# New puppy with pneumonia.



## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

First off, hello, I'm new to this forum and I'm very proud to be the owner of a three month old shih tzu named Beethoven :]

My main concern is this. I bought him four days ago from a pet store in the mall (yes, I know, believe me, bad choice. A pound would have been the way to go, but once I saw this little guy I just fell in love!) and he had a slightly runny nose. No one checked him out or said anything, so I figured it was just a thing that would pass. His symptoms got worse, and after taking him to the vet two days ago, being told he just had a simple 'cold', I took him to the animal hospital yesterday to find that he has pneumonia in his left lower lung.
They gave us some antibiotics and I'm hopeful that these work, but that's not my concern. They took some x-rays and told me that his heart was slightly shifted to the left because his left lower lung lobe had collapsed. You could imagine the look on my face when I was informed of that.
Will my little Beethoven's lung, after he recovers from this pneumonia, ever recover fully? Will he have lung problems for the rest of his life or will it 'inflate' again by itself?
I'm going to ask the vet this when I see him tomorrow, it's just that it came to mind and I was wondering if any of you guys knew. it's so hard watching my brand new little guy be so miserable and sick :[


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## lulusmom (Nov 12, 2008)

Only your vet can give you a prognosis on your dog and I am sure you already have that by now. 

I am very sorry that your little guy is having such a rough start in life; however, what he is going through is the norm for puppy mill pet shop dogs. By your own words you admit that you should have chosen a shelter pet yet you chose to support these horrible people who count on cuteness to defy common sense. 

I work in rescue and this is one of the worst times I have ever seen. Record numbers of dogs and cats are being euthanized every day. No matter how many of us are out there trying to help, there are just too many to save. We have enough dogs on this planet and quite frankly we don't need any more, whether they come from puppy mills or upstanding professional breeders. We have three new litters of mutts on the ground because the mommas, who were days away from delivering, were scheduled to be euthanized. All three moms are purebred that somebody bought and then threw away when they became a problem. Those three beautiful purebreds begat 15 adorable little mutts that now need homes. My anger knows no bounds these days and the phrase "I hate people" has become my mantra. 

I am sorry for getting on my soapbox and pretty much hijacking your thread but sometimes I can't help myself. Before I get off my box, here's something that everybody should read and remember.



> A Letter from a Shelter Manager:
> 
> I think our society needs a huge " Wake-up" call.
> 
> ...


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

OK, first, you need to see if there are any Puppy Lemon Laws in your state to make the store PAY for the vet treatments you're going to need, second you need to report the store to AC for not getting the pup the proper medical attention. 

I bought my Frank from a pet store, he had an URI and the store knew it when I bought him (informed me that he was being treated AND paid for his treatment until he was cleared). My boy is fine and nearly six years old now, however he hadn't advanced to Pneumonia. 

Once ANY animal gets Pneumonia it permanently scars the lungs and make that being more prone to it in the future. From the sounds of it, your pup may need to be treated in house where they can keep him in a nebulizer tent and on IV drip. I'd do this and make SURE the store PAYS for it one way or the other (legal action if necessary).


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## lulusmom (Nov 12, 2008)

Here is a link to info on lemon laws for pets:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/lemon_intro.html


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

Thank you guys for your advice. I have not had time to check this with any animal medical professional though, there is some more bad news.. This morning, he had what I believe was a small seizure. I called the animal hospital, told them what he had done, and i brought him in right away. I called the pet store and they said they would cover everything, as long as he was put into their vet's care. I brought him to the pet store, and now I have found out he's going to be all alone from 8:30 tonight to 8 AM tomorrow morning since they can't bring him tonight! I'm really scared. I know this is what I have to do for them to cover it but him being all alone terrifies me, especially if he is in need of emergency medical assistance. :[


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## Pepper (Jan 27, 2008)

If I were you, I would give him back, and not let another puppy mill take my money.

Go to the shelter, and save a life.


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## TeddieXRuxpin (Sep 11, 2007)

So they're going to keep him at the store until they're able to take him to "their" vet? Something about that seems fishy, it sounds like your typical tel store. I'm sure they could care less if the puppy makes it or not.

I would take him to your vet; if he's having seizures and also has pnemonia he can't just be left over night sitting there. He needs round the clock care.


