Update on Sky and Green

Here they are (Mr. Green and Miss Sky), back home with us again.


And the rest of the litter is fine (here are Mr. Lime, Mr. Red, Mr. Yellow and Miss Pink sleeping this morning -- Mr. Black, Mr. Blue, and Mr. White were still romping while these guys slept):



Miss Sky and Mr. Green came home from their two-night stay at the vet's yesterday morning on a bland, soft, easy-to-digest puppy food (several mini meals throughout the day) and oral antibiotics for us to give them twice/daily. Both seemed reasonable perky and much more like themselves, but Miss Sky seemed to drag a bit more than Mr. Green.

Mr. Green ate a little lunch. Then we gave them their oral antibiotics, but Miss Sky promptly threw hers up (Green seemed to tolerate his). Then Sky wouldn't eat or drink at all, then she threw up again. Mr. Green, on the other hand, was ravenously hungry, energetic, and drinking easily at will.

So back the vet's we went with Miss Sky early yesterday afternoon. They gave her more subcutaneous fluids (like a quick IV through a needle under the skin between her shoulders), and gave her her antibiotics as an injection again. Then they sent her back home with us with all the stuff we needed to do subcu fluids here. (Apparently they have a lot of sickness at the vet hospital right now, including a few puppies who aren't doing nearly as well as our little guys -- our guys are better off here if we can manage it).

After we got back from our second vet visit of the day, Sky still wouldn't eat. She did lap a little water, but not much. Then she wouldn't eat or drink at all. But she would occasionally play and snuggle.

At about 8 p.m. we gave her her subcu fluids (big needle + thick skin = a much more difficult process than tube feeding, but we got through it - yikes), and she seemed to perk up. She even pee-d (a good thing). About 10 p.m. she vomited again, but then wanted to drink shortly thereafter (and we let her, and it stayed down).

Needless to say, it was a long day yesterday.

Today, Mr. Green poo'd a nice, albeit soft, tootsie-roll turd (we like tootsie-roll turds at out house -- sign of a healthy pup!). But then he started vomiting again. Miss Sky's stool was loosey-goosey. At this point, though, loose stool is less a concern than vomiting. It will take a while for their intestines to settle down and get back to normal.

This morning again Miss Sky absolutely would not eat or drink anything, though she kept acting hungry.

Then it finally occurred to us that maybe she just needed to be with the other pups. We'd been keeping her and Green separated from the litter since they came home, not so much because of risk to the litter as much as to let them rest (apparently the vet doesn't think their infectious anymore). They both have lost weight, so they're also smaller than the rest of the crew right now, so we were protecting them from rough-and-tumble play.


Both pups were clearly not happy about staying apart from the gang (crated or not).

Not quite sure what else to do, we let Sky and Green in with the other pups for breakfast.

And both jumped right in! :o) Yay!

Both dove into the food bowls like they'd never been sick. Miss Sky then drank well, too. And both were playful and alert and willing to romp and energetic (all things considered -- they are still a little worn out from it all).

We only let them stay in the puppy pen with the other pups for a few minutes (at most), then removed them again, but it seemed to do them good.

Mr. Green has vomited twice since then today (not food, though... just bile), and we think it's the oral antibiotic causing his upset (not the virus). Unfortunately, in PA, by law we can't administer antibiotics by injection unless we're licensed vets or MDs, which we're not.

But hey, what's two trips a day to the vet's office for antibiotic injections if it means these little guys tummies will settle down? That's what we're going to suggest next to the vet (that we just haul the pups back and forth for shots -- I don't think the oral antibiotics are the best thing right now).

So we'll call the vet at 9 a.m. (as we were instructed) and see what she thinks (different vet on call this weekend). Admittedly Don and I are both still concerned (we feel so useless and helpless and we just want them to rebound NOW -- ;o) ). But we're encouraged that both pups were playful, interactive, barking, and drinking this morning. And they seem happier hanging out on the fleece pillow next to the pen instead of completely separated from their littermates.


So keep praying (or sending good thoughts).

We are not entirely out of the wood yet. I'll post again as soon as I can.

'Til next time,
Joan