 5/31/18: the GI tube was put in, a half liter of fluid was pulled out. Doc is going to remove excessive stomach fluid before feeding liquid food. I’m getting scared that she’s lacking any nourishment at all since Friday. She hasn’t been throwing up in a day or two, no fever, white blood cell count is still low. Will see what happens when they give her food (hoping ASAP).

Edit 10pm 6/1: this morning 13 was alert and when brought outside to the grass she stood and walked around! Still awaiting actual nourishment going into her stomach... Once again, supposed to get some liquid food tonight. Poor little girl :/

Edit 12:30pm 6/3/18: FINALLY she was given food overnight through the tube. Great news is that she kept it down, poo is dark greenish (affect of the food) and REALLY great that it’s not orange-red meaning blood/blood clots. She was standing for me and much more aware and active with her face/eyes. I watched her walk over and drink her whole bowl of water! she was still lethargic, has diarrhea, and had trouble holding her head up but I consider this a big step in the right direction :)

Edit 10pm 6/3/18: doctor says 13’s white blood cell count is starting to come back up! This is a fantastic turn (although a slow one.) Awaiting new information tonight. The fight is not over for little red 13!

Edit 1:30pm 6/3/18: 13 ate chicken out of my hand!! This is so good! She is much more alert & White cell count on the rise!

Edit 9pm 6/3/18: So, hard decision, but funds dried up fast ($1200/day) and I decided to take 13’s care into my own hands after sage advice from my mom the career nurse. They prepped 13 to come home and since then she has eaten like a champ. I’m keeping portions to 1oz at a time. No vomit. She’s eaten about 5-6oz tonight; ate her antibiotics too! She’s quarantine from Storm Pooper but she is very perky (in the face) to watch Storm through the gates. Still not in the clear by any means, but I just walked with her around the yard and she looked EXCITED. With her puffy, swollen, clown-feet she walked like a drunken sailor however she managed to poop 2x and piddled 3x! I think I can sleep a little bit easier tonight...

Edit 11am 6/4/18: I had to get up in the 4 O'Clock hour for work (coach a practice) and was surprised to see 13 standing in her cage, ears perked forward, and WAGGING her tail (squeee!!) So, I fed her the meds (CHOMP CHOMP), and took her out to the yard to potty. She plop-footed around the whole yard, poop a couple times, piddled, and toured around! I wasn't expecting so much alertness before work so I didn't want to give food without being around to see if she vomits/has problems. When I got home a couple hours later, she ate 4oz of chicken (fresh breast boiled in broth), drank some pedialite, plopped around the yard much more steadily for a couple laps, came in and ate another 2oz of chicken!! She looks like a totally new pupper! Mom and I believe she was experiencing depression in the hospital. Now she is tuckered out with a full little belly, her fur looks nice and fluffy, and she's napping soundly. GREAT decision to bring her home; we're heading the right direction! I'll try to get video & pics if I can. Since she's active, it's a full time job to follow her around and whatnot. Somepoint soon, we can re-introduce her to Storm Pooper and really have fun!

Edit 4am 6/5/18: 13 already awoke with a strong appetite and attempted to “run” to me when I opened the cage! Her back legs are especially floppy and uncoordinated, possibly dealing w pain. We went out to potty and she’s speed-walking to and fro! Showing GREAT interest in wanting to play with Storm. For the most part everything seems to be solidly on the mend. The exceptions of concern are rear leg IV bandage damage (leg swollen still, fur in additional areas just outside the shaved spot is matted in a large scab), and Kennel Cough of which she was diagnosed the day I picked her up (I heard it when she was adopted but the shelter said it was from the trach-tube during spay surgery.) Treating leg with TLC and neosporine; treating cough with steam showers.

Also, I wish I could change the title of my post but can’t figure out how. I was lost when I created this. What a rollercoaster it’s been for this pup: huge spay surgery while heavily infested with roundworms, anemia, kennel cough, and underfed at best, and then hit with Parvo. The nurse tech said just dealing with one of those conditions is difficult to life-threatening; having all of them at once it’s a miracle she’s made it passed the first day or two. Still fighting the war, but at least we’re winning some big battles!

Edit 6/5/18 1pm: I have posted a bunch of 13’s pics, showing her progress with more pics of how 13 is doing now. Currently she is napping happily with a stuffed animal “Mama Dog.” Thank you Imgurians! : https://imgur.com/gallery/qGUeznV

Final edit 2:15pm 6/13/18: 13 has been doing very well in all aspects! Today was the first time she HOPPED AROUND and RAN. Storm Pooper got the zoomies as she does but THIS time 13 finally kicked up and ran with her for as long as she could! She still needs to fatten up, but I feel safe to say she has bested the odds against simultaneous Parvo, starvation, massive worm infestation, anemia, kennel cough, getting adopted, and spay surgery... My puppy! If I could change the title of my post it should read “Saved a puppy.”

Thank you Imgur for following along and supporting us. I will be sure to post more 13 and Storm Pooper pics in future posts. But for now: *mic drop*