Advice Needed on sick new Puppy

masterK

We bought an 8 week old puppy on Thursday night. It was a cross breed between a Maltese and Shih Tzu. She hasn't eaten at all since we got her home so we took her to the vet this morning. The Vet thinks she has the Parvo virus and is keeping her in.

I've been trying to contact the breeder but he won't answer his phone either last night or this morning. He had a load of other dogs so the vet thinks they could all be invected. The vet also said that she has been infected for at least a week to 10 days. The breeder must have been aware that she wasn't well. Is there anything I can do about this?

The vet is also sceptical about whether she was ever vaccinated even though we have a form which states she was.

planetX

sounds like a classic puppy farmer - he won't ever answer on that number again, he doesn't want you to be able to get your money back. The other puppies will no doubt be sick too, but he'll do his best to sell them on before they show symptoms. Your puppy won't be vaccinated, that would have cost money.
Hope your puppy gets well, and that you use this experience to try to educate others not to support the cruelty of puppy farming.

Rommie

Yup, I'm afraid you've been scammed into buying a sick puppy just so a cruel person can make cash. You'll never hear from him again. This is why most people advise to contact the kennel club for proper breeders or rescue. No proper breeder will EVER breed these crossbreeds for one thing so instantly you're talking puppy farmer or backyard breeder- they are bred for money and nothing else. I hope your pup gets better, and I hope others reading this will think twice about where they're getting their puppy from

I'm assuming OP that you met him somewhere or did you actually go to the house?

masterK

I actually went to his house. He's finally answered his phone so maybe he's not as bad as I had feared. He is saying the puppy was full of life when it was with him, though the vet has said that's not possible.

We're just hoping the poor little thing pulls through

Irishchick

Parvo virus can be incubated in the body so it could have looked fine when you brought it home. The stress of moving home can then cause the virus to activate and infect.

If you have any other dogs at home keep a very close eye on them for the next few days.

I don't want to cast a downer but a parvo pup has about 50/50 chance of surviving even with treatment. It's a terrible virus .

I hope your pup is one of the lucky ones that do recover. Be aware of puppy farmers from now on.

RubyGirl

Would you or the vet report this to the nearest ISCPA so they can inspect the rest of the pup's?

Rommie

masterK wrote: »

I actually went to his house. He's finally answered his phone so maybe he's not as bad as I had feared. He is saying the puppy was full of life when it was with him, though the vet has said that's not possible.

We're just hoping the poor little thing pulls through

Sorry but if he's purposefully crossbreeding these dogs anyway he's a backyard breeder, if not a puppy farmer. Add in the fact that the pup has parvovirus and yes, he is clearly as bad as you feared. Did you see the parents? Did you see the rest of the litter? I'm guessing you paid a bit for this pup, if it doesn't make it (hope it does of course) will he return your money?

DBB

I'd be inclined to contact the website you found this breeder on to complain about what's happened.
Even if the pup appeared in good health leaving the breeder's property, the timing of the pup's symptoms, and the incubation period of parvo, means that the breeder's premises is harbouring the disease, and probably has done for some time.
The vax cert that you got with the pup, is it signed by a vet? And stamped with the vet's practice stamp? If not, it either casts doubt on the pup being vaxed at all, or it means the pup was vaxed by a non-professional, which, if the pup was already harbouring a disease, is a very dangerous, often fatal thing to do. The amateur vaccinator has no way of knowing (or caring?) whether the pup/dog is already harbouring a disease, which is why pups should always be vaxed by a vet.
No point in complaining to the IKC as the dog is a mongrel, though if either of his parents are IKC reg'd, the IKC can, on paper at least, censure the breeder, as allowing two purebred dogs to procreate is against their code of conduct.
As you have details for the breeder, you could sue him. The more people who do this when they get ripped off, the more puppy farmers will try to prevent the same happening to them. And I'd hope that other potential owners will realise why we urge such caution when buying a pup, particularly pups advertised online.
I hope your pup pulls through. Poor little thing.

Sigma Force

Of course he would say that but it's not good enough you need to report him regardless, if he's nothing to hide then he's nothing to worry about if the spca check up on him but you bought a cross breed pup and there were lots of other dogs there so that's not a good sign sounds like a bit of a back yard breeder who is lying to you.
It's not good enough though if the pup had been vaccinated and well looked after by the breeder then the pup wouldn't of contracted the disease ok there's always exceptions but after you get all the proof from the vet then demand the money for the vet care from the breeder and your money back..you won't get it but it's worth a try and deffo report him.
Hope the pup pulls through, as said it's never good when pups contract the disease but hopefully he'll be one of the lucky ones.