Something seemed not quite right

[4 the Dogs]

Hi Mindy - Here is what I know about parvo. I don't mean to scare you!! My understanding is that it is a virus, and can live in an environment for months. Parvo is extremely contagious, especially for puppies and older dogs. It attacks a dogs intestines, causing lethargy, diarrhea that is usually bloody and extremely high fever. The dog must be treated immediately to recover as it is a fast moving virus. Parvo is deadly in a lot of cases, however I've been told that a puppy can fully recover. This is where I think a professional opinion and experience would be beneficial.

I believe it is a dog disease, not transferable to humans or other animals. Although I think cats can contract a strain of parvo...again, a vet would be able to answer that for sure.

At this point, keeping my fingers crossed that your puppy is being treated and recovers. She is very young, too young to have been out for showings at Petsmart! This is why you will see us advising people to be careful where they take thier puppies until they are 4 months old or older. Puppies grow so fast that they outgrown the vacinations quickly, which is why there is a series of shots up to the age of 4 months. It is possible the puppies picked up the virus there, or anywhere they have been, or it is very possible the foster lady has it in her home too. (I don't think you said if she told you where the Mommy dog is or how she got the pups?)

I'm going to have to end here...my computer just said it is shutting down and for some reason. Again, I would highly recommend talking to a vet. Also Deb gave you some good pointers about breeds. There are also lots of books and info on the internet!

[lynners]

Egad - I dont' tend to pop in to the Intro forum too often. I will come back to this tomorrow because I'm off for the night (although it looks like everyone else has things covered already )

[lynners]

The only thing I have to add is to confirm that parvo is NOT transferable to humans.

[mweinstock1]

Hi to everyone..thanks so much also..i definitely will call my vet..i am still in orlando visiting my son and return tomorrow afternoon..saturday. my computer at home is on fritz though..can't get off the yahoo site itself.can't change screen that is. so i'm in orlando using my son't computer to answer and get back to responses.

woman who had been the one with rescue who did my home visit has my boxer/beagle female pup in her home and her sister too and apparently a bunch of older dogs as she just the othe day emailed me back..when i emailed to ask how the pups were doing..to say it is like they had never been ill..and she was socializing them both with the bigger dogs..that my puppy parsley was getting pudgy. and i should have a nice trip.and we would soon finalize the adoption.

i had asked about the spaying timetable since she is so young.and she said that after a few months of being in my home they would be spaying her..so i quess that somehow means they keep in touch. who knows. this is not a rescue. this is from a humane society..just because she is originaly from the other rescue..she said something about a contract.i had already filled out an application..what contract? i originaly went to petsmart-which was an aspca thing..and had done that with the cats in new jersey..and it was not such a complicated matter.
the application stated all care that was to be provided by petowner after adoption and also lots of other things so what more could need to be signed. and how did this come to involve more than the humane society. i had thought in the beginning by going to petsmart that i would know alot about the pets..at least more than i do..i did with the cats..with this i really know so little ut since the puppy is so young i figured there was not alot to know..but i want to know somethings. quess i will need to wait to see the paperwork at the time of adoption. she realy did a wonderful job of getting both puppies care quickly to get them well ..surprised me just how fast they were well after the parvo..with it being so highly infectious. she said my pup is eating raviously. she's been realy nice..and i cannot wait to see the puppy once again and bring her home.i just hope she is truly ready and healthy..i plan to hae a vet appt set up for the very day we are bring ing her home to make sure she is ok. have a great night, love always, MINDY

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Mindy, it is standard usually in any "adoption" that the new "parent" sign a contract agreeing to spay/neuter the pup if this has not already happened. It's a good thing actually that they are allowing you some time as doing these procedures on ones so young is not the best course of action.

It will also likely state in the contract that you sign for Parsley, that you will never sell or give this dog away. You will be required, most likely, to return it to them in the event that things don't work out. That is all very standard as far as I know.

If you really want Parsley, I wouldn't sweat the small stuff. You may even find that they have a vet that will spay/neuter for you, when the time is right, for a reduced cost, or they will reimburse you. If not, the cost may be yours and part of the cost of adopting.

I'm glad you could pop on from your son's place. Travel safely and keep us up to date.

[lynners]

Deb said is perfectly. The contract is there to protect you, your new dog, and the rescue/humane society. In regards to the spay, many humane societies will issue a "rebate" of part of the adoption fee when proof of sterilization is provided. Good luck!

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Lynners, thanks for posting and confirming what I thought to be true.

