# puppy has parvo - when do I know it's time to stop treatment and put it down ?



## donberry (Oct 8, 2012)

2 pups dropped off at my house - had parvo.
Had to put one down 2 days ago.
The survivor, a male, was holding down what I gave him orally with a syringe until late last night - then he started to throw it up immediately.
Started him on the enemas early this morning. Only gave him 2 and had to leave for a few hours, a family member was supposed to continue the enemas, but of course she didn't, only gave him one - so he went 2 hours without one.
Got home and he is now a skeleton with soft fur.
Gave him the enema immediately, but am now wondering how do I know it is time to put him down ? that there is no chance of recovery ?

My thoughts were continue the enemas today and between them, just hold him so he might know even just a little of the love he would have brought someone, and if no improvement by tonight.....pull the plug.

Not sure I know what an improvement would be at this point tho ? When giving him the stuff orally it was easy to tell as he started to immediately throw up.
But with an enema....I doubt he is going to immediately gain some weight back, so that won't tell me anything. 
I will watch for a bowel movement, but he may not go since he has not had any real food for a while - besides some pureed liver - 

I will do this every 45-minutes as long as needed, I'm retired, have no place I have to be, but I don't want to make him suffer if he isn't going to get better....

I found a ton of info about treating it etc, but not a whole lot on knowing when all hope is gone...
any info appreciated.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Why are you giving him enemas?


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## SDRRanger (May 2, 2013)

sassafras said:


> Why are you giving him enemas?


I would believe because of something like this? 



> Enema fluids – This is perhaps the best way to administer fluids at home and it has a good track record. The amount of fluid you give depends on the puppy. Puppies less than ten pounds would need about 10ml of fluid whereas puppies forty pounds or more would need 60ml. Enemas can be given with an infant enema bag, a bulb syringe or even a standard, clear syringe (not the kind made for needles). Administer the enema very slowly – over several minutes. If you go too quickly, the fluid will just start to squirt out. If the puppy does not need the enema, the fluid will simply come back out again, regardless of how slowly you go. All fluids should be warmed to body temperature first


http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/parvovirus-part-iii/


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Yikes. Poor GI tract is already trashed. Your vet should be able to teach you how to give fluids under the skin at home, if that's an option.


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## donberry (Oct 8, 2012)

no expert obviously, could only go by everything I had read on the internet, tho there is a wealth of information about it since it cost so much to take a pup to the vet. From everything I had read, an IV was the 1st choice of course and going only by what I read in many different sites, an enema was the 2nd best way if the pup could not hold things down.
Irrelevant now anyway - my son is a nurse for a neurosurgeon and his new g/f just so happens to be a vet. They were out of town, just got back in tonight. Son got me an IV bag and the supplies needed including anti-nausea medicine they use in surgery and the pup is now on an IV. His g/f the vet wrote down everything I needed to do, the times to do it etc.....so now I can honestly say that I have done all I can (well, in the process of doing all I can). I will have her opinion now on when to end it if it comes to that. Obviously she did say it is not like he is going to get better overnight, he could be in pretty bad shape for 3-4 days, but told me things to look for on if he seems to be responding to the IV, medicines etc.
Besides knowing at least he will not die from dehydration now, the 2nd best thing about the IV is man, giving him enemas every 45 minutes to an hour is exhausting.....I'm old and I pay for it when I stay up all night . Now I can get 4-5 hours sleep and sleep well knowing I am not neglecting the puppy.
Thanks for all the info, really glad my son and his g/f are back in town as I feel much better about things now - at least as far as doing the right things etc....


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

wait instead of rushing your dog to a vet initially you just gave him enemas??


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## bowie (Apr 26, 2010)

Is there anyway your son's girlfriend could take the pup and treat him? I'm with Kayota here, I can't believe the poor puppy hasn't been to the vet.


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## donberry (Oct 8, 2012)

How quick to condemn. I wish I could do everything right like some do. I actually started to write a detailed story, but as it was pretty long, I deleted it and gave the condensed version, forgetting how some like to "condemn" someone for the horrible way he treats 2 pups that were dropped off at his house - and dropped off as pretty much everyone within a 10 mile radius knows if u dump them here, they will be taken care of - to the best of my ability anyway.

