# Worried about our newly adopted pup



## nataliegrace (Oct 16, 2011)

We just brought our new adopted baby girl Winnie home, and we are VERY worried about her. The conditions in her old home were HORRIBLE. Very dirty, kept outside almost all the time, and she is very thin. She did seem to love her old owners, but they did not care for her well at all. Since bringing her home she is VERY timid, not interested in interacting with us at all. She is on medication for diarrhea and nauseousness (yah, probably from being out in the DIRT all day), and we can't get her to take it and don't want to force her. We already have a puppy named Molly, and Winnie does LOVE Molly. They have been running around and playing. Winnie threw up once on the car ride home, and has had diarrhea once since we got home. We had no idea we were going to find her in this state when we arranged to adopt her, but once we saw her conditions we just couldn't leave her there. I'm not only worried about her being sick, but also about her possibly getting Molly sick (with the old conditions who knows what parasites she might have). She does seem energetic. I'm just sick with worry about it. We tried to call the vet on the meds they gave us to get the REAL story, but they're closed. Our vet is closed as well, but we are bringing her in ASAP. Any advice?


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## +two (Jul 12, 2011)

Definitely get a vet appointment on Monday. She needs a good once over and a parasite screen. Since Molly and Winnie have already been in contact, I wouldn't worry about separating them. You may want to be extra cautious about making sure her poop is picked up immediately and the area cleaned so that Molly is not put at greater risk. 

I would guess that the throwing up is due to car sickness and anxiety. Of course I have no idea, but that would be my guess. The diarrhea could be from any number of things; considering her circumstances, she may not have been on a regular feeding schedule and who knows what they were feeding her. 

As far as being timid, trust me and give her a few weeks to a couple months. She has no idea whats going on right now but the more consistent you are with her, the faster she will turn around. If she knows that everyday she is going to be fed, exercised, kept warm and loved, she will start to trust you. It also helps that she gets on great with Molly... use Molly as your bridge to her. Don't force yourselves on her, but do let her know that attention is rewarded. If she comes up to you, treat and reward. If she wants to run and hide, let her. Find out what Winnie loves and use that as well.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. Pictures are always welcome!


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

I agree, get a vet appointment to check for parasites. You're looking for internal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms), as well as external parasites (mange, ringworm, fleas, ticks). Are you in an area where she might have been exposed to heartworm? That would be another thing for the vet to check (requires bloodwork, though).

As far as putting weight on her, what are you feeding? How much? What does she weigh and how far are you from her goal weight? Is she a picky eater? Good quality kibble will help you build up muscle, instead of just fat. You might be able to get her to take her meds by hiding them in something tasty like cheese, peanut butter, or pill pockets.

Also, have you changed her name from what the previous owners were calling her? Sometimes this can help a dog come out of its shell if there was any kind of abuse or neglect in the dog's past.


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