Everyone needs affirmation once in a while

[mweinstock1]

Hi everyone, i was sent the latest pic of parsley and so i thought that it would be nice if i could introduce her here. she is approximately 5 weeks old now i think. there is a good possibility i might get to bring her home this coming saturday if all goes well. will keep you all updated.thanks for all your many answers to my questions.i will have many more to come i'm sure. hugs, Mindy

[Phyrie]

I'm sorry if this has been answered already, but I can't see the answer, so I will ask: is this pup with her mother, as well as her sibling? If she is, I would really reconsider bringing her home at only six weeks (which she will be if you bring her home on Saturday). If she can stay with her sibling and mother for another few weeks, it would be better for the pup, and you! in the long run. The bitch will begin housetraining her, and the pup will also begin to learn bite inhibition from them both. If possible, I would suggest waiting until she's at least 10 weeks. Some breeders (mine included) will not allow their pups to go home before 12 weeks.

I thoroughly understand the anxiety of waiting for your pup to come home, but it's really worth it, in the long run.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Mindy, she is absolutely precious! If she is with her littermates, it would be best to let her stay there for as long as possible (at least 8 weeks) unless of course, the rescue organization wants to home her now.

Parsley is certainly a beautiful puppy and I know the excitement and anticipation of a new arrival. I'm sure you can hardly wait.

[mweinstock1]

Hi Deb and Pyree,
i haven't heard mention of anything other than siblings..two that i have heard of now..i thought there was only one at first. rosemary. i'm actually a bit confused altogether. why. well in the beginning it was said both parsley and rosemary had parvo virus. or so i thought i was told. now i hear parsley never showed symptoms. rosemary still shows positive for parvo and is being treated..though she can't understand how she can be positive now. she said the littermate had not ever got sick and the shephard pup in with them was never sick either. no mention of any mom to any of these pups at any time.

originally when i heard they had parvo virus and they also were younger than i was even originally told at petsmart..i was told they would be in her care for a minimum of two weeks..i was fine with that. so it is not me rushing things though i am excited to bring parsley home..i want her to be healthy and ready..not too young to be separated from her siblings.
but i was told that parsley should probably be ready to be coming to my home by late friday or saturday..i have an appointment on friday..so i said saturday would work better for me..and she said she would get back to me later in the week.

i do plan to contact my vet immediately upon setting up the time and day that i would be receiving parsley and taking her directly to the vet if at all possible for a checkup.

i was also reading up on parvo on one of the articles on the DP itself..and it did say it is solely a dog thing..but woman did say once they had it they were immune from getting it again..and that is not what i found upon reading the article..or i did not understand it to mean that at all. i will have to ask my vet that fact. at first when she told me they had parvo..both of the pups..she told me they had already been vaccinated against it once already...and it was still possible for them to get it..now i thought pups that young were not vaccinated yet..and then she said once they were recovered she was going to be giving them their second vaccination against parvo. later on i would be getting parsley's third vaccination for parvo. now she says parsley never had the symptoms. i'm very confused. or where did i misunderstand?i really don;t know the schedule for vaccines for pups...but if they were 4-5 weeks old when she received them..how could they have already have had the parvo vaccine prior to her having them? is that the right schedule for vaccines or too early? could it be possible that since maybe they were taken somehow from their mom too young they did not have the immunity they would have had and so were given the vaccines early to protect them but they got it anyway?

i want only what's best for parsley..and when the time is right for her to come home with me then of course i want her home with me, i'm very excited about that. right now i don't know if she had parvo , if she never had it, how old she really is exactly, petsmart said one thing..though pretty close..they had said she was five to six weeks old at the time i saw her that weekend..so she would be even older now. then i was told she was four to five weeks old which would make her five or six weeks at most now. and also since she is not symtomatic she is not going to retest her for parvo..as her vet told her it was not necessary. i'm truly hoping she is ok and healthy and and that if i do bring her home though she is young because she says she is ready for me to bring home that it will work out ok..that parsley will adjust without her siblings...i of course will give her lots of love and attention..and see she gets the proper care. but i also am concerned that she is very young just as both of you mentioned.

have a nice evening, God Bless, hugs, Mindy

[Deerie me]

It sounds like the foster woman hasn't really got a clue MIndy. Maybe something happened that made them suspect they were coming down with it initially and then it didn't happen, I don't know. I can't really imagine that a puppy that young would survive if they did get Parvo but I have no experience of the disease.

Here they get vaccinated at about 8-10 weeks and then again at 10-12 weeks (ish) for everything, Parvo included. They leave a two week gap between and then you have to wait another week before taking the pup out. I think you have more vaccinations there.

It would be beneficial for Parsley to say with her littermate for another couple of weeks or so but it sounds like the rescue aren't going to give you that option, so you'll just have to do what you can. You might risk her going to someone else if you insist. Maybe the rescue is snowed under and need the space.

