Life's Bittersweet Surprises #2

Almost two weeks after Boomer was diagnosed with Parvo, we feared the worst about Rascal. Saturday morning, December 13th, we later realized, was when Rascal stopped eating. We attributed it at first to him being tired and full.

Then, after a not-quite-so-normal potty episode outside on Sunday morning, we decided we better take him to the Animal Emergency Clinic. Dear Hubby took Rascal this time. About 30 minutes after arriving there, the diagnosis was clear: Parvo! This diagnosis came just two weeks to the day from when Boomer was diagnosed! I still wasn't finished giving antibiotics to Boomer yet! But my technique had definitely improved!

Because Rascal has always been a bit smaller than Boomer, and because I really didn't think I could give him the fluid like we tried twice with Boomer, we decided to keep him at the AEC overnight, despite the extremely high quote from them.

I still feel this was the best decision. When DH picked Rascal up in the morning and brought him home until our regular vet opened, Rascal was already looking like he felt better. But we knew he wasn't "cured" yet, as there really isn't a cure for the Parvo virus; the puppies just need to be supported with fluids until their bodies can fight off the virus.

Back to our regular vet he went by 8:00. We seemed to have realized the symptoms of Parvo much sooner than we had with Boomer. Rascal's disposition was much friskier than Boomer's had been from the very beginning. Even the vet tech commented on this when we dropped Rascal off. In spite of his more frisky behavior, Racscal stayed at our regular vet until Wednesday afternoon/evening, which was the same length of stay that Boomer had. Add to Rascal's AEC visit, and these puppies have cost us almost an arm and a leg!

I asked myself, when Boomer had gotten sick, "Why us?" Dear Hubby replied to me "No, the real question is why Boomer? Why such a nasty virus for such a small guy? It happened to us, becuase God knew we would be strong enough to take care of them; smart enough to realize something wasn't right; and loving enough to know the best thing to do to help get him better."

This time around, I did ask "Why Rascal?" But this time I also knew the answer...because he had us to take care of him.

Rascal is finished with his antibiotics (note to others, don't try using peanut butter or cheese when giving dogs pills; just have them sit in front of you, their back to your chest, open their mouths with one hand, and shove the pill down their throats with the other hand, close their mouths and rub their throats for a few seconds for the pill to go down...just remember to check before you release them...sometimes they can be smarter than you and spit the pill out minutes later!).

He hasn't developed the bark that Boomer learned while at the vet. THANK GOODNESS! He's as playful and rascally as ever!

So glad to have both puppies back home and heathly! And the vet said the chance for them to get Parvo again...is slim to none. But let me tell you this...we'll definitely keep up with the Parvo vaccinations!