Our Puppy ER

Great news! The puppies are going to be just fine. I took Ellie, Lester, and one of the bigger ones to the vet this morning. Turns out to be nothing more than hook worms and a severe case of Coccidia. That is normally no big deal at all. It is totally treatable and will leave no lasting affects. I'm so relieved and excited. It is all making sense now. Do you remember back almost 2 years ago when one of the litters got Giardia and Coccidia? That was Ashes' litter. She was one that had Coccidia as a puppy. That is something that can live inside a dog forever and not cause any problems. Turns out she passed it on to her puppies when she was pregnant with them. When these puppies got infected paws (remember the poor nonaseptic technique the vet used) from the dew claw removal, that stressed them and caused the Coccidia to rear its ugly head. Ashes also gave them hookworms which is a blood sucking parasite. That also worked in weakening the puppies. I did deworm them at 2 weeks and didn't see any worms in their stools. At 4 weeks I dewormed them with Panacur instead of Pyran since Panacur also gets rid of Whipworms. I don't know if any of our pups have ever had that type, but I wanted to treat for as many types as possible. Anyway, the vet said that is too broad and to give these guys Pyran instead. I'm to give both litter and both adults Pyran (for hooks) and Albon (for Coccidia). Ashes' pup will get antibiotics. I'm also to give the smaller weaker pups SQ injections of D5 NS 25-20CC TID PRN to rehydrate them and get them eating again. Right now it is paying to be a nurse. Otherwise the pups would have had to stay at the hospital.