When the pups got sick, at 1st I just thought it was the one pup and was actually because when I found them in my garage, I found one of them eating a bag of bone meal he had tipped over. I know, how stupid of me to have a bag of bone meal on the floor of my garage when any stray pup can stroll in, knock it over and eat it.....thought I'd save u the trouble.

Discovering how eating bone meal can cause a blockage in their intestines, along with some other nasty stuff, as I know my vet and his assistant very well as they may as well have a revolving door for me as I always end up with discarded or abandoned dogs, I called them for some advice.

While most vets probably frown on it and my vet sort of only does it as they know I spend way too much money on pets not belonging to me, I collected a stool sample myself and took it to the vet - and voila - discovered they had parvo - or at least the one did. 
I know, again a horrible guy as I only took the sick puppy's stool sample in when I should have taken them both in and gotten them all of their shots before I gave them away - feel free to just call me a cheapskate but alas, I am not made of money.
Of course the vet then told me how much it would cost to bring them in and not surprisingly, they understood I would not be bringing them in.
Somewhere in the timeline the other pup started showing symptoms, but after having not gotten much sleep the last couple of days as I had to try and syringe feed the pups 1st orally, then with an enema every 45 minutes, my memory which isn't so goo anyway fails me when exactly that was.
So ordering some parvaid and going thru the wealth of info on the internet, I started treating the puppies 1st by using emergency tea, oatmeal water and a myriad of "additives" that go along with it, but I really didn't think it relevant to the question I was asking, so deleted my original "story" and condensed it to what I felt were the more pertinent facts.

As I do believe I mentioned how I was feeding them orally with a syringe and then starting last night they couldn't hold it down, I started them on the enemas early this morning.
Apparently my story was already too long as you must have skipped over that part........or you wouldn't be saying how I immediately started giving him enemas.
As for oh the poor puppy, terrible me hasn't taken him to the vet.....,
okay - please enlighten me what the vet is going to do ?
If you feel so almighty about it, I will send you my address and feel free to send me $1,000 to get started and I will trust you to send me the rest as needed.
Oh that poor puppy.

This will probably be deleted and me banned, but to be honest, I don't care. I get so sick of people judging and condemning others because things were not done how they would do it.
It's not like I am sitting here making crap up on how to treat the pup. Seems to me since there is SOOOOOOOOO much info about home treatments and pretty much everyone saying how it runs from $600-$2k to take them to a vet they understand a whole lot of people can't afford to take them to the vet - especially 2 pups u found in your garage so while you do everything you possibly can you just can't drop $2k on 2 pups who may or may not live......
But I have no doubt you would do things much differently.

Do you want to know what the vet told me ? Vet told me to bring them in and he would kill them for me. 2 vets told me that actually and I am pretty sure my son's g/f wanted to tell me that too but knew that was out of the question for me.
No, not really caring one iota what other people, even people like you, think, even tho my family was not thrilled about me having 2 pups with parvo here, my thoughts were they had already been running around all over the place so parvo was here whether the pups were or not, so apparently really cruel me thought I would do everything I possibly could to try and save their lives.

Bet you hate this - my vet does. When it came time to put the one down, I did not take it to the vet, you will love this, I shot it....right in that cute black head. Couldn't cover it as I had to be 100% sure it was an instant death. I asked the vet what the difference was between him putting him down or me putting him down as both ways were instant death and they did not have an answer, just always tell me how cruel it is. Needless to say, I am in the camp of sorry, instant death is instant death no matter how you slice it. Now if you were an idiot and used a 22, well maybe someone should shoot you and see how it works, but I don't use a 22.

And you know what - cruel as I am sure you have no doubt I am, it tears me apart to have to do that. I have tears in my eyes now thinking about it. I do have the opinion that many take the animal to the vet as it is cleaner, they don't have to get their hands dirty. Not me, if I have to end a life, as long as I have zero doubt it is instant, I think I should be the one ending it - makes that decision all the tougher as no one hates killing an animal more than me - I don't even hunt, quit decades and decades ago after watching a family of squirrels playing in the woods just like my kids do.....never killed an animal since - unless it was for mercy.

