posted 02-28-2003 02:21 PM           

I purchased a puppy from a kennel that appear to be o.k. at first. The puppy started having trouble immediately. I noticed blood in his feces. I took him to the vet and they wormed him. Concern level was not high at this point. The next day he started to vomit all his food up and have watery stool. I took him to the emergency hospital in the middle of the night. THey gave him fluids and put him on antibiotics. The next day he seemed a bit better. I thought he was going to recover. The next day he declined. He became lethargic...only sat in his bed. I took him back to the vet. They held him a few hours, gave him fluids again, and changed him to a high calorie diet. By this time he is losing weight. The following day...back to the vet. They held him all day, gave him a shot of antibiotics, fluids, and sent him home. The next day, back to the vet. This time his breathing has become extremely labored. They refer him to a specialist immediately for tests. I drive him an hour to get to the specialist in internal medicine. The costs just to diagnose his illness exceed $650 American dollars. He needs immediate attention. The doctor feels that he could die in the next 10-20 minutes and that prognosis is not good. So to stop his distress, I have him euthanized. This is day seven of my ownership of the puppy.

The breeder and I have been fighting "like cats and dogs" over the expenses. On top of the cost of the dog last week, I have put an additional $500 into trying to turn him around. Everyday was and emergency in need of expert medical attention.

His diagnoses included: severe roundworm infestation (very severe..I saw them all...4 inches long tangled together), ascarids tracheobronchitis, tracheobronchitis, and aspiration pneumonia. I don't know what else was wrong. There seems to be some indication that he had other problems. His abdomen was extremely sensitive. I have his corpse and am considering a post mortem evaluation.

The breeder is admitting to no liability. She has been heartless in this situation. She won't even turn her fax machine on and look at the medical records.

Emotionally I am beside myself. I have been drug through the mud.

The sad thing is that I did my "homework." I researched breeds and breeders. I interviewed the lady. She answered everything to my satisfaction. The place was clean. She told me that the animals were "socialized" every day. They were supposively up to date on worming and shots. She said to call her anytime. There was a gurantee of health for 10 days (shorter than desired but within the guidelines of our state laws). She is a Pennsylvania State Liscensed Breeder. She has 16 years experience, 7 years with Cockapoos.

I don't know what recourse I have concerning the expenses involved. At least, I'd love to warn people against using her, report her to the SPCA, or the Attorney General.

Any suggestions?

posted 02-28-2003 02:38 PM         

Contact the media...this should put an end to her breeding cause the SPCA will get on her ass sooooo fast.Recently where I live there was a breeder of tiny long haired dogs and they were not taken care of, they had hair so long and never once been brushed it was absolutley horrid to watch as the media did a story on it..they were all infested with worms and hadn't been fed in who knows how long..try going to small claims court, I believe she will be liable because she sold the dog to you in this condition.

That is just terrible...how can people be so crule, heartless and selfish. Poor little guy and how are you? This is devistating....I almost lost my dog to parvo when he was three months old so I've been in your spot...I chose to let him fight the disease...I don't know if that's what your dog had...don't feel bad for what you did...I think you did the right thing and saved the little guy from any further suffering.

posted 03-02-2003 05:03 PM           

I got the radiology report back from the radiologist. He doesn't indicate aspiration pneumonia...he just states "severe pneumonia and possible aerophagia." He was vomitting so much that there was the thought that he was sucking in vomit.

Some of you have questioned the statement "given fluids." What I mean is that they injected fluids under the skin. He was throwing up so much that they would want to rest his tummy and rehydrate him. On a few occasions they injected fluids either behind his head or along his sides to stay off dehydration.

To address the concern about running tests before worming...they did a fecal before worming and I made the vet aware of the worming schedule that he was on while under the care of the breeder. At that time he had runny stool with blood and had a kind of strange cough.

Those of you from Pennsylvania would be familiar with a Vet's Certification for reimbursement. I have gotten two Vet's Certifications and the breeder still declines responsilibty. The certifications state that he had worms which led to worming which "progressed" to ascarids tracheobronchitis and when he was referred to the Emergency Referral Clinic, he had pneumonia and was "rapidly declining." Which led me to approve his euthanasia.

I have given the breeder full permission to speak with the veterinarias involved in my dog's case. She doesn't seem to believe that illnesses progress into more severe illnesses. She seems to questions two vets, a internal medicine vet, and a radiologist's experience and know-how in this scenario in favor of her "own" knowledge of dogs and she is not a DVM. She doesn't think they know what they are talking about.

I have never imagined a situation like this. If I were the breeder, I would have reimbursed expenses in a heartbeat. I am finding myself in a frustrating legal situation. I plan to take her to small claims court, if she refuses responsiblity. I have been in contact with the Attorney General's office. I don't know how likely they are to pursue this...they are sympathetic and can't believe what has happened. I've thought of contacting the SPCA or AKC. She was breeding mixed breed dogs and AKC dogs in her business. I've heard some people say that isn't ideal; but I'm not for sure on that fact. I've also considered going to the media--contacting one of those consumer advocates you see on the news.