Filled Kongs before 2 weeks?? Food intake?

[Rebecca]

Two parter.

So, we brought Lola home yesterday.  She is on LA, I know not to switch until 2 weeks are up, but can I give her filled Kong?  We have an event Tuesday where we'll be gone for 2 hours..I'd like to give her something to keep her occupied as she HOWLS like a madwoman in the kennel (we've only kenneled her a few times- she sleeps tethered next to our bed).   We live in a house out in the country- so if she hollars, she hollars- but I'd prefer not to stress her out awfully bad!

ALSO- We feed her 3x a day (morning, noon, night) and she has eaten MAYBE a cup total since yesterday afternoon (I couldn't find a feeding chart anywhere for it online- so I measured out and then measured what she ate).  Breeder said to give her 2 hunks of the canned food to entice her at every meal for the next 2-3 days - and I have but she hasn't eaten anything past whatever that canned goo was touching. I also have this sneaking suspicion that the breeder told us the wrong type of LA we had to get. She sent us home 1/2 a gallon bag of food that looks very different than the bag she told us she had to have. We bought large breed LA like she said and I think she's eating regular puppy LA. I want to get her to Fromm pretty quickly- if that's the case- you think I can just start rotating in Fromm? Her poops are defiantly runny too. Not liquid, but a slight form and mush.   We see the vet tomorrow for her first check up - but I'd love to get some pros advice!  (OH!  And she came home on Panacur and Albon)

Thanks guys!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well, it sounds like your breeder sent you a puppy with Giardia. :( 

No advice about that, the Panacur is your best bet, so stick with it, and be sure to disinfect carefully.

Do not introduce any new foods, and that includes treats or kong fillings, too. Try giving her a non-edible Nylabone or an antler for chewing, or use her kibble in the kong. If she is eating canned food, you can try putting some of that in the kong and freezing it. 

IF you introduce anything other than what the breeder was feeding, the breeder is going to say the diet change caused it. And you will really not know what is going on with her digestion. 

[Rebecca]

Oh man!! I'm in a bit of a panic! I have 3 kids! Little ones that she has been running and licking and playing all over with! Do I need to worry about transmission!? What can I do besides taker her to vet tomorrow?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Just make sure that you pick up any poop immediately and disinfect anything that comes into contact with it. Clean the pup's bottom after she goes, and supervise her every second she is outside. Giardia is only transmitted through feces, so you want to be sure she doesn't have any on her feet or anywhere else.

Have your vet do a fecal. Do not buy Rx food or metronidazole, use the meds the breeder sent home. 

You can also give her a couple of tablespoons of plain unflavored nonfat yogurt twice a day, separated from the meds by at least two hours.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Do make sure the kids get nowhere near dirt or poop or do anything like putting hands in their mouths before washing up. Giardia is certainly transmitted to people but just keep a watchful eye out.

[Rebecca]

That I can do. Pick up poop and wipe a butt. Do I just wipe with a baby wipe? We've toweling off her feet after every walk. Should I baby wipe those too? Or a diluted bleach rag? We're supposed to bring in poop in the AM as well.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wouldn't use bleach on her feet; the baby wipes should be fine, especially if you're watching that she doesn't walk in poop, lol. 

[Rebecca]

Also, since the snow has thawed some- we've seen what looks like rabbit pop out there. Like oodles of it. I'm assuming that's a cause for concern?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Not really, as long as she doesn't eat it. 

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Good luck at the vet tomorrow..and like Karen said..say no to RX food and metro!!

Karen pretty much said it all..keep everything clean, and giving yogurt or a probiotic is essential (2 hours apart from Panacur)

[Rebecca]

I don't know what I'd do without you guys! Amazing! Thanks so much! So, should we expect to continue the panacur? Should I just ask for that RX to be renewed? How long to we usually have to treat? I'll stop after the vet and get so,e yogurt. We should be able to start that tomorrow afternoon. She's getting the panacur 1x a day at the moment.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Panacur is typically only given for 3-5 days. 

[Rebecca]

Good news is Lola came back negative in her stools! We'll bring another in 2-3 weeks to test again! Down side ~ told the vet we wanted to switch to Fromm and she wasn't thrilled- said she had 2 dogs come in w/pancreatitis she beloeves from it. Said agin their preferred list being Iams, Purina Pro, Royal Canin and Eukanuba. Oh and science hill I wish I could bring in a list between the two showing how much better fromm is! Vet tech said something about life studies from the above mentioned brands. And now if they haven't done them- then my dog was the trial study.