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omfg_miyu · Apr 12, 2008, 10:30 PM

My mother just bought a chihuahua/blue healer mix from the local shelter 6 days ago. I was visiting her house (she lives in Florida and I'm in Maryland) and saw the puppy happy and energetic. He weighed about 2 pounds. Apparently two days ago a neighbor of hers gave him some dry cat food (DUMB)! The next day around 4pm she said he threw up. He stopped eating and vomited 3 more times before he went to sleep for the night.
She said today he has been acting a bit more like himself. She's giving him water through a dropper and he has peed regularly. He ate a bit this morning and went 'number 2' once. She said since then he hasn't eaten but maybe 2 or 3 puppy food pieces at a time. He's been sleeping most of the day.
I've been researching a lot on the internet and told her to keep giving him water and maybe a little teeny bit of rice (since he's so tiny). Since today is Sunday and the vet isn't open for her to even call, does anyone have any advice I could give her? Any way to maybe get him eat a little more? We're both SOO worried about him! He's been to the vet this week and they did a fecal sample and everything and said it came back negative for worms. I can update tomorrow evening with his condition.

Allheart · Apr 12, 2008, 10:39 PM

You can try to boil some chicken breast and break it up in small pieces and mix it with the rice.

Has he stopped vomiting?

I hope the little guy is okay. Let us know.

Best wishes with your new addition.

Allheart · Apr 12, 2008, 10:45 PM

A couple more things -

I would make an appointement with the Vet tomorrow, just to be sure, if you can and also, I would withhold all treats, just so the little guy is nice and hungry for the chicken and rice.

omfg_miyu · Apr 13, 2008, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by Allheart

A couple more things -

I would make an appointement with the Vet tomorrow, just to be sure, if you can and also, I would withhold all treats, just so the little guy is nice and hungry for the chicken and rice.

Thanks for the advice. :D My mom doesn't have a lot of treats for him, and hasn't given him any since he vomited the other day.
But anyway, I told her to maybe give him a little teeny bit of chicken with some of his dog food and mix it with a little water and she said he just went to town on it and is eating. She said he also went potty outside (both 1 and 2) this morning. He also isn't sleeping anymore. He's not playing yet but at least now he's eating! Hopefully by tomorrow he's totally back to his old silly self.
I'll make sure to update either way. Thanks Allheart!

Allheart · Apr 13, 2008, 07:51 AM

I am soooooo glad to hear that. That boiled chicken gets their little bellies interest every time. Before long he'll be entertaining all your hearts even more, once again.

Keep us up to date :) and hugs to the little guy :)

omfg_miyu · Apr 13, 2008, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Allheart

I am soooooo glad to hear that. That boiled chicken gets their little bellies interest everytime. Before long he'll be entertaining all your hearts even more, once again.

Keep us up to date :) and hugs to the little guy :)

I just got off the phone with her a few minutes ago and she said he hasn't eaten anything since this morning. She said she also almost has to force him to drink water. I told her to try some rice and she is going to be making that for him soon. He hasn't vomited today.
She has papers she still needs to drop off at the animal shelter she got him from and is going to go by there tomorrow and ask them what they think she should do. She's really worried.
This past week she has already spent over $150 on him at the vet. >_<

starbuck8 · Apr 13, 2008, 04:07 PM

I would be more concerned about the little guy not drinking enough water. Is your Mom still giving him water with the dropper to make sure he's hydrated? It seems strange that he doesn't want water.

I don't know where your Mom lives in Fla, my parents live there and I know there are some vets that have an after hrs/wkd answering services, and they can get a message to the vet about your concern. The vet will usually call you back or relay a message to the answering service for you. Ask your Mom to call her regular vet, even though it's Sunday, and she just might be transferred right to the answering service. If not, keep on trying other vets until she finds one that does.

Also, in addition to what Allheart said to feed the little fur babe, your mom may want to try baby food. They are easy on the tummy, and have lots of good nutrients.

Good luck to you and your Mom :)

Ps. I just can't seem to get a mental image of what in the world a chihuahua/blue heeler would look like? Seems like an odd cross. I would love to see pics if you have any!

omfg_miyu · Apr 13, 2008, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by starbuck8

I would be more concerned about the little guy not drinking enough water. Is your Mom still giving him water with the dropper to make sure he's hydrated? It seems strange that he doesn't want water.

I don't know where your Mom lives in Fla, my parents live there and I know there are some vets that have an after hrs/wkd answering services, and they can get a msg to the vet about your concern. The vet will usually call you back or relay a msg to the answering service for you. Ask your Mom to call her regular vet, even though it's Sunday, and she just might be transferred right to the answering service. If not, keep on trying other vets until she finds one that does.

Also, in addition to what Allheart said to feed the little fur babe, your mom may want to try baby food. They are easy on the tummy, and have lots of good nutrients.

Good luck to you and your Mom :)

ps. I just can't seem to get a mental image of what in the world a chihuahua/blue heeler would look like?! Seems like an odd cross. I would love to see pics if you have any!

Yea she's giving him water as often as she can. The last few days he'll eat a little bit in the morning and not have anything to do with the food for the rest of the day. My mom lives about 10 minutes from Lake City.
Yea before she got him I never even heard of a blue healer haha!

