Brandon, you and your wife have, unfortunately, learned a very hard lesson. I've been through the exact same heartbreak so I know how you feel. In December of '07, I lost a tiny 11 week old baby to hypoglycemia. I am a breeder and had raised her since birth. She had been doing very well but suddenly had an episode. I knew what to do and stayed up with her all night and had gotten her stable. She was actually wanting to run around so I put her back in her x-pen so she wouldn't burn off her energy. I took a 3 hour nap and woke to find her gone. I vowed then that this would never happen again. I have since had 2 pups with an episode and immediately intervened and kept an eagle eye on them for a few days until they were fully recovered. It is a vulnerable time for pups as they are weaned and may not eat well enough and/or play too much. In the case of Dani, who I lost, it is likely she crashed due to playing a little too much and not eating quite enough. Sometimes it can be hard to tell when they're in a litter situation and are eating from a common bowl. Dani was always a tiny girl, only 15 ounces, and seemed to be eating well but she had an episode anyway. I now strictly limit my pups playtime, especially the small ones and that seems to help a lot. I'm only telling you all this to let you know that this can happen and can get serious very quickly. It really wasn't fair for the store or breeder to let Buster go at such a vulnerable time and they did a poor job in giving you advice on his care. Also, I think the vet you called gave you a false sense of security in mentioning he may have liver shunt and to bring him in for tests. It totally went against what the vet who had seen Buster had to say. Probably, from your perspective, it explained a lot of his symptoms and allowed you to relax and wait to see the vet again. Also, you probably thought, "hey, he's a vet, I should listen to him" which I do understand. I know you are grieving and, as much as a stranger can, I'm grieving for Buster too. Don't beat yourself up too much over this. You were given entirely too much to deal with as a new puppy parent. As you go forward, remember Buster and give your next furbaby all the love and care you can as a tribute to him. That's what I do for Dani and her loss motivates me to do my very best. Stick around YorkieTalk; it's a wonderful place that will help you in so many ways. My thoughts are with you and your family and some very special thoughts for little Buster. P.S. Here's a photo of my little Dani, who is now a little angel. She is my inspiration and I think of her all the time. Bless you all....Jim |