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

TeddieXRuxpin said:


> So they're going to keep him at the store until they're able to take him to "their" vet? Something about that seems fishy, it sounds like your typical tel store. I'm sure they could care less if the puppy makes it or not.
> 
> I would take him to your vet; if he's having seizures and also has pnemonia he can't just be left over night sitting there. He needs round the clock care.


That's exactly how I feel. Why should I trust them or their vet right now when they're the ones who sold me this very sick pet and their vet misdiagnosed it?

Unfortunately I can't; the doctor I spoke with today at the hospital said treatment would be around $2,000 and none of us have that kind of money :\ It puts us in a very hard position but everyone is telling me that he is a strong little boy and that he'll make it. it's so hard for me to believe but i feel like that's the only thing that will help me sleep tonight.



Pepper said:


> If I were you, I would give him back, and not let another puppy mill take my money.
> 
> Go to the shelter, and save a life.


I would love to have the ability to say 'here, take him back, I want a healthy one/ a refund', but I am so in love with this little guy. in such a short amount of time he has snuggled into such a big place in my heart. I had no idea I would get so attached so fast :[
A part of me feels as if I did save his life though, if it weren't for me who says he'd be getting this much attention anyways? I'm just trying to think positive right now... This is very hard.


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## TeddieXRuxpin (Sep 11, 2007)

I suggest going to a different vet. Duncan (My heeler mix) got very sick with pneumonia when I rescue him and I know the treatment was not $2000. 

All you can do for pneumonia is take an antibiotic. Also to break up the mucus; taking him into a shower or a bathroom that is full of steam should help. What costs the most is the check ups, but it should not be any where near $2000 to treat him.
Do you know for a fact he's having siezures? 

The only other thing I can think of is if you tell the shop you'll cover vetting if they give you back the money you spent to buy the puppy. And while I really REALLy hate pet shops, I know you've got to be very attached to the dog by now. 

I would find out what they want to do to treat the pneumonia and also look into a different vet. 

When I was looking into HW treatment for Velma(My foster) one vet told me $1300 and my vet is $500. For basically the same treatment only I trust my vet more. So I would really consider a new vet. 

Keep us updated on how Beethoven is doing. Teddie is my Shih Tzu and Velma is also a Shih Tzu, they are strong dogs, but when it come to respiratory that is their one weak spot.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Beethoven said:


> Thank you guys for your advice. I have not had time to check this with any animal medical professional though, there is some more bad news.. This morning, he had what I believe was a small seizure. I called the animal hospital, told them what he had done, and i brought him in right away. I called the pet store and they said they would cover everything, as long as he was put into their vet's care. I brought him to the pet store, and now I have found out he's going to be all alone from 8:30 tonight to 8 AM tomorrow morning since they can't bring him tonight! I'm really scared. I know this is what I have to do for them to cover it but him being all alone terrifies me, especially if he is in need of emergency medical assistance. :[


THEIR vet? I would trust the vets they use with a dead animal. He needs to be IN an animal hospital NOT at the pet store where he won't be looked after. Check those lemon laws, YOU have the power to say what treatment the animal gets, not the store (or a breeder)


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

cshellenberger said:


> THEIR vet? I would trust the vets they use with a dead animal. He needs to be IN an animal hospital NOT at the pet store where he won't be looked after. Check those lemon laws, YOU have the power to say what treatment the animal gets, not the store (or a breeder)


The only information on the lemon laws I can find say that the only right I have is to return the dog within fifteen days... there's nothing about allowing me to choose my form of care.

EDIT: Yep, just checked. I have no legal power to keep this dog, choose my choice of vet, and be reimbursed. All I can do is return him for a full refund.

I feel so bad for doing this. I know I should have gone to the pound, I don't even think having me and my family involved will save this pup :[


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## craven.44 (Sep 10, 2008)

The only thing I can suggest is to get your pup back from the store and find a vet who can help you out with the cost. Good luck.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

I'm SOO sorry to hear that! I don't know what state you're in, but definately get the AC involved in this, they left the pup untreated and allowed it to get this sick and STILL sold it to you. You may not have recourse on the vet treatment, but their are still laws when it comes to the health of dogs being sold and denial of proper medical treatment. I assume you have proof the pup was sick when you got it and hadn't been treated for a URI by the store?