So now you have even more to condemn me for. I'd like to go on, but even tho the pup is now on an iv, I still don't like to leave him for very long as I know I wouldn't want to be sitting in a cage all by myself, sick as can possibly be, wondering what the heck is going on.
And have zero doubt in your mind, I would much rather be comforting that sick little pup whose only sin was being born then to sit here and be treated like I am just a horrible person because I didn't go into enough detail for you and actually, because you couldn't even comprehend what I did write.
Now at least you got me good since I am such a bad guy that I actually get my hands dirty and do the unthinkable and put a poor little pup out of his misery myself instead of letting the vet do it for me (the vet may or may not have charged me, didn't think to ask really)
So feel free to get back on your high horse, I have a pup to attend to that I want to do everything, and I mean everything, that I can possibly do to save it as you have no idea how much I dread looking another pup in the eyes as I pull the trigger. Then I get to sleep at night wondering if I pulled the trigger too soon, could it have lived if I just kept trying.....
which I believe is the question I was asking on here anyway.
Fortunately I have the advice of a vet now as I wouldn't want yours anyway.
man you piss me off so much u have no idea.........I should have known better. That's my bad.......
\


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## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

This might help you: 
http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/pages/parvo-puppies-new-protocal.aspx

Not exactly cheap but definitely better than paying thousands for inpatient care. You've got the IV fluids which is great but you need to contact the vet about those meds mentioned in that article. Or whatever meds they recommend for stopping the vomiting and for antibiotics. That would probably be the best course of action to take if you really want to be doing whatever you can.


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## donberry (Oct 8, 2012)

thanks for the link. For the anti-nausea, I am using one of the recommended ones, which was mentioned in quite a few different articles , along with the one in the link you sent me. It is Ondansetron and an excerpt from one article on puppies and parvo " Ondansetron and dolasetron: These injectables are especially strong anti-nausea medications. In the past, expense has made these medications uncommon but recent generics have made them readily available. Ondansetron is typically given two to three times daily while dolasetron is given only once daily."

Is also not generic, is actually what is used in a hospital, in a neurosurgeons operating room to be a bit more specific.

I have read about the antibiotic in that article and there are also some others which supposedly work well. Also one, forget the name off the top of my head, that has like a 96% cure rate, discovered it when working with wild geese, forget the specifics.

I really do appreciate the info, please don't take this wrong - I have spent hours upon hour, day upon day reading about puppies and parvo, even a few interesting ones about who and how some suspect it came about, but as it did not involve helping this puppy did not bother verifying any of the info as it makes no difference to me how or why it is here, just that I have a puppy in bad shape. Not saying it is true or not, but I have also read more than one article saying how a pet may actually get better care at home than with a vet as a vet may not necessarily spend that much time with it and just hook it up to the IV and give the meds when needed - of course those were puppies that did not need to be on an IV as most people do not have access to an IV.
If I had $1k or so to spend on the pup, I would take it to the vet and let him deal with it to mainly ease my conscience if he doesn't make it, but that isn't an option and after extensive research, I am fairly certain that the pup is now getting everything here that he would be at a vet.
Same meds and IV but actually they might even be better as the stuff I am using is not generic but pulled right out of an operating room.

Again, I really am not trying to be rude as you were not condemning me as the previous posters did, but it is a pretty safe bet that I have been to and read just about any article there is, at least within the 1st 15-20 google results, and if not by just something posted by a single owner but a , for lack of a better word, "scholarly" article it has been read and digested.

The one thing I have never come across is when is it time to say the poor puppy has had enough. Before I had the IV, the pup would immediately throw up anything given orally and within 2 or 3 minutes have the liquid runs after an enema.....so my concern was continuing to do this for another day or 2 and the pup suffering needlessly as I was not willing, or knowing when, to know he just wasn't going to get better.
My vet and one other in town who I semi-know thought I should have just put them down in the 1st place and every time I talked to them it was always basically the pup isn't going to make it so why prolong it.

So needed to know if I was actually doing what was in the pup's best interest.

