I need some advice...I am a bit scared...

[myjordash]

I recently left a deposit on a puppy that was only a few weeks old. I went to the breeders house, picked out two puppies, a male and female from 2 litters with the hopes of some day possibly breeding. I haven't decided for sure whether I would, but I wanted the possibility. After I left the deposit, I tried for weeks to go back to the breeders house to visit the puppies and they were never home/available. Then 3 days prior to me picking up the puppies, I was told that she lost both litters to a terrible virus. She refunded my deposit, and left me heartbroken. I then started searching. After waiting over a month for these puppies to come home only to find out they passed I didn't want to wait much longer. My Mom and I (we live on the same property but in different houses) went looking. She was getting the female, and I, the male. We found a breeder that was about 2 hours away in an area we used to live, and she had two litters born 2 days apart, and she had a male and female. The only problem was that they were smaller than we really wanted. The male she said was a teacup and would be about 3.5 to 4 lbs. and the female she said was a toy and would be about 4 to 4.5 lbs. We fell in love and bought the puppies. We came home and I was as happy as can be. They played that night, my children were excited, and everything was great. Then it came time to feed them, and my Mickey, wouldn't eat. I tried putting the food in my hand and he would turn away. He also had some diareah. I took him to her vet, 2 hrs away for a well check, and the vet said that he was probably just too excited and to try to moisten the food. That night he still would not eat. I gave him the Nutrical every couple of hours, but no interest in food. That night he started vomiting and the diareah got worse. I took the dog at 6 a.m., back to the vet, and they said to give him some pepto bismol and robitussin for his cough and something for the diareah. I took him home and he started having blood in his stools. I turned around and drove another 2 hours back to the vet and they kept him over night. They gave him fluid in his back, and the next morning they said he was diagnosed with Giardia, put on medication, and that I could pick him up. I did, and that night he CRASHED!!! He couldn't open his eyes, lethargic, shaking, etc. I was told by my vet to give him puppy milk, baby food, canned food anything I could get in him. I got him to eat the puppy milk and I was up with him all night feeding him every hour out of a bottle. The next morning I went back to the vet. They kept him over night, and the doctor took him home with him. Saturday morning I called and they said they wanted to keep him until Monday. I called Monday and I was told that my Mickey had passed away in the night at the Vet's house. The Vet said he did everything he could. He had him on heating pads, fluids through his back, force feeding him, etc. He said that he was beginning to get sores around his mouth, and told me that it may have been from the medication Flagyl that he was on for the Giardia, and that he suspected these sores were internal as well. He said we did all we could, but despite our efforts he just wasn't strong enough to pull through.

I called the breeder and she had a Guarantee on the Puppy that states that she will replace the puppy if anything happened to mine. Now she is telling me that she has a litter that will be ready to go in about two weeks. I am absolutely terrified now. I have two children, 3 and 5. We also have a Sheltie, a Golden Retriever, and a Cat. My children are great with animals and are VERY gentle, but now I have my children being treated with Giardia as they have had diareah about 20 times a day for the past week. They were petting the puppy and holding him in his bag in the car and I think they may have touched him and then food in the car and caught it that way. I have been more stressed out in the past week then ever before. I am afraid when I get the new puppy of what to do. I am terrified that I will get him home and he will not eat. I am not sure if I should introduce the puppy to the family, or should I wait to see if he eats and give him a few days by himself to get used to his surroundings before introducing. I do not want it to be too much for him and then he stops eating. I can not sleep, eat, or think straight. This has had more of an impact on me than I ever could have imagined. I feel horrible that my children are going through this, and the possibility of this all happening again with a new puppy is overwhelming.

My mom's puppy is doing great. She loves my other dogs, does great playing with the children. Eats, Drinks, and is even pretty much house broken in just a week. That was what I wanted a happy healthy puppy. Does anyone have any advice for me as to how to achieve it? Should I let the puppy get used to everyone in time? Should I wait until he is on a schedule before playing with him too much? Any advice????

[bld2751]

Oh my goodness, it sure sounds like you have been through a lot, I'm so sorry!

I'm glad to hear that the puppy your mom got has been ok though, at least one healthy puppy from that breeder. Do you still even feel comfortable going back to that breeder? I would be a little worried. But at least you know that healthy puppies can come from there. But how do you know the next pup you get won't be infected also? Has the breeder done anything to disinfect the house, or whatever needs to be done? Can you get your deposit back?