How did you get on at the doctors? Did you get your meds sorted out? I hope so.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Mindy, I realize that it is the rescue organization calling the "shots" and not you. I only mentioned leaving Parsley for as long as possible with her sibling IF you had the choice. It does seem like you received a great deal of conflicting information as I recall you saying several weeks ago that Parsley was 5 to 6 weeks old at that time.

I think your decision to have her seen immediately by your vet is a good one.

Vaccinations usually occur with the breeder making sure the pups have their first round of shot prior to 8 weeks. Then they receive a second round at 12 weeks, and by 16 weeks they are finished including their rabies vaccine, which is not administered until 4 months of age. That's a general "ball park" summation.

You will make a great Mum to Parsley. Keep us posted

[mweinstock1]

Hi Deb and Tracy,

i have to say right now i am praying that this all turns out well for Parsley and for my fiance and myself. i do not even know what to believe..or what to think. all the possibilities you both mentioned are certainly viable ones..i'd thought of many of them also. i only really want that Parsley be truly healthy and recuperated enough if she had been ill..to safely move on to her forever home. and then that brings on the point of her age and i really don't have the first clue there or her readiness in that way to leave her siblings..as i firmly agree with everyone on that point..but as u mentioned..it is not really up to me..as i do not want to lose her..i will do everything i can to keep her comfortable , warm, secure, loved, and well taken care of in the absence of her siblings at such a young age. though i would have provided all of the above at any age.

The woman said she would get back to me later in the week..maybe i should email her so i can know what's going on..so then i can then make that appointment with the vet..or else it will be too late to set one up immediately for same day-i'm hoping one will be available on that day. also depends on if i am picking parsley up at this woman's home..and where she lives..how far from me..or if she is bringing her to me and what time as to whether i can make a vet appointment that day or have to wait for the next day.

i guess for me..i didn't feel comfortable with a rescue situation last time and this turned out to be same thing..where it is email rather than phone call and yes i understand why that is..and actually with some of the same people too...and i am getting i feel some of the same what feels to me like double talk..different answers at different times..isn;t that what it sounded like what i said..one second one age..next a different age..one minute she has parvo and next she never had symptoms. my head is spinning. one minutes she needs her to be with her for at least two weeks now she is ready to come home with me. i'm sorry..i really thought i was dealing with petsmart and then the humane society..this just turned out very different all together..but i do want parsley very much and so am doing my best to deal with a situation that i am quite uncomfortable and can't quite make heads or tails out of the info i get. as you say maybe she has a house full of dogs and needs the space so she is sending Parsley on to me a bit earlier than planned.

Tracy , thanks for asking hon, i did go to the doc on monday, and though i told her my med did nothing for my fibromyalgia pain whatsoever..she wanted to increase it..i did not agree with her...so i called my neurologist and made an appointment for this coming friday ..he is the one who diagnosed my fibromyalgia and ordered the cymbalta and had the other doc monitoring it inn the first place. he was very nice and very helpful. i want him to order lyrica for me. and at same time slowly decrease my cymbalta to get me off that. u can not just all of a sudden stop taking cymbalta u would have adverse reactions. but u can begin something else at same time u are slowly decreasing it. with the cymbalta it had said that it was supposed to show some improvement within one month,.i saw none..and actually i felt wose pain than before..and so why increase it..i think i gave it enough of a trial.and i had already gone up three times in dose. i was up to 90mg and research says that more than 60mg does no more than a higher dose. but that doc was like talking to a wall so i went above her head. as my own advocate. i'd researched cymbalta myself and i researched lyrica too. i used to be a registered nurse. i only keep an inactive license now..new jersey..as i am a disabled veteran..i no longer am allowed to work due to receiving compensation benefits from the military ,etc and really with various problems i am unable to work so they are right, but i miss it . i last worked as a nurse in 1997. somehow though u never lose that urge to research things. and i miss the patient care the most.and my organization skills were a strong factor of mine so it worked in my favor too. things are so different today..very technical..Patient care is done more by the aides. nurses are in and out in a few minutes..really don;t spend much time with the patients often. they come in do a t reatment and they leave. or they get consents.

welll i think i got off the track here didn;t i? ha ha ha. wow, it's been a long time since i've talked about that. probably wrong place -sorry..

anyway, i will keep you posted i am going to email and see what update as far as what's going on with PARSLEY and when and if she is actually ready for coming home saturday or what. i will let you know when i do know.
have a wonderful night. God Bless, hugs, xoxo, Mindy

[Deerie me]

Talk away Mindy. It's your thread. If you want to go off topic that's up to you. I am in healthcare too.