I am so mad - at the breeder and at myself.

[Anna]

This breeder sold me a sick puppy.

 

Let me tell you the whole story.  I am so mad - I might be mispelling things.

So - We traveled 3 hours to pick up this puppy.

When we got there - she had all the puppies out in a little playpen - if front of her house.

Now - I made sure (as much as one is able) to read as much as I can from here and other websites about all the breeders b/c I didn;t want - what exactly happened to me.

I thought that I did my homework pretty well.  I didn't pick the breeders that had puppies for Way cheaper - b/c I didn't hear anything good/or bad about them.  I went with a slightly more expensive price -  but a breeder that people here wrote good things about.  I went to their groups and read as much as I can etc..

 

So - here I am thinking that - I really did my part in ensuring that I get a healthy pup.

(of course there is no guarantee - but I felt that I did my part)

 

So - while I am looking at the pups. a couple of the pups in the playpen poops.  they had very stinky diarrhea.  I sort of looked at the breeder and she told me that she just gave the pups some worm medicine and that causes that.   So - here i am - I don't know - what caused puppies to have diarrhea. 

so before I left - she gave me a little packet with white pills in it.  she said that her vet tells her to give it to the buyers - so that when the pups have diarrhea from the stress of going to a new home - I can give it to him.  uhhh.  a little confusion - b/c no one here said anything about this.  but again - I didn;t know. 

 

I picked out a pup and he did very well in the car.

So - we got home he didn't go to the bathroom for another couple of hours.  So finally he poops - its definetly very soft.  didn't think much of it = b/c she told me about the medicine.  so then during the night he has diarrhea in his crate.  then again - in the bath yard.   then he has another one in the house - but this time there is a little blood in it.

So - now I'm freaking out.  I checked out the little packet and it says - it is metronidazole.  so i looked it up and -= it said its for clearing up infections and parasites.  

 

I emailed the seller - she didn't get back to me for a whole day.  She says - that blood in the stool means giardia and that we need to give her the pills and have the vet do a fecal test.

I did start him in the medicine - and he actually didn't have any blood stool after that.  and he seems a little more energetic.  but still he seems a little lethargic.  and hasn't been going to the bathroom regularily

 

I don't know - what I am feeling right now.   I am so mad that - I traveled hours, paid hundreds of dollars for a sick puppy.  But I think also - I am so mad - is that she obviously knew that the pups were sick - but she didn't tell me and was passing it off as stress.

 

can someone - help me with this.  I am so upset.

I think I'm in some weird shock. 

 

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Take him, the pills and a poop sample to your vet.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I would do what Lynne says and take your pup to the vet. Once you have a diagnosis and if it is giardia, I would contact the breeder for reimbursement for the vet bills. It does sound like she knows what is wrong, but I hope, despite all this, you are enjoying your new pup. Just think how badly you feel when you get sick and then off to a new home and a long drive. Good luck!

[Coco Chanel and Cheryl]

Take him to the vet with a poop sample. I got my girl from a great breeder, but she had hookworm and coccidia. It happens sometimes! Now my breeder was great and offered any help I needed and continued to e-mail me daily until she was better! This does not sound like the case with your breeder but give them a chance! My girl grew fine once it was cleared up and has been healthy ever since!! They all try to pass it off as stress! That is why you go to the vet immediately to clear anything up before it gets really bad!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yep, they all try to pass it off as stress, and they all give you some mail-order generic metronidazole, when another drug (Panacur) is known to be a more reliable treatment. The metronidazole must be cheaper and/or easier for them to get.

I think it's a disgrace that a breeder would send a sick puppy home and not even tell the owner about the giardia, epsecially since the disease is zoonotic and you have to wear rubber gloves when cleaning up after them. And the areas where the poop has been have to be disinfected with bleach, even outdoors. No regard for a client's family or other pets.

Giardia has a 10-14 incubation period, so the puppy definitely had it long before she went home.

I had never even heard of giardia until I started participating in doodle forums. None of my puppies ever had it, but then they also came from homes where there was only one litter at a time and the puppies were completely separated from every other dog except their mother, all the time, and never walked around in areas where other dogs had pottied.