If you do decide to get another puppy from the same breeder, it might be a good idea to get it checked out at the vet before you take it home and allow it be around your family. Especially so your kids don't get sick again.

Maybe check for another breeder in the area.

Again, I'm so very sorry for you and your family. I know how quickly you can get attached to these guys, they are just so loveable. I'm sure with time you will find the perfect little puppy, good luck. Be sure to keep us posted as to what ends up happening.

Brandi & Hercules

[reeselvr]

well i am a bit new to this whole puppy thing i recently got a new yorkie this is my first yorkie and first puppy on my own i was not planning on having a pupy but when i seen him i feel in love and did everything i had to to get him when i got him home he was fine ate drank played everything normal then i took him to the vet like i was informed to do they told me that he had a cold and the soft spot but that was normal they said that b/c he was so small they suggested giving him children's benadryl in a very small dose they also told me to clear up the congestion in his chest to pu him in the bathroom and leave hot water running almost like a sauna to help him brath better i did everything and anything i could to make him feel better then the next week after no improvement i woke up and he was almost dead i rushed him to the vet then then rushed him to the place where i had purchased him they then wanted to keep him for a week and then blamed him getting worse b/c of childrens benadryl i was a wreck i though i made him like this he would not eat he had to be force fed and he finally starting showing signs of improvement when i was finally able to take him home he was still not eating properly but they told me to feed him whatever he would eat ANYTHING that was shocking to me i thought that certain foods are hard for a puppy to digest especially him he was only 2.2 lbs at the time i did though he ate all table food no puppy food that took about 2 weeks and alot of time now he is doind extremely better but still does not want to eat puppy food until he gets severly hungry my vet told me that he will eat his food. but i have tried everything they even suggested cat food he will only eat if hand fed and only what i am eating so believe me you are the only one but my personal suggestion to you is even through the tough times i never regret coming home to him wagging his little tail and licking me all over and biting the bottoms of my pants i love him to death but dont ever give of hope of having a happy healthy puppy it is wonderful everday of it is a learning experience just like a kid

[myjordash]

Originally Posted by bld2751

Oh my goodness, it sure sounds like you have been through a lot, I'm so sorry!

I'm glad to hear that the puppy your mom got has been ok though, at least one healthy puppy from that breeder. Do you still even feel comfortable going back to that breeder? I would be a little worried. But at least you know that healthy puppies can come from there. But how do you know the next pup you get won't be infected also? Has the breeder done anything to disinfect the house, or whatever needs to be done? Can you get your deposit back?

If you do decide to get another puppy from the same breeder, it might be a good idea to get it checked out at the vet before you take it home and allow it be around your family. Especially so your kids don't get sick again.

Maybe check for another breeder in the area.

Again, I'm so very sorry for you and your family. I know how quickly you can get attached to these guys, they are just so loveable. I'm sure with time you will find the perfect little puppy, good luck. Be sure to keep us posted as to what ends up happening.

Brandi & Hercules

I really don't have a choice but to buy from the same breeder or lose all the money I invested. If I had more money to invest in another puppy or if she was willing to give me back my money, I would invest it in a puppy else where, but since her guarantee is a replacement puppy, I either take another of her puppies, or I lose my investment and my chance at having a Yorkie Puppy. Since my mom and I did this together and she now has hers, I feel like the right thing is to get another one and not give up. I just hope this doesn't end in heartbreak.

[myjordash]

