AIMFOR Cairn Terriers
Aimfor Quality, Not Quantity...
Hefs Story (A Battle with Parvovirus)
(Aimfor Symply a Playboy)
After returning happy from a trip to NSW Spring Fair shows with the whole crew where we all did very well, Hef himself scoring a nice Best of Breed at 6 months old the next few days were back to routine. I had also started to strip out his coat taking it slowly as it was his first time since being a baby puppy.
The weekend after I had returned (5 days incubation period), it was a Sunday and I noticed he was a little bit flat and off his food. Decided to keep an eye on him but nothing else was unusal. As the day progressed he became more depressed, sulking in his beanbag and refusing to move. I tried to take him for a small walk up the driveway to see if he would perk up..nope even the tail was limp, so not him.
I kept voicing my worries to my OH and decided if nothing had changed would take him to my vet first thim Monday morning - then he began to vomit up water he was drinking. My (non-doggy) OH said if I was really concerned I should take him up to the emergency vet, so I did. We were put in the Rabbit room for isolation when I voiced my concern over Parvo...20 mins later he was given a test which came up positive and with a cuddle and a kiss was whisked away for IV treatment in an ISO ward.
I was up until 1AM scrubbing and cleaning with bleach with a good friend that came over and helped me. I put in orders for Trigene and bought some F10 off the internet. I warned my OH it could be a very costly experience. I was in a bit of shock as Hef was fully vaccinated (all 3 puppy shots) and almost 7 months old - how could this happen??
Over the next couple of days on and off the phone to DOGS NSW telling them to get a warning out...mmm not much else to say there...
On and off the phone to the AEC vet and googling for what I was worth on Parvo and experiences.
He started vomiting non stop and had diarreah from the time he was admitted. His protien levels were stable to start with then fell a bit over the next couple of days. They tried to put in a nasel gastic tube and he vomited it up twice before they could get it to stay. They tried a few anti nausea drugs to stop the vomitting until he was on the strongest dose. His tail was vetwrapped and all four legs were shaved down when his intravenious drip was swapped over the period he was there. He was a very sick little dog.
Day3 I asked if he was stable enough to move to my local vet...we all thought he was, but by the evening he had gone downhill again and my vet was not 100% confident to leave him overnight (not staffed overnight) so back he went to the AEC.
At this point I was dropping of $1000 dollers a day (my limit on my savings account perday) and was plesantly surpised that my OH was 100% behind me in whatever descision I wanted to make. He was/is so supportive!
Dat 5 was touch and go and I really thought when I was driving up to AEC I was going to say goodbye and send him to Rainbow bridge. If he wasnt making progress and going downhill I would have let him go at this time.
I gowned up and went in to see him. He didnt even flick and ear of move his eyes to look at me, it was the saddest thing. I stayed in there stroking his ears and willing him to turn a corner...any corner! I got nothing.
That evening when I rang though he had put up a bit of a struggle when the nurse changed his needle, so that was progress, I wasnt giving up yet! I went in to see him twice a day from then on, made him some pureed boiled chicken and rice and tried to get him to lick off my finger - when he did I was so excited, so were the staff!! This was just before they were talking of putting a line in his neck vein...I said no, lets see what happens yet.
Slowly he was begining to buck up and recover. They did and ulltrasound on his tummy as that is were problems can occour with parvo dogs, but all was clear. Day 10 he came home!!!! He looked terrible but was on the mend and even had a small wag in the tail for anyone who talked to him.
He was on crate rest for a couple of weeks, I used to give him whole carrots to chew as he couldnt have bones or pigs ears to keep him from getting bored! He LOVES carrots!
Now my young man is 1.5 years old and well on his way to his Australian title! He has sufferend no ill effects of the virus, so I consider us both very, very lucky!
He is a very expensive but well loved dog and I would do it all again.
Thanks also goes to the DOL community who listened, gave advice and helped me out with support.
Thanks also goes to the staff at AEC (Animal Emergency Cetre) Hallem.
Photos from his illness #1 Vet transfer, #2 first day home, #3 getting bored now!
'Hef' Aimfor Symply a Playboy today!
