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Dogs - all types Update on Paige: The Puppy that would not eat.
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Posted by | Topic subject: Update on Paige: The Puppy that would not eat. |
jennifer_mckellar Member Posts: 16 |
posted 11-08-2003 09:50 PM
Unfortunately, we had come home today to find that our puppy passed away. My four year old son came in before we even noticed that it had happened. He took his freind over their excitedly to show her his new puppy. They both thought that the puppy was sleeping. He tried to wake her up, by that time I was already in tears. We had given her the dewormer this morning, and been feeding her with a syringe. Unfortunately, she could not make until Monday to go see a vet. I appreciate everyones advice on the situation. I do not know what I am supposed to tell my son. He is not old enough to understand the concept of death, and I am afraid that in the morning we she is not there that he will be upset. If you have any helpful advice, I would appreciate it. Thank you. ------------------ IP: Logged |
nern Member Posts: 889 |
posted 11-08-2003 10:44 PM
Im so sorry for your loss IP: Logged |
neek Member Posts: 196 |
posted 11-09-2003 12:48 AM
It is better for your son to learn the truth about death from a family pet rather than having to explain it when a friend or family member passes away. Be honest and don't dance around the fact the the pup has died. All children react differently about death and seriously it's good for him to cry. He most probably will want to talk about it. And most importantly answer any questions he may have truthfully. I hope this helps. IP: Logged |
NewLabOwnr Member Posts: 116 |
posted 11-09-2003 06:34 AM
So sorry to hear about your puppy. IP: Logged |
Jazmyns_daddy Member Posts: 22 |
posted 11-09-2003 09:34 AM
so very very sorry to hear about the loss. thought for sure we had it nailed with the whole dewormer idea. did they give you any idea as to the actuall cause of death if you dont mind my asking. will you be looking into a new companion?. could ease the pain of telling your little one. sorry again. steve IP: Logged |
jennifer_mckellar Member Posts: 16 |
posted 11-09-2003 10:08 AM
We have decided that we are going to get a hamster or a guinie pig. They reguire less maitnence and our less likely to get as sick. Plus, if something happens to the hamster we can replace it. We thought about replacing the puppy, but my husband and I our afraid to get another one. This is the first pet that we have had, that died. I am just afraid that it will happen again. Plus, since the dog did have worms getting another one right now would probably not be the best thing to do. Thanks for your concern. And the cause of death was simply malnutricion. Since the worms were upsetting her stomach she wasn't eating. She just began eating a little bit the day before she passed, but I guess it was to late. Her little body was just warn out. IP: Logged |
debslegacyofgold Member Posts: 50 |
posted 11-09-2003 12:09 PM
Im sorry for your loss. When we loose animals at our house we tell our kids the truth..That that peticular animal had a special purpose and when they have finished their jobs here on earth and now they have went to live with heavenly father and all their ancesters and friends that have passed. When my old horse had to be put down my kids were sad but delt with it extremly well because of thier understanding of death.Now when an animal dies my kids are sad and cry but usually my daughter will pipe up and say" its ok mama theyre going to see grandma and grandpa and Debbie(horse)" ------------------ IP: Logged |
GoodboysBaddogs Member Posts: 217 |
posted 11-09-2003 02:31 PM
Thats just downright terrible!!! Something to r e a l l y consider in the future of any pet you might own is to try to find out if the vet is knowledgable w/ your specific pet(s). And most definatly, CHANGE YOUR VET from the one you mentioned before. I could easily blame him for not considering a freakin eating disorder & it's relations... Unfortunatly for us (not being VETS), sometimes we have to depend on professionals to help us when our loved ones get ill & need medical attention, etc.. And, there are some vets out there that take advatage of this situation of ours, and simply do a whole run around type treatment on our companions. Thats why it'll always be a beter trip to the vet if you have some knowledge & understanding of whats going on w/ your pet(s). I'm pretty sure A-LOT of us have gone through this "run-around" treatment before, not even knowing. See, when you have an good idea of whats going on, you can see through the whole game they play. Be in charge, for the sake of your loved ones, & your pocket expenses . That's also why it's important to find the "right" hospital & establish a good relationship w/ your pets veterinarian. Don't forget that it's a business world out there, sadly to say... So sorry for your loss. Tell your son the truth, when time permits. It's an important time for a good L I F E lesson. It'll only better him as a young-man. Boy!?-- May goodness be w/ you & yours. ------------------ IP: Logged |
puttin510 Member Posts: 839 |
posted 11-09-2003 02:34 PM
Ahh, I feel so sad for you all. I'm so sorry things did not go the right way. ------------------ IP: Logged |
Ahkahna Member Posts: 91 |
posted 11-09-2003 04:57 PM
Ya know what, it sounds a lot like it could have been parvo as well as the worms. Did your puppy have it's parvo shots when you got it?? IP: Logged |
susan_cude@hotmail.com Member Posts: 81 |
posted 11-09-2003 06:40 PM