When my son's g/f got back in town, a vet, she came over to the house and saw what I had done and has now directed me how to proceed. She said it would be rough, could take 4 days of this, but if I continue what I am doing, I should be able to see a little progress in things like being able to hold his head up etc.....as for what I had done, the ONLY thing questioned and now can't even remember if it was her or my son, was the oatmeal water as if it was her, she was not familiar with it so I showed her an article on "emergency Tea prep" and how a pup may hold down the emergency tea prep better than pedialyte.

So before she got here and I was still doing enemas, which is the 2nd best way to get a dog hydrated, not doing it subcutaneously as someone suggested but has apparently not really read much about it as I seriously doubt one could find a single article saying that was a better way.

But was not really the question I asked..

Sorry, read thru the posts again and it shouldn't, but gets me a bit angry, not only because of how a couple feel me neglectful, but also because of misinformation, like the subcut. injections, which if someone does not take the time to look into it themselves and saw that, they could treat their puppy that way thinking it was best, when in fact it really isn't nearly as good as an enema.

Albeit something small, this time, misinformation abounds in forums as most go more by truthiness then actual facts .
Anyway - is all taken care of and I guess the poor pup got screwed twice - 1st by being dumped then by being dumped at my house. I can say safely say that I know more about parvo then most now....


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## Na-Tasha (Aug 13, 2014)

If it was me personally, since the vet said it could take four or so days to notice progress, that's how long I would give the puppy before making a final decision. But during that time if you think the puppy is making zero progress or is getting weaker, I'd make the decision sooner rather than let the puppy continue suffering. However, If you do notice even a little progress, then keep it up. Good luck with the puppy, I hope he makes it.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

I've literally never heard of giving a dog an enema for parvo. Sassafras is a veterinarian and even she was questioning the info given. It's not a matter of misinformation. And no one would get angry about you having bone meal in your garage, I'm not sure where you got that. Of course a dog is going to have liquid runs after an enema, especially a young puppy whose GI tract can't hold much. You can actually cause dehydration and nutrient depletion with too many enemas. Either way, I hope the puppy survives its ordeal.


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## Kyle071785 (Nov 28, 2013)

donberry said:


> How quick to condemn...


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## donberry (Oct 8, 2012)

The pup has seen the bottom and is now on the climb up. Now eating 6ml food at a time and not throwing up and when not drowsy from the meds, actually sitting up, trying to wag his tail and even stood up on his own.
The enemas kept him hydrated enough to keep him alive, but the credit goes to the IV.
If anyone is unfortunate to have a pup with parvo, I would highly suggest just following the standard protocol that is plastered all over the internet.
If had to do it over, the only thing I would have done different is I would have immediately found/bought an IV. Even if the enemas are keeping him hydrated, you will not sleep for a few days as you have to give them to him every 45 minutes to an hour, every hour, all day......when the pup is nothing but a skeleton and could not be more lethargic and seemingly losing more fluids then you are giving him, is easy to understand why one would decide to just put the pup out of his misery - but the IV let's YOU get some rest so can think better plus there is no doubt the pup is being hydrated.
I was fortunate and had access to a potent anti-nausea drug, so maybe see if your vet will give you something if you explain you are using an IV etc....
I'm sure this pup has a long ways to go, but it seems he has seen the bottom, now just needs to make the climb back up.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

donberry said:


> The pup has seen the bottom and is now on the climb up. Now eating 6ml food at a time and not throwing up and when not drowsy from the meds, actually sitting up, trying to wag his tail and even stood up on his own.
> The enemas kept him hydrated enough to keep him alive, but the credit goes to the IV.
> *If anyone is unfortunate to have a pup with parvo, I would highly suggest just following the standard protocol that is plastered all over the internet.*
> If had to do it over, the only thing I would have done different is I would have immediately found/bought an IV. Even if the enemas are keeping him hydrated, you will not sleep for a few days as you have to give them to him every 45 minutes to an hour, every hour, all day......when the pup is nothing but a skeleton and could not be more lethargic and seemingly losing more fluids then you are giving him, is easy to understand why one would decide to just put the pup out of his misery - but the IV let's YOU get some rest so can think better plus there is no doubt the pup is being hydrated.
> ...


**Please don't. If you can afford proper vet care, that should always-always be your number 1 choice. You could really hurt your dog following internet advice, and land in the vets office anyway.