That's the only good picture I got of him while I was visiting. I'm going to call her and tell her to call the emergency vets (I think I saw a number for them at her regular vets office).

starbuck8 · Apr 13, 2008, 04:41 PM

Awwwwwwwww! What a little sweetheart! Just absolutely adorable.

I'm glad he's cuter than the pic I had in my mind, lol. I used to have a blue heeler/shephard cross (among so many others) and she was quite big! So I just couldn't wrap my brain around what he could possibly look like. He's a heartbreaker! :)

starbuck8 · Apr 13, 2008, 04:49 PM

Just thought I'd mention... I've been to Lake City. I don't think it's too far from where my parents are in Englewood (close to Venice and Sarasota) Beautiful place!

omfg_miyu · Apr 13, 2008, 04:51 PM

Thanks :D He's definitely a sweetheart. He's teeny like a chihuahua. I'm guessing all he got from the blue heeler is the different coloring.
She's going to take him to the animal shelter she got him from tomorrow early and ask them if they'd be able to help her out or maybe have a vet there who can take a look at him. She also has some pedialite (sp?) she's going to give him a bit of.
I want him to get better! >_<

Edit: Yea Lake City is definitely different from the closest city/town in my area. Haha

omfg_miyu · Apr 13, 2008, 07:05 PM

She called the emergency vets and told them what was going on. The man she talked to told her to keep giving the puppy half pedialite and half water through a dropped once an hour. He also told her to take her to the vet tomorrow morning asap, which she is going to do. He told her the only thing they'd be worried about it being would be Parvo, which he said he wouldn't think the puppy has since there is no blood in the stool and he isn't vomiting.
I'll update tomorrow morning after she calls me! Thanks to those of you who have commented back, you made me feel better. I want to cry for the poor little guy.
His name is Chewie by the way. Lol

starbuck8 · Apr 13, 2008, 11:09 PM

I'm so glad your Mom got a hold of an emerg vet! I'm glad she's taking sweet little Chewie to the Doc in the morn. Parvo had crossed my mind, but I didn't want to say anything with just that info, and scare anyone.

Hopefully he was checked out when he was at the shelter, and up to date with his parvo... and all other shots.

Best of luck, and well wishes to Chewie! :D

Give us an update on him!

Allheart · Apr 14, 2008, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by omfg_miyu

Yea she's giving him water as often as she can. The last few days he'll eat a little bit in the morning and not have anything to do with the food for the rest of the day. My mom lives about 10 minutes from Lake City.
Yea before she got him I never even heard of a blue healer haha!

That's the only good picture I got of him while I was visiting. I'm going to call her and tell her to call the emergency vets (I think I saw a number for them at her regular vets office).

What a beautiful precious little baby. Oh my. Yes, have him checked out by the vet, just to be sure.

Bless you and Mom for loving this loveable guy so very much.

Keep us posted. We fell in love with him too :)

omfg_miyu · Apr 14, 2008, 09:06 AM

Nothing is definitive yet, but my mom took him to the vet when they opened this morning and I'm assuming they have him on an IV. They told her to call the Animal Shelter she got him from and ask them if anything happened to his brother (It was the two of them in the cage together).
Unfortunately the brother has Parvo. I don't know the condition of his brother but I would think that probably means that Chewie has it. She called the vet back and let them know, and is going to go back over there.
I also think she told me that while they were at the vet, a stool of his had blood in it (she's extremely upset so it was a little hard to understand her, especially on a cell phone). Hopefully it isn't Parvo.. but if it is, I really hope they found it early enough to save him. I'll keep you updated. I'm hoping for the best!

Allheart · Apr 14, 2008, 09:13 AM

I'm saying prayers for the little guy that he gets better.

Please... let us know.

Sending all good thoughts.

Hugs to all of you!

omfg_miyu · Apr 14, 2008, 09:17 AM

She just called crying saying that he has Parvo. Unfortunately it would be $500+ to treat him and she doesn't have that kind of money so she's on her way back to the shelter to get him euthanized.
I feel so bad.. Thank you all for your help and thoughts.

bushg · Apr 14, 2008, 09:21 AM

OmfgMiyu... I have read about natural products that people use to treat parvo that don't cost that much. Of course she would have to be where those products are available. I wonder if she could look into that or if the vet would allow her to give the treatment at home to reduce how much it cost.

omfg_miyu · Apr 14, 2008, 09:25 AM

The vet told her she could treat him at home but that it would still be a couple hundred dollars. He said it would be best at that point to euthanize him because he is so severely dehydrated as well.

starbuck8 · Apr 14, 2008, 11:10 AM

OH NO!! I am soooo sorry! :( I feel so bad for your mom and you! Parvo is such a horrible thing. Awwww, I'm just so sorry for you the both of you. Breaks my heart!

If I can find any other info in time, I will sure let you know immediately OK! I'll make a few calls. Maybe 'bushg' has a point. There could be something else to help.

Could your Mom ask the vet if they have any kind of payment plan, if he thinks that Chewie has any chance of getting through this.

I'll get back to you, and hopefully it won't be too late.