 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

This is not that unusual. Many pups have giardia. They can get it from their mothers if they are carriers. It is not life threatening nor is it hard (usually) to treat. It is sad that he is having to deal with being sick on top of all the other changes the last few days.How long has he been home with you?
Mine have had blood in their stool from diarrhea or frequent stooling also. And puppies do sleep a lot at first so how can you tell he is lethargic? compared to what? I am not dismissing your concern, just hoping to help you see that it may very easily treated. I don;t know why the breeder didn;t educate you more on the possibility of giardia. Not all pups get it so maybe she was hoping he wouldn't and not want to worry you. It was very responsible of her to send the medication home with you as well. She will probably work out some coverage of vet bill with you if you ask too. WOrth a try.
I know how you feel, honestly. Please try to enjoy him as this stage passes so quickly. Do you have any pictures to post yet?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Casually we all say stuff happens, but when it is personal, it makes a huge difference.  Ned came to us with terrible ear infections - which was a good thing because our vet put him under and explored - he found numerous fox tails (that dreaded California problem) in both ears as well as his throat.  If they had not been removed it would have been really really, bad.  We were very upset, but our breeder paid the entire vet bill.  Supposedly she had had him checked out by her vet before we picked him up.  I think her vet did not check all of the pups.

[Anna]

thanks for all your replies.  it actually made me feel alittle better knowing that a bunch of the dogs have had it.

This is our first pet and I did SO much research and was So freakin excited.

But this has just been such a shock and disappointement.  And I know - I shouldn't but - now every little thing now= makes me feel - like - what else did she not tell me?

For example - he has a really noticeable doggie smell.  Even right after a bath.  So now - I'm all paranoid that it might be ear infection or some type of mouth thing.  

 

I agree - that this sort of things happen... dog are always eating things on the ground and can get sick.  But then LET me know so that I can do the appropriate things.  Not let the poor thing be sick for two days and have the stress of going to a new home.  And also - if I call - call me BACK.  I foolishly assumed that - most reputable breeders care alot about their dogs even after its sold.  I guess I was pretty stupid and naive.

 

i'm gonna take him to the doctor tomorrow.

How do I take the stool sample to the doctor?  Do i put it in a ziploc?  How much do i need to take?

 

I have two little boys and that freaks me out - that the poop is really "hazardous"    What was the breeder thinking by doing this?  she even met my two kids.  Things like this is really making me - so distrustful of people.  Am I over-reacting?  Sorry - I am totally venting.   I'm just so annoyed about this.  I know I'll feel alot better after the vet visit. 

 

Besides all this mental stress, worrying and dealing with the always-lovely watery diarrhea.

The pup is SOOO cute. he is a medium english goldendoodle. he is cream colored.

I was all ready to post an announcement and join all you guys as fellow doodle moms. and introduce my little baby.

 

After I come back from the vet and get some answers - I'll feel alittle better and then I'll post some pictures and introduce my little baby.

 

thanks for your support.  I can't even talk about this with my husband.  Cuz he was already a little annoyed about how much the dog was.  and after dealing with the diarrhea thing. (he was the one washing it off the puppy at 2 o'clock in the morning) so he is not in a good mood and I did not want to make it worse.  so I've just been acting normal in front of him but inside - I'm really emotional about this

 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Our vet has this little thing that you just dip in the poop for the sample, but frankly I have never used it. I just pick the poop up and put it in a rubbermaid container (that I let them keep..LOL), put the container in a brown bag, and take the whole thing in. Maybe someone else has a better method, but that is what I do.

[Kyoko]

Or you can turn the ziplock bag inside out, pick up the poop, turn it right side out and zip....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And try to get more than one sample, because if it is giardia, the cysts may not be present in every sample.

[Adina P]

I have put poo in a cleaned out yogurt container, zip lock and even used the regular doggy poop bags. But when I've had time I've stopped by the vet to pick up sample containers and used those.  As long as the container is clean they should be willing to accept it any way you can bring it =)

 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

The way we figured out that Ned had ear infections is because he smelled, even after two baths.  My son and his girlfriend made a special trip to the store to find a good smelling shampoo and he still smelled.  Finally, my son said it was his ears! And we were experienced dog people and knew about ear infections - how dumb of us to think Ned would come all wrapped up in a bow like new clothes.