I agree with cowgirl's response. I'll pray for your boy. So So sorry! Don't give up on having a sweet little dog in your families life, there's nothing like it! they bring such joy "most of the time" Maybe not right away, but I wouldn't count that idea out completely in the future...Again I'm so sorry...Sincerely, Susan P.s. I'd like to strangle your vet...sounds like a kwak.......Sorry you probably don't need to hear that right now... IP: Logged |
jennifer_mckellar Member Posts: 16 |
posted 11-09-2003 10:06 PM
Thank you for all the concern. And, I think that everyone is right...I should not use that vet anymore. Infact, had it not been for the internet, we would not have known what was wrong. After I took some advice on getting my dog to eat, it threw up the worms. Had that not happened we would not have known what was wrong. I am glad that I figured out what was wrong with her before she died, I was afraid that it was something that we had done. I now know that she had the worms before we got her. The size of them where about 6 inches. Those are fully grown. It takes a month for a worm to become fully grown, and we had only had the puppy for three weeks. The breeder had told us that they had given her dewormer, and assured us that it was just a precaution. Come to find out, the mother had worms and passed it onto her little ones. I am sure that there are other owners that bought from them going thru the same promblem right now. Anyways, we went to the pet store and got my son a gerbil today. He loves her..and named her Dori off the movie Finding Nemo. I think that we have decided to hold off on getting another dog anytime soon. We also decided to tell him that the puppy was sick and had to go home to its mommy to make it feel better. HE is only 3, and did n ot understand the concept of death. When anyone ask about the puppy he just tells that she missed her mommy and had to go home. Again, think you for your concerns. I really do appreciate it. IP: Logged |
Maisey Member Posts: 585 |
posted 11-09-2003 10:37 PM
Jennifer, I am so sorry about you losing your pup, it's never easy and it's never fair. I did want to tell you though, that most puppies have worms, they do get them from their mom, I have never had a puppy who didn't have them. Thats why deworming a pup is routine. Even a dog on a routine deworming schedule can have a few worms present. while at the emergency vets tonight with my own dog, we had to wait a long while and I actually asked the vet tech about your situation, her first response was "parvo", she said those are the symptoms and asked why your vet didn't test for it right away. Of course I didn't know...but you should be aware that if that is what your pup died of it is highly contagious and stays in the environment for a long period of time, in your house, yard etc. You should consider reading up on the disease before bringing another puppy home so that you will know how to clean appropriately and avoid it happening again. I have never had to deal with parvo but I hear about it so often and it's very sad and harsh my heart goes out to you. There are some articles here about parvo if you'd like to read them. http://www.auspet.com/cgi-bin/NewBoard/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=Articles+-+Dog+Care+|AMP|+Health&number=9&DaysPrune=1000&LastLogin= IP: Logged |
Jamiya Member Posts: 501 |
posted 11-10-2003 06:24 AM
I'm so sorry for your loss! You might be surprised what a 3-year-old can understand. I think death is more complicated for adults than for kids. It's pretty simple for them. God decided to take the puppy home. He won't wake up and we can't be with him anymore, but he will be in our hearts forever. He's with God now. And if you don't believe in God, then substitute "happy place" or the Rainbow Bridge story. It's much easier for a child to learn about death through a pet than through a loved person. And it doesn't have to be a scary and mysterious thing, either. There are some children's books that talk about the death of a pet - one about a boy and his mouse comes to mind. Good luck with the gerbil. Remember, they only live about 2 years. When we got our kids their first mice, I prepared them the day they got them that they only live 1-2 years, and that's a full and happy life for a mouse. My son's mouse died last spring and while he was 10 years old at the time, it was still difficult for him. But I didn't lie to him and I didn't make up a story. We had a funeral service and he helped dig the hole in the backyard. He didn't want to see the mouse after it was dead, but we gave him the choice. They say seeing the body is an important part of the grieving process, but of course I would not force anyone who doesn't want to. We had several more mouse deaths in the months that followed, including the little white mouse our son "saved" from the pet store where he was being picked on by the other mice in the cage. He decided to get him neutered so he could live with the girls, but he died under the anaesthetic. I seriously considered replacing the mouse with another little white mouse and not telling him, but that was the coward's way out. Instead, we talked about decisions and hindsight and doing the best we can with the information we have when we need to make the decision. Then I told him what happened. He was very upset, but he didn't blame himself or second-guess his decision to have the surgery. I can only hope my children will not have to deal with the death of a human loved one for a very long time. I, myself, never lost anyone close to me until last November when my grandfather passed away. But if the worst ever did happen, at least my kids have a foundation to build on.
