Shih tzu-8 weeks old...

miss_maddy2007 · Member Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 27

Hi. I'm Sarah. We just got an 8 week old shih tzu. We got her on Saturday, then Sunday night we noticed she was very lethargic and she could actually bearly walk, she was tripping everywhere. So Monday we took her to the vet...her blood sugar was very low, actually deathly low...I think she said it was 15 when it was supposed to be 100 (my mom took her, i wasnt there)

The breeder told us he was feeding her purina but the vet said she hadnt been off her mother...? and I know there is no way she could have been eating hard food. (she was also spitting up before we took her to the vet)
So we brought her home monday night and she was taking meds for her spitting up and we had to give her this nutrical stuff every two hours...then the next day she spent the whole day at the vet...so now we are feeding her wet food through a saringe and pedialite. She is doing much better but she is sleeping a lot...well not a lot but more than normal...

My question(s) are:1. she is 8 weeks old and a little less than a pound...is that to young to be away from their mother?

2. Is it normal for her to sleep a lot when shes young?

3. What are the best toys for teething?

4. she has this hernia looking thing on her stomach and the breeder said it was from the ambiblical cord...is this normal? does it hurt her?
thanks!

Shineillusion · Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:26 am Post subject:

If she's less than a pound and not able to eat hard food, chances are she's not really 8 weeks old. My puppies (miniature dachshunds) would be eating canned food mixed with dry that had been soaked to soften it at 5 weeks, and by 8 weeks they were chowing down with a vengence. They were also more like 2 pounds, and very active.

I don't place puppies less than 12 weeks old. I think 8 weeks is too young. They need that additional time with their mother and littermates to learn to be dogs. They also learn bite inhibition when playing during this time, and that's a very important thing for a puppy to know. So even if your pup really is 8 weeks, she's too young to be away from her mom, IMO.

It's not unusual for young puppies to sleep a lot. And if her blood sugar levels are low, she'll be lethargic and sleepy. Keep a close eye on her, and try to get enough food down her to keep her blood sugar up where it should be.

I like raw carrots as teething toys, especially cold from the frige. Ice cubes can also be good for teething. Nylabones are good, especially the ones made for puppies that are a bit softer than the regular ones.

The hernia like thing sounds like an umbelical hernia, but you'd need a vet to confirm that. Umbelical hernias should be repaired, but again, it's something you need to discuss with your vet.

If the vet confirms that the pup has an umbelical hernia, I'd for sure be on the phone to the breeder! This is a congenital condition. The breeder should have had the puppy checked by a vet prior to selling her, and should have told you it was there. And, in my opinion, the breeder should be responsible for any medical bills resulting from it, including paying for surgical repair.

miss_maddy2007 · Member Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 27

I do agree with you that they should be responsible for the vet bills...but im just not sure what we are going to do. The vet said to just watch it and make sure it doesnt get any worse. The breeder said she was born on 6/25....not sure if thats true or not....

the vet said she will be fine as long as we keep feeding her the way we are and if she just wont eat to give her a tiny bit of nutrical. we are also giving her a tiny bit of honey for her blood sugar...i was worried that she was to young to be with me...but the vet said she would be fine...

At first she wouldnt eat on her own but now she is eating canned food on her own...

Sunshinne83 · Member Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 29

I don't know if this will help. But I also just bought a puppy that was 8 weeks old. But she was eating hard food and weighed 3 lb 3 oz. She is a shitz tzu, minuture poodle mix, so they should be the same size. And I see no sign of an imbilicul cord.

miss_maddy2007 · Member Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 27

Thanks you guys for everything but SADLY we had to put her to sleep today Crying or Very sad

It turns out she had a liver shunt? I think thats what they called it...anyway we found out this morning and took her this afternoon...it was probably the hardest thing i ever had to do, I cried more today than when my grandfather died. I was already so attached after only a week...but I just wanted to let yall know what was going on...thanks for replying...

sarah

RIP Maddy

myshihpoo · Member Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 180

OOOH I am sooo terribly sorry to hear about Maddy! Sad

I don't know what to say.. and am sure there is nothing to say to make it any easier.... Sad

((((BIG HUGS))))

evansfmly5 · New member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 8

I am sooooo sorry! I had to go thru that with my pups... we bred my female shih tzu with our male. Anyways, one of the babies was somehow injured at a month old. ( I am thinking that mom jumped on her, not being able to see where she was jumping when she jumped in with them) Anyways, I loved that little girl to death... did absolutely everything I could... took her to the vet 3 times in 1 week. She just had started whinning and crying and looked to be in such pain... she wasn't eating and I was to the point where I was force feeding her with a baby syringe... We went from Monday to Friday like that and I had to put her down on Friday... was sooooo hard! So, I really do know how you feel.
(((((hugs)))))