(Photo taken by TAK photography - Kristy Roebig)
(Aimfor Symply a Playboy)
After returning happy from a trip to NSW Spring Fair shows with the whole crew where we all did very well, Hef himself scoring a nice Best of Breed at 6 months old the next few days were back to routine. I had also started to strip out his coat taking it slowly as it was his first time since being a baby puppy.
The weekend after I had returned (5 days incubation period), it was a Sunday and I noticed he was a little bit flat and off his food. Decided to keep an eye on him but nothing else was unusal. As the day progressed he became more depressed, sulking in his beanbag and refusing to move. I tried to take him for a small walk up the driveway to see if he would perk up..nope even the tail was limp, so not him.
I kept voicing my worries to my OH and decided if nothing had changed would take him to my vet first thim Monday morning - then he began to vomit up water he was drinking. My (non-doggy) OH said if I was really concerned I should take him up to the emergency vet, so I did. We were put in the Rabbit room for isolation when I voiced my concern over Parvo...20 mins later he was given a test which came up positive and with a cuddle and a kiss was whisked away for IV treatment in an ISO ward.
I was up until 1AM scrubbing and cleaning with bleach with a good friend that came over and helped me. I put in orders for Trigene and bought some F10 off the internet. I warned my OH it could be a very costly experience. I was in a bit of shock as Hef was fully vaccinated (all 3 puppy shots) and almost 7 months old - how could this happen??
Over the next couple of days on and off the phone to DOGS NSW telling them to get a warning out...mmm not much else to say there...
On and off the phone to the AEC vet and googling for what I was worth on Parvo and experiences.
He started vomiting non stop and had diarreah from the time he was admitted. His protien levels were stable to start with then fell a bit over the next couple of days. They tried to put in a nasel gastic tube and he vomited it up twice before they could get it to stay. They tried a few anti nausea drugs to stop the vomitting until he was on the strongest dose. His tail was vetwrapped and all four legs were shaved down when his intravenious drip was swapped over the period he was there. He was a very sick little dog.
Day3 I asked if he was stable enough to move to my local vet...we all thought he was, but by the evening he had gone downhill again and my vet was not 100% confident to leave him overnight (not staffed overnight) so back he went to the AEC.
At this point I was dropping of $1000 dollers a day (my limit on my savings account perday) and was plesantly surpised that my OH was 100% behind me in whatever descision I wanted to make. He was/is so supportive!
Dat 5 was touch and go and I really thought when I was driving up to AEC I was going to say goodbye and send him to Rainbow bridge. If he wasnt making progress and going downhill I would have let him go at this time.
I gowned up and went in to see him. He didnt even flick and ear of move his eyes to look at me, it was the saddest thing. I stayed in there stroking his ears and willing him to turn a corner...any corner! I got nothing.
That evening when I rang though he had put up a bit of a struggle when the nurse changed his needle, so that was progress, I wasnt giving up yet! I went in to see him twice a day from then on, made him some pureed boiled chicken and rice and tried to get him to lick off my finger - when he did I was so excited, so were the staff!! This was just before they were talking of putting a line in his neck vein...I said no, lets see what happens yet.
Slowly he was begining to buck up and recover. They did and ulltrasound on his tummy as that is were problems can occour with parvo dogs, but all was clear. Day 10 he came home!!!! He looked terrible but was on the mend and even had a small wag in the tail for anyone who talked to him.
He was on crate rest for a couple of weeks, I used to give him whole carrots to chew as he couldnt have bones or pigs ears to keep him from getting bored! He LOVES carrots!
Now my young man is 1.5 years old and well on his way to his Australian title! He has sufferend no ill effects of the virus, so I consider us both very, very lucky!
He is a very expensive but well loved dog and I would do it all again.
Thanks also goes to the DOL community who listened, gave advice and helped me out with support.
Thanks also goes to the staff at AEC (Animal Emergency Cetre) Hallem.
Photos from his illness #1 Vet transfer, #2 first day home, #3 getting bored now!
'Hef' Aimfor Symply a Playboy today!
(Photo taken by TAK photography - Kristy Roebig)