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## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

You should be getting medicine from the vet. Everything you need for the standard treatment of care would be coming from a vet. Unless your vets office has someone there 24/7 I would think it would be better to have a sick dog at home with round the clock care then sitting in a cage at an empty vets office overnight....

Not to mention you would be paying a heck of a lot more for your dog to be stuck in a cage at a vets office. I'm sure the vets not going to have someone there sitting with the dog giving it attention the way a person could at home anyways. 

As long as your giving fluids, medicine for nausea, and antibiotics (which is the standard treatment of care), I don't see how someone choosing outpatient care for a sick puppy would be endangering the dog.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

xoxluvablexox said:


> You should be getting medicine from the vet. Everything you need for the standard treatment of care would be coming from a vet. Unless your vets office has someone there 24/7 I would think it would be better to have a sick dog at home with round the clock care then sitting in a cage at an empty vets office overnight....
> 
> Not to mention you would be paying a heck of a lot more for your dog to be stuck in a cage at a vets office. I'm sure the vets not going to have someone there sitting with the dog giving it attention the way a person could at home anyways.
> 
> As long as your giving fluids, medicine for nausea, and antibiotics (which is the standard treatment of care), I don't see how someone choosing outpatient care for a sick puppy would be endangering the dog.


I am simply discouraging people from googling every illness and treating at home because "Google told me how". 
If you can afford vet care, there is no reason to treat from home for something serious - like parvo. This puppy could have gone either way. Improvement is great, but he could have been really hurt if the enema's performed every 45 minutes were done incorrectly. I would hate to see someone come across this thread, and choose that route, and end up with a dead dog because they lack veterinary experience and did something wrong. 

Sorry, but not seeing a vet initially makes about as much sense as me deciding to perform the second surgery my dog needs, on my dining room table. 
A vet should always be included in the medical care of an animal, even if you are treating as an outpatient.


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## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

BostonBullMama said:


> A vet should always be included in the medical care of an animal, even if you are treating as an outpatient.


I do agree with you....but there is one thing he mentions....the vet was ready to just put them both to sleep. I don't necessarily approve of everything, but I do approve that he is at least doing something more than just euthing both of them, considering that one of them seems to be on the upturn and could possibly survive. OP, I won't say good job on the methods....a vet always is a better choice, in or outpatient (that is if they aren't just going to automatically euth them!), but big kudos for obviously trying very hard, and making so much effort to give the puppies life. Sorry for the loss of the first one, lots of hope for the survival of the second. I can't say when its time to say it is too much....but if the second one survives, I hope he stays with you OP, you've earned a very loyal companion with your efforts, whether I, or anyone else here agree with them. It sounds like the pup would have died otherwise.


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## pinksand (Dec 11, 2013)

I'm glad it sounds like the puppy is improving.

It's always easy to pass judgement over the internet. Yes, vet care should always be the first route explored, particularly with something as serious as Parvo. However, sometimes life throws a mess at you and you deal with it the best you can. It's not like you adopted a puppy and failed to plan for a medical emergency. You took these puppies in when their options were running out. I'm sorry you had to make the decision to put the other puppy down, particularly in such a real and messy way. Obviously it would be easier to take them to the vet and have them slip away, but when that isn't an option I think you did a brave thing that personally I know I couldn't handle. It seems that you've been doing all that you can within your financial limits. Keep in mind this is coming from someone with absolutely NO veterinary experience or knowledge of parvo treatment options.

Out of curiosity from others, if the puppy was dropped off at a shelter is it common for them to treat for Parvo or are they more likely to put the puppy down? I'm sure it probably varies greatly depending on the shelter, I'm just curious.

Good luck with the treatment and keep us posted on the progress. Fingers crossed for the best!


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## donberry (Oct 8, 2012)

Have to say I never ceased to be amazed. Has anyone of you ever took 30 seconds and googled puppy parvo ? Now I definitely would not take any info I got from here as "gospel", but if one takes an actual minute to google it, it sure seems to me like there is actually a pretty standard protocol and pretty much every site 1st talks about how not everyone can afford to spend from $1k and up to treat their puppy if they take it to the vet - especially when it is 2 pups someone dropped off at your house.
Sorry, I don't have 2K in my emergency fund for stray pups.
No need to anyway as if one takes that minute to google it, it is pretty easy to see that the while obviously not as good, one can give the pup pretty much the exact same treatment at home.