Originally Posted by reeselvr

well i am a bit new to this whole puppy thing i recently got a new yorkie this is my first yorkie and first puppy on my own i was not planning on having a pupy but when i seen him i feel in love and did everything i had to to get him when i got him home he was fine ate drank played everything normal then i took him to the vet like i was informed to do they told me that he had a cold and the soft spot but that was normal they said that b/c he was so small they suggested giving him children's benadryl in a very small dose they also told me to clear up the congestion in his chest to pu him in the bathroom and leave hot water running almost like a sauna to help him brath better i did everything and anything i could to make him feel better then the next week after no improvement i woke up and he was almost dead i rushed him to the vet then then rushed him to the place where i had purchased him they then wanted to keep him for a week and then blamed him getting worse b/c of childrens benadryl i was a wreck i though i made him like this he would not eat he had to be force fed and he finally starting showing signs of improvement when i was finally able to take him home he was still not eating properly but they told me to feed him whatever he would eat ANYTHING that was shocking to me i thought that certain foods are hard for a puppy to digest especially him he was only 2.2 lbs at the time i did though he ate all table food no puppy food that took about 2 weeks and alot of time now he is doind extremely better but still does not want to eat puppy food until he gets severly hungry my vet told me that he will eat his food. but i have tried everything they even suggested cat food he will only eat if hand fed and only what i am eating so believe me you are the only one but my personal suggestion to you is even through the tough times i never regret coming home to him wagging his little tail and licking me all over and biting the bottoms of my pants i love him to death but dont ever give of hope of having a happy healthy puppy it is wonderful everday of it is a learning experience just like a kid

I know how you feel. The day after I started with the puppy milk I was told to try and feed the puppy Baby Food. I went and got Beef Baby Food and he ate the entire jar in about 2 minutes. I then tried baby food the next morning and he wouldn't touch it. I tried getting a different flavor, chicken, and he wouldn't eat that either. That is when I took him back to the vet. I wonder if I would have continued with different types of baby food, if that would have made a difference. If just didn't feel right. I didn't know if he was getting what he needed to get by, and since he was still having the diareah, I figured the Dr. would know best. Now after reading your post, I wonder if my course of action would have been better for him. Keep trying different foods everyday until he ate something.

[camillek]

If you get a new puppy, go to a different vet! That is ridiculous that you had to bring him in that many times before they determined that something was wrong. The vet wasted valueable time that perhaps would have made a difference with a different vet. Follow your instincts, if it doesn't seem right, get a second opinion. and definatly take the puppy for a wellness checkup before you take him home. Alot of places like Banfield pet hospital will do free adoption visits so you can ensure your puppy is in good health.

As far as your breeder goes, I would never buy from someone classifying puppies as teacup or toy. A yorkie is a yorkie 2 pounds or 20 pounds. Some are just smaller than others. If they want to advertise small yorkies, fine but there is no such thing as a teacup yorkie. How old were these puppies when you purchased them? How much did she charge you?

[myjordash]

Originally Posted by camillek

If you get a new puppy, go to a different vet! That is ridiculous that you had to bring him in that many times before they determined that something was wrong. The vet wasted valueable time that perhaps would have made a difference with a different vet. Follow your instincts, if it doesn't seem right, get a second opinion. and definatly take the puppy for a wellness checkup before you take him home. Alot of places like Banfield pet hospital will do free adoption visits so you can ensure your puppy is in good health.

As far as your breeder goes, I would never buy from someone classifying puppies as teacup or toy. A yorkie is a yorkie 2 pounds or 20 pounds. Some are just smaller than others. If they want to advertise small yorkies, fine but there is no such thing as a teacup yorkie. How old were these puppies when you purchased them? How much did she charge you?

One was born November 2 and the other November 4th, and I picked them both up on January 9th, so they were about 10 weeks old. I paid her $1,700.00 for both puppies. It was $900 for the female and $800 for the male. Also they were 1 1/4 lbs when I took them for the first Vet appointment.

[camillek]

Originally Posted by myjordash

One was born November 2 and the other November 4th, and I picked them both up on January 9th, so they were about 10 weeks old. I paid her $1,700.00 for both puppies. It was $900 for the female and $800 for the male. Also they were 1 1/4 lbs when I took them for the first Vet appointment.

Well that seems about normal. How soon after you brought them home did you go to the vet? I would just recommend being cautious. See how the puppies are behaving before you choose one. If it is not very active or lethargic that is a bad sign. Definately take the puppy to the vet directly from the breeder to get a good bill of health. That is great that the breeder is standing behind her puppies and offering you a new one. Although I don't agree with her terminology, she may just be uninformed as opposed to deceptive. I have heard many stories of people buying puppies that are sick only to find that their breeder has changed phone numbers.

[myjordash]

Originally Posted by camillek

Well that seems about normal. How soon after you brought them home did you go to the vet? I would just recommend being cautious. See how the puppies are behaving before you choose one. If it is not very active or lethargic that is a bad sign. Definately take the puppy to the vet directly from the breeder to get a good bill of health. That is great that the breeder is standing behind her puppies and offering you a new one. Although I don't agree with her terminology, she may just be uninformed as opposed to deceptive. I have heard many stories of people buying puppies that are sick only to find that their breeder has changed phone numbers.

