You tried what your vet wanted to do with your other baby....tell your vet you want to do it YOUR way now, since HER way did not work....and if the vet does not want to go there with you, then I would be changing vets....but that is hard to do when you already have a sick baby....
In any event, here is the information below on the Tamiflu. What your vet tried did not work on the last pup....try this approach....it WORKS!!!
Oseltamivir (Tamiflu)
(for veterinary information only)
Brand Name: Tamiflu
Available in 75 mg capsules oral suspension
Background
What a miracle the development of antibiotics truly was! The commercial development of penicillin and the sulfa antibiotic class represented the first readily available medications that could kill the microorganisms responsible for bacterial infections. Since then, a myriad of antibiotics have become available that exploit the biological differences between bacterial and animal enzyme systems and cellular structures. But none of these medications made any difference to the viruses.
This is the actual canine parvovirus. Reprinted with permission by Jean-Yves Sgro. © 1994 JY. Sgro UW-Madison
A virus is the simplest organism that can technically be called living. Its structure is simple, often just a cluster of DNA inside a protein coat. The virus has no protein metabolism or other systems that a medication might target. A virus simply acts like a syringe attaching to a host cell, injecting its genetic material inside, and tricking the host cell into transcribing this material. In other words, it injects its own DNA into the host cell, attaching its own DNA to the host's DNA. The viral DNA instructs the cell to stop what it is doing and start mass-producing more virus. Soon the host cell becomes a virus factory, replicating thousands of new viral organisms to go forward and infect new cells.
Viruses are responsible for herpes, influenza, HIV, the common cold, and numerous other infections with which we are familiar. It has only been relatively recently that we have had the technology to attack viral biology. Oseltamivir represents such an effort.
Oseltamivir specifically targets the influenza virus. This virus bears an attachment enzyme on its surface called neuraminidase. This enzyme allows the flu virus to bud from the host cell in which it was created and then happily pass through the mucus of the respiratory tract to any cell in the tract it wishes to infect. Inhibiting neuraminidase effectively locks the new viral organisms within their host cell, imprisoning them so that they cannot infect new cells. The immune system will recognize the infected cell and kill it along with its infective contents. When it comes to the flu, oseltamivir is felt to cut a couple of days out of a sickness period. All this, of course, has virtually nothing to do with pets.
Recently, veterinary interest has turned to oseltamivir in the treatment of canine parvovirus, a life-threatening infection characterized by vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Because the parvovirus does not use neuraminidase in its replication, you might not expect oseltamavir to have value but it turns out that neuraminidase is an important enzyme used by pathogenic bacteria invading through the protective mucous barrier of the GI tract. Invasion of intestinal bacteria into the bloodstream is an important cause of death in parvoviral infection and this is where oseltamavir appears to be helpful though there is still controversy surrounding its use.
How this Medication is Used
To assist in the treatment of canine parvovirus infection, oseltamivir is given orally twice a day for 5 days. The medication should be obtained as soon as the parvovirus diagnosis is confirmed. If a puppy has been exposed to canine parvovirus but is not ill, oftentimes the clinical disease can be circumvented by giving a course of oseltamivir.
Usually an oral suspension is compounded or the human product is given. This medication is not approved for use in animals.
Side Effects
In pets, side effects have not been appreciated; however, veterinary experience is limited and the following is taken from human patient information sheets on oseltamivir.
coughing
diarrhea
difficulty sleeping
dizziness
headache
nausea and vomiting
nose bleed
We include this information as general information but if you are using oseltamivir on a pet and think you may be seeing indications of any of the above, report them to your veterinarian.
Interactions with other Drugs
There are no known drug interactions with oseltamivir.
Concerns and Cautions
The most important caution is to recognize that canine parvovirus is a life-threatening infection for which there is no substitute for hospitalization. You should never attempt to diagnose parvovirus infection on your own nor treat it without veterinary supervision. Puppies who have advanced parvo symptoms such as septicemia or severe dehydration may not respond to oseltamivir. This medication works best early in the course of infection before the patient is combating large amounts of virus. Remember, the goal of using oseltamivir is to minimize the amount of virus in the patient so that the immune system will have an easier job eradicating the infected cells.
Reconstituted oseltamivir does not last longer than 10 days and must be disposed of thereafter.
If a patient seems to have an upset stomach on oseltamivir, give the medication with food.
This medication works best early in the course of infection before the patient is already combating large amounts of infectious organisms. If pathogenic bacteria have already invaded, the effectiveness of oseltamavir will be blunted. Animals that have advanced symptoms such as septicemia, severe dehydration, and pneumonia may not respond to oseltamivir. (Tis is why it is absolutely imperative that treatment be started early to be effective...if a vet waits until the pup is experiencing advanced symptoms of parvo, it wont work and then the vet says the treatment was ineffective....if started early, it works.) |