Do me a favor, call your vet, tell him you found 2 pups, they have parvo and are in terrible shape and see what their suggestion is ?
Bet you a donut they recommend putting the pup down. Actually they will 1st say how terrible it is, then briefly mention the exorbitant cost to treat them with not a great chance of success, and then they will recommend you bring them in to put them down.

Again - bet you a donut.
Try to buy parvaid from a vet - seems pretty standard - nope, vets don't carry it - none of that holistic junk for them.
Seems the vast majority of you go on "truthiness" and don't bother looking up the facts -for example "never heard of giving an enema and saying something about a vet who replied never heard of it either - trust me RUN, don't walk and find a new vet as fast as you possibly can.
YOU are abusing your dog if you continue to see that vet

You are the most judgmental, foolish people I have had the misfortune to come in contact with in a while. I would HIGHLY,. HIGHLY,. HIGHLY recommend that before you continue giving out your advice that you actually take the time to research scholarly articles, vet research etc as it is apparent that most would rather just give out advice that they "think" is right without knowing what the actual facts are.
Ban my ass from here as I won't be back - worthless for info.

Glad I didn't come here 1st as the pup will live and have a good life instead of killing it like the vet wanted.

Not sure what is so hard to understand when I say I am getting advice directly from not 1, not 2, but from 3 vets......even tho they at 1st told me to kill it..........you all act like I googled puppy parvo and came here to get my advice.......thank god I didn't as I have no doubt the pup will be a great dog.....
Please, feel free to ban me now.....


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

donberry said:


> Have to say I never ceased to be amazed. Has anyone of you ever took 30 seconds and googled puppy parvo ? Now I definitely would not take any info I got from here as "gospel", but if one takes an actual minute to google it, it sure seems to me like there is actually a pretty standard protocol and pretty much every site 1st talks about how not everyone can afford to spend from $1k and up to treat their puppy if they take it to the vet - especially when it is 2 pups someone dropped off at your house.
> Sorry, I don't have 2K in my emergency fund for stray pups.
> No need to anyway as if one takes that minute to google it, it is pretty easy to see that the while obviously not as good, one can give the pup pretty much the exact same treatment at home.
> 
> ...


Why would anybody ban you?
Literally - all I was doing by quoting you in that single post and bolding the 1 sentence, was asking that the readers NOT follow that single sentence of advice where you're saying


> I would highly suggest just following the standard protocol that is plastered all over the internet.


Literally - I wanted to discourage people from treating their pets at home based solely and strictly on the information available on the net. 
That's it.

You're pretty quick to jump up to defend yourself against nobody. Nobody here is judging you. In fact the last like.. 2 posts before your most recent, people are giving you a high five and a job well done. 

Maybe you should take a break, have a coffee, relax - and come back to this thread with a positive mindset.


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## Kyle071785 (Nov 28, 2013)

BostonBullMama said:


> You're pretty quick to jump up to defend yourself against nobody. Nobody here is judging you. In fact the last like.. 2 posts before your most recent, people are giving you a high five and a job well done.
> 
> Maybe you should take a break, have a coffee, relax - and come back to this thread with a positive mindset.


agreed...you went from zero to sixty in a few seconds all over a question (whether vet advice was sought when you never mentioned it initially). Remember, you came to this forum...we didn't come to you. If you feel that we're all judgemental and foolish then I really don't see why you keep posting your story that others are hoping ends on a positive note for the last remaining pup.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

you just outright said basically to sassafras's face that clients should walk, not run from her, after i said i'm glad the puppy is doing well. my mom's pup had parvo and the vet told her to give fluids _orally._ not to put her down. what a shocker. Granted I've would have been better but like you she couldn't afford vet treatment and that was their suggestion.


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## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

Kyle071785 said:


> agreed...you went from zero to sixty in a few seconds all over a question (whether vet advice was sought when you never mentioned it initially). Remember, you came to this forum...we didn't come to you. If you feel that we're all judgemental and foolish then I really don't see why you keep posting your story that others are hoping ends on a positive note for the last remaining pup.