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jennifer_mckellar Member Posts: 16 |
posted 11-10-2003 11:22 AM
We did try to tell are son the truth, but he did not understand. I was not going to push the issue. Right after we told him what had happened, he came into the livingroom and wanted to know where the puppy was. He did not grasp the idea of death, and didn't understand where his puppy went. We told him that the puppy had to go home to his mommy because she was sick. He understands that and when anyone ask about the puppy...he simply tells them that it was sad and had to go home to his mommy. Plus, he understands that the puppy is not coming back. He said his goodbyes, and simply thinks that the last time he saw her she was sleeping. I think that this was the best way for him to deal with it. While some kids might understand at his age, he did not. I have no promblem with that..I do not necessarily think that it is a good thing to have a three year old that does understand what death is. We got him a gerbil, and he has adjusted fine. He named her Dori, and plays with her every day. IP: Logged |
susan_cude@hotmail.com Member Posts: 81 |
posted 11-10-2003 09:24 PM
Sounds to me like you handled that real well.... Take care, Susan IP: Logged |
Karriesue Member Posts: 110 |
posted 11-10-2003 09:41 PM
I think you handled it well also. There is no easy way to explain death to a child so young. I most likely would have handled it like you did. You went with the flow, he didn't understand, so you used something that he did understand. From what you said, he is OK with that so I think you should be proud with how you handled it overall. I hope things work out for you. Also, consider what Maisey said in her post that it could have been parvo. If you do decide to get another dog, everything that the dog touched and came in contact with should be bleached. That nasty disease can live a long time without treatment of the sort and can kill another dog that it comes in contact with. Please don't let this experience hamper the idea of getting another dog. This wasn't your fault. Plus having a stink for a vet didn't help matters much either. Take care and if you ever need us again, we will all be here. This is a great board with great people and we all wish you luck. [This message has been edited by Karriesue (edited 11-10-2003).] IP: Logged |
jennifer_mckellar Member Posts: 16 |
posted 11-12-2003 12:22 AM
Thank you all very much for your concern and your help. I am happy to anounce that my son is doing fine. We went and got another gerbil the other day. (named Deb, another character from Finding Nemo.) He now has two pets that he loves very much, and is not upset about Paige anymore. Deb and Dori, are doing just fine too. I did have a question though. If my dog did have parvo is it possible for the gerbils to get, or for that matter what risk does it pose to me and my family? Also, what exactly is parvo? And, how do I find out if that is what the dog had? I just want to make sure that no more animals get sick. I know that the worms were contatious to people so I was wondering if parvo is to. Please post your coments to let me know. And thank you again for all your help. IP: Logged |
Maisey Member Posts: 585 |
posted 11-12-2003 12:54 AM
Glad to hear your son has adjusted and is happy. Auspet - Message Boards
A parvo-infected dog can shed the virus in his feces, which makes him extremely contagious to other dogs. The following precautions will help prevent the spread of this disease.
· Pick up all the dog's stools in your yard. · Use chlorine bleach and water to clean food and water bowls. Wash the dog's bedding in bleach and hot water. Disinfect all areas that the dog has been in, including linoleum floors, crates, etc. · If you have any other dogs who are two years old or younger, or who have not had parvo vaccinations, take them to your veterinarian immediately for a booster shot. · Feed your dog a bland diet until he recovers. Reintroduce regular food slowly.
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