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

cshellenberger said:


> I'm SOO sorry to hear that! I don't know what state you're in, but definately get the AC involved in this, they left the pup untreated and allowed it to get this sick and STILL sold it to you. You may not have recourse on the vet treatment, but their are still laws when it comes to the health of dogs being sold and denial of proper medical treatment. I assume you have proof the pup was sick when you got it and hadn't been treated for a URI by the store?


The proof I have closest to the date of purchase was two days after when i took him to the vet. The only thing I have at the time of purchase were witnesses of his runny nose and the yellow mucus left in the hair around his fur. I have a picture where the hair around his eyes and nose is wet, but that's as far as it goes. No one said anything about the runny nose the night of purchase.


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## Moonshadow (Nov 9, 2008)

cshellenberger said:


> THEIR vet? I would trust the vets they use with a dead animal. He needs to be IN an animal hospital NOT at the pet store where he won't be looked after. Check those lemon laws, YOU have the power to say what treatment the animal gets, not the store (or a breeder)


I agree...I wouldn't trust them or their vet. Unfortunately pet stores don't care about their animals that they sell, if they cared about them they wouldn't be supporting the puppy mills and other low lifes that breed these puppies. They worry about profit....it's not profitable for them to spend a ton of money to save a dog that they probably paid $50 in the first place.

My feeling is if they had intentions of saving your puppy they would have had you take the pup to the hospital that they use, not bring a sick pup back to the store. If they had any good intentions they would not want a sick puppy there to possibly infect the other puppies.

I know you are in a bad position but if you want to try to save this pup you need to go back and demand your puppy back and get him to a vet. Not to sound harsh but I would not shock me at all if their vet said that there was nothing to do to save the puppy and he needs to be put to sleep That's the way they work. It's much easier and cheaper for them to give you a replacement puppy than to treat a sick one.


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

I just got a call from my boyfriend (I had him call, I was honestly too scared to call) and he said that when they got to him this morning, he seemed really good. He was happy to see someone and he had been eating. He's at the vet's now, and they're going to keep him for three or four days (free of charge), find the right medicine and get him back up to health.

I'm so confused right now. The x-rays showed a lung lobe had collapsed and his bloodwork leaned in the direction of pneumonia, but he said it was just an upper-resperatory infection like a cold. How does this make sense? I mean, I'm glad he's okay but what about the evidence that showed he needed immediate medical attention? These people are making me want to pull my hair out!


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## Moonshadow (Nov 9, 2008)

Did you sign the puppy back over to them? I'm only asking this becuase if you didn't he's still your property and you should at least have the right to see what kind of care he's getting and have some input in what's going on with him.

I would find out what vet's office he's at and go there and check on him. I'm glad things sound like they are going well with the situation now but I still wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. Make sure you are involved in the care, make sure you know where he is and what's happening to him. He's your puppy, you have the right to know what's going on at all times (unless you signed him over to them).

If they won't tell you where he is and allow you access to him then go to that store and throw the biggest, loudest fit you can possibly throw....chances are they will want to shut you up so their other customers don't know they sold a sick puppy.


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

Nope, he is property of my boyfriend and he wasn't even there at the time we brought him back.

He's at their regular vet's office, today they're starting him on IV and figuring out which medications would be best for him and I can call at any time. I'm not sure about visiting but I'm going to call and find out what the deal with that is. I don't know if I could visit, but either way I'm going to get all the information about his treatment and stay on top of it. They were more positive about his recovery than I imagined they would be, they said that it was caught early and that he should make a full recovery (when I call I'll ask about any permanent changes or damages to his entire upper resperatory system) and that puppies, although not very strong, don't die from it (I'm going to assume he means they don't die from this early stage of it, my reading has suggested if gone untreated pneumonia can kill a pup).

As kind and considerate as they're being now, there's absolutely no way I'm goinig to let this go. People I've told about this are suggesting law suits, but I want to do something bigger than that, you know? Something that will warn people about this and change things so no one has to go through this crap.


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## Pepper (Jan 27, 2008)

I would definitely contact someone, they can get in quite a bit of trouble for selling you a sick puppy.