 I'll admit he did jump pretty fast, but really, I can't blame too much. I'd be pretty crazy on edge going through all of that with a puppy....and I'd have a TON of guilt and bad feelings about putting the first one down (I know I'd be judging myself pretty harshly...that would suck...). Honestly I hope he comes back and lets us know how things are going with the pup.....though I hope he does recognize that many of the comments against Googling and such weren't aimed directly at him. Hopefully with the pup on IV, some better sleep happens and the OP feels a bit better....I really hope the pup survives! 

Good luck OP, have you given the pup a name yet?


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

i guess i do come off pretty bluntly, it's not a direct jab at you. mi get really riled up about animal welfare and such and i'm mostly just worried about the pup. i'm not very good at censoring my emotions when it comes to animals.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

Kayota said:


> i guess i do come off pretty bluntly, it's not a direct jab at you. mi get really riled up about animal welfare and such and i'm mostly just worried about the pup. i'm not very good at censoring my emotions when it comes to animals.


This pretty well sums me up too.


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## Rescued (Jan 8, 2012)

pinksand said:


> I'm glad it sounds like the puppy is improving.
> 
> It's always easy to pass judgement over the internet. Yes, vet care should always be the first route explored, particularly with something as serious as Parvo. However, sometimes life throws a mess at you and you deal with it the best you can. It's not like you adopted a puppy and failed to plan for a medical emergency. You took these puppies in when their options were running out. I'm sorry you had to make the decision to put the other puppy down, particularly in such a real and messy way. Obviously it would be easier to take them to the vet and have them slip away, but when that isn't an option I think you did a brave thing that personally I know I couldn't handle. It seems that you've been doing all that you can within your financial limits. Keep in mind this is coming from someone with absolutely NO veterinary experience or knowledge of parvo treatment options.
> 
> ...


We are a private shelter (SPCA but no govt funding) and we send parvo outpatient to our offsite vet versus treating in our medical area. We go with what offsite vet recommends.

Not sure how other places do it.

and by we i mean as an employee haha


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Or shelters here euth for parvo 100% of the time - and if the puppy has had contact with other dogs or symptoms show up when the dogs are already in the kennel they stop adoptions and euthanize all the dogs and disinfect. It's a major issue here.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

if the other dogs are vaccinated why do they euth them all? that's horrible.


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## Na-Tasha (Aug 13, 2014)

I hope the op doesn't stop posting here, I'd like to know the outcome with the puppy. 

Unfortunately, if I were placed in the same situation, I would've taken the vets advice and had them euthanized because I could never afford treatment for parvo and honestly wouldn't have had the time for round the clock care in my home. The op went above and beyond to help the puppies when it would've been easier and cheaper just to euthanize as soon as he knew they had parvo. 

I've had people jump down my throat on two different forums (not this one, yet) for some of the stupidest reasons and it's very easy to grow frustrated and angry and want defend yourself from 'attacks'. It can be difficult to read intent on internet forums and sometimes people mistake words like 'you' to mean they are being referred to and not a general 'you'. Or feel like they are being reprimanded when the person just meant a general word of advice.


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## dogsule (Nov 6, 2013)

We had a 8 week old puppy that had parvo...one of the most awful things to have gone through. We took her to the vet and she was hospitalized on iv antibiotics and fluids for 3 days/nights and after that the vet said we could treat her at home. There was no need to keep her at the vets any longer when she was recovering as by this time she could keep things down on her own. Our total cost was around $300, this was eight years ago. She is the black dog in my siggy, we were very lucky.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Kayota said:


> if the other dogs are vaccinated why do they euth them all? that's horrible.


the other dogs aren't vaccinated - not by them anyway, and most are strays or owner surrenders without health histories. It's a county run animal control. The only dogs who get any medical care are ones on stray hold and it's really, really minimal. Things like vaccination or whatever happen AFTER they're adopted, and by the new owner. They don't even give rabies before leaving the shelter, just require it within a week.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

I volunteer at a shelter, and to the best of my knowledge, adolescent or adult dogs that develop parvo are almost always treated; puppies that develop parvo in the shelter may be treated depending on available resources and/or prognosis.


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