I brought them home on Sunday, I called Monday morning for an appointment and brought them there at 5:00 pm. Yes, I guess I am very lucky that she is standing behind her word. Just a question, just because a breeder changes her number, can't you still sew them? You have there address and you know where they live. It just doesn't seem that easy for them to disappear. I have read that most breeders do not cover for Giardia, just for congenital problems. Is that true? Or is that just unethical breeders. I can't imagine selling someone a puppy with Giardia and then not standing behind the puppy.

Any advice as to whether I should introduce the puppy to the other dogs in the family or should I wait in order to not over stress the puppy?!? I just don't want to do too much to soon and have him afraid of his new environment and not eat.

[bld2751]

myjordash - I would probably wait to introduce the new puppy to others when you get another one. Like you said, it might ease the stress.

I understand having to get another puppy from that breeder. I think there's some hope in the situation since your mom's puppy has been ok! When are you supposed to get your next pup?

[myjordash]

Originally Posted by bld2751

myjordash - I would probably wait to introduce the new puppy to others when you get another one. Like you said, it might ease the stress.

I understand having to get another puppy from that breeder. I think there's some hope in the situation since your mom's puppy has been ok! When are you supposed to get your next pup?

She told me 2 to 2 1/2 weeks this past Monday when I spoke to her. I was planning on calling again on this coming Monday. I asked if I can come to see them, and she said she does not like people coming to see the puppies until they have had their shots. I was OK with that because I do not want other people handling my puppy that can possibly give it something, so I guess that sounds normal, doesn't it?

[bld2751]

Well I would think it would be ok to see the puppies, as long as you don't handle them. But I don't know. At least it's only about 2 more weeks of waiting! I'm sure you're nervous and excited at the same time.

[myjordash]

Yes, I am! Especially after seeing my mom's puppy so excited and vibrant! I just pray that everything is Ok this time, cuz I don't no if I can stand another heart break!

[CC's]

I would keep the new pup seperate for 7 to 10 days to be on the safe side.
Good hand washing before and after you handle the pup.

Also depending on where you live there are puppy lemon laws. Some give 7-10 days that the breeder would have to refund your money no matter what the contract says. But it depends on your state.

I would also start to call around for a vet qualified to treat toy dogs. I don't think yours knows enough about how quickly they can be lost from simple belly aches, let alone giardia.

[myjordash]

Originally Posted by CC's

I would keep the new pup seperate for 7 to 10 days to be on the safe side.
Good hand washing before and after you handle the pup.

Also depending on where you live there are puppy lemon laws. Some give 7-10 days that the breeder would have to refund your money no matter what the contract says. But it depends on your state.

I would also start to call around for a vet qualified to treat toy dogs. I don't think yours knows enough about how quickly they can be lost from simple belly aches, let alone giardia.

How does that work, when she says that I need to take the puppy to her Dr. within the first 48 hours and if there is a problem I MUST have the puppy treated by her VET? I guess I could go to my VET after her vet and get another opinion. I think that you are right. With as many times as they sent me home with him, he probably would have been OK if they treated him correctly. I liked the fact that the VET took him home with him and gave him 24 hour care, but obviously it didn't help because he died at the Vet's house. The other thing is that I was at least getting him to eat. I got him to eat the puppy milk willingly, and some baby food. I wonder if they would have tried different foods instead of forcing him to eat what they wanted him to eat if that would have helped. I guess it all depends what he actually died of. He was done with his Giardia Medicine on Saturday and he passed on Sunday Night. The doctor said he had developed sores around his mouth. Any idea what that could have been from? The doctor said it may have been caused by the Giardia Medicine, Flagyl. And that the sores could have been internal as well. Does that sound right?

Also should I not introduce at all to the other dogs for 7 -10 days? Is that so that I do not overwhelm the puppy? My other dogs are pretty big and have all their shots, so I am not too concerned with other dogs, I just want the puppy to be comfortable so that he eats and sleeps and I wanted to know if you thought introduction to the other dogs may over excite him and/or prevent him from eating properly.