It doesn't matter if they helped you treat it, they still sold you him unhealthy in the first place.

I'm glad he's doing better.

And this is a perfect example why pet stores/mall pet stores are bad. A sale just lines the pockets of Puppy mills and makes it possible for them to breed more animals, and not have a care in the world about the puppies health.


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## DJsMom (Jun 6, 2008)

Go to the media! Call a TV news station! They just recently have run several stories on our local news about sick puppys bought from our local PetLand! 
Good luck! I will be keeping your little pup in my prayers!


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

Beethoven said:


> As kind and considerate as they're being now, there's absolutely no way I'm goinig to let this go. People I've told about this are suggesting law suits, but I want to do something bigger than that, you know? Something that will warn people about this and change things so no one has to go through this crap.


So, even though you yourself admit you knew better to begin with but did it anyways, you think you will be able to change things? I think that's sort of amusing. 

What store was this?


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

jesirose said:


> So, even though you yourself admit you knew better to begin with but did it anyways, you think you will be able to change things? I think that's sort of amusing.
> 
> What store was this?


Well, I didn't know things were this bad in pet stores.. I had no idea about any of this. It was a very spontaneous buy, I went in there just to play with them. I didn't know I was supporting something so bad and I guess witnessing the poor conditions first hand has helped me learn. I'm the kind of person who learns the hard way, haha. I know it all sounds hypocritical, and I'm sorry, but I'd like to take what I've learned and make it more public so that other people don't end up in the same position as me?

It was a place called the gentle jungle. Is it a nationwide chain?


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

Beethoven said:


> It was a place called the gentle jungle. Is it a nationwide chain?


I've never heard of it. Good luck.


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

jesirose said:


> I've never heard of it. Good luck.


I've been googling furiously and I've found that they're only in my state. When I get him back, I am immediately taking him to another vet for a second opinion.
Thank you. I know you guys are probably looking down on me for buying a pet store pup, but I wasn't aware of just how cruel they were.


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## craven.44 (Sep 10, 2008)

That is why we are here. To support and educate people who are willing to learn. IN the future, I am sure you will recommend friends and family not get dogs from pet stores, just as we do. My first dog was from a BYB. Now I know about rescue and overpopulation and irresponsible breeding and I have 2 rescue dogs. We all have to start somewhere and I hope this experience turns out to be a positive learning experience.


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

craven.44 said:


> That is why we are here. To support and educate people who are willing to learn. IN the future, I am sure you will recommend friends and family not get dogs from pet stores, just as we do. My first dog was from a BYB. Now I know about rescue and overpopulation and irresponsible breeding and I have 2 rescue dogs. We all have to start somewhere and I hope this experience turns out to be a positive learning experience.


Absolutely! Never will I ever get a dog that isn't a rescue or let anyone I know get one form a pet store... It was only until I signed up in this forum that I learned all about where pet store pups really come from. I can't really blame myself for being naive because I didn't think there was any reason to worry or be suspicious. You guys are incredibly helpful. I know this will not be my last dog, so consider yourselves the life savers of at least one or two more shelter dogs :]


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Beethoven said:


> I've been googling furiously and I've found that they're only in my state. When I get him back, I am immediately taking him to another vet for a second opinion.
> Thank you. I know you guys are probably looking down on me for buying a pet store pup, but I wasn't aware of just how cruel they were.


 
I certainly don't look down on you, as I said, our oldest dog was from a petstore, and like you it was a spontainious buy (and a Christmas puppy to boot). It's a mistake many have made and have learned the hard way. Now, I absolutely REFUSE to even darken the door of such places, even though my daughter will beg to in.


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## Beethoven (Jan 25, 2009)

cshellenberger said:


> I certainly don't look down on you, as I said, our oldest dog was from a petstore, and like you it was a spontainious buy (and a Christmas puppy to boot). It's a mistake many have made and have learned the hard way. Now, I absolutely REFUSE to even darken the door of such places, even though my daughter will beg to in.


Yeah, same here. I don't even think I could look at the store again after all I've learned. Google has certainly lead me to many horror stories of these pet stores (including the one I brought him back to!)... If I hadn't taken the hard way, I probably wouldn't have a dog, though.


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## pattimo (Mar 14, 2009)

Did your puppy ever fully recover???


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