Any Advice, Suggestions or Thoughts
So I know we haven't been that active on here, and I apologize for that. But we're in the need of support or any suggestions. Our 3 month, Kairi, has Giardia...the worse case the vet has seen. It is her second time going on medicine for it...and we're all hoping she lives through it.
The pet shop we bought it from (Puppies for Love in Pheonix,AZ) failed to tell us that she had it, or that she was suppose to be on medicine...which they didn't give us. Last time we went to talk to them they said that the company would pay for the first vet business...which I don't think is enough since our dog could die from this. But then again part of the "insurance" policy for the dog is that if she dies within the first 2 years we get a new one. But Shiba's don't seem easy to come by in AZ...so we'll probably be waitlisted. Plus Kairi already has a unique personality that the whole family loves. The other option they give is to have a HUGE amount of store credit to spoil the dog with...well we don't live down there and that is a crappy option in my opinion.
My mother is thinking about taking them to a small claims court if Kairi does die...I'm not sure what I think about that. I know it's not right of the store to do this, especially since we had to pay over $3000 for her....I know...that's an insane amount. Part of the reason why we're pissed at the store for selling a dog at that amount and not telling the buying the dog has a parasite. It's just WRONG!
So I guess what I'm asking for is any advice or suggestions you may have. Or any support you can offer. It's so nice to have a place like this to talk to people about this situation.
The pet shop we bought it from (Puppies for Love in Pheonix,AZ) failed to tell us that she had it, or that she was suppose to be on medicine...which they didn't give us. Last time we went to talk to them they said that the company would pay for the first vet business...which I don't think is enough since our dog could die from this. But then again part of the "insurance" policy for the dog is that if she dies within the first 2 years we get a new one. But Shiba's don't seem easy to come by in AZ...so we'll probably be waitlisted. Plus Kairi already has a unique personality that the whole family loves. The other option they give is to have a HUGE amount of store credit to spoil the dog with...well we don't live down there and that is a crappy option in my opinion.
My mother is thinking about taking them to a small claims court if Kairi does die...I'm not sure what I think about that. I know it's not right of the store to do this, especially since we had to pay over $3000 for her....I know...that's an insane amount. Part of the reason why we're pissed at the store for selling a dog at that amount and not telling the buying the dog has a parasite. It's just WRONG!
So I guess what I'm asking for is any advice or suggestions you may have. Or any support you can offer. It's so nice to have a place like this to talk to people about this situation.
Comments
I'm sure the ATL, GA people on here can chime in but wasn't there a big thing with a giardia outbreak in ATL petstores last year - or the year before? Like 100% of pups from 3 stores were all infected and had to be quarantined? Its sad - turns out they all came from NY mills and were not very healthy but being sold for $800+.
Although, a lot of pet store puppies are not very healthy, as most, if not all, are puppy mill dogs.
I think you should definitely pursue this and make the store accountable so others don't have to find out the hard way what a raw deal they got in a pet store dog. Tell your local news! Shine a negative light on their terrible business ethic!
All I can say is - hang in there! Be strong for Kairi - she can beat this thing - a friend of mine adopted a 4 month old pup in rescue early this year that tested positive for giardia and kennel cough, the pup dealt with the parasite & was on anibiotics for 4 to 6 weeks, and she had to quarantine her, as the potential of spreading the parasite is very, very high.
Anyway, I think you should focus your efforts on fixing your pup and then worry about how you can destroy that pet store. Giardia is usually treated with Metronitazole which is a fairly mild antibiotic so I can't imagine it would kill your pup. Ahi, our Shikoku, had Coccidia [similar to Giardia] when she was a pup ans was very sick but she made it thru... I think you guys will beat this.
As for the pet store, I would call the better business bureau and report them to the your local animal control - they shouldn't sell sick dogs, that's a threat to the hole community.
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There some other diseases that combined with giardia can be devastating to pet health. For example irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) can be brought on with protozoan infestation particularly if a dog has a heredity predisposition to immune problems.
Giardia is tougher to treat now than even 10 yrs ago since the medication (metronadizole) in some cases is ineffective given that some strains of the protozoa are immune to it. Many vets now want to treat only with fendbendazole. If one medication has been tried you might ask to be switched to the other. Also coccidia can mimic the same symptoms (also a protoza) and combined with Gardia can be doubly difficult to treat in severe cases. It might be that once the dose of meds for giardia is done the pup should be started on meds for coccidia. Note though, can't use the meds at the same time to treat. : (
In the past I have had a dog who was on medication for giardia symptoms all of its life. In combination with a special diet (homemade) it controlled flair ups. As part of management, be sure to pick up poops and have baby wipes to help clean up you pet’s coat and butt during bad diarreah. Always wash your hands after handling your pet. It's good idea to have a trash bag lined poop bucket to collect waste from your yard to keep contact to a minimum for other dogs. Have you dog potty in a sunny spot that has a chance to dry fully as well after you scoop.
The following link by Shirley Chong (a good obedience instructor by the way) covers the details as she worked through the same problems with her dog.
http://www.critterchat.net/giardia.htm
Work with your vet to come up with a maintenance plan once you pup comes around.
Reducing bowel irritation and building the dog up via nutrition so food absorption can be increased is going to be key to pulling the pup through.
Once on the mend a nutritionist might be of help. You might want to check around, some vets and holistic vets now have nutritionists on board for dogs undergoing intensive treatment for cancer or other life threatening medical issues.
I am sure your vet is doing all he can so have faith.
Hope this helps
Snf
I hope Kairi can make it through this, if she does SnF gives good advice about contacting a nutritionist or holistic vet to help get her on a diet that will help make her body stronger.
Unfortunately this is not uncommon from petstores across the country, they don't care about the health of dogs, just making a sale. Please don't spend anymore money at them (for any products).
I agree with Brad btw, your first concern should be for Kairi's well being. Once you have her on the right track, then you can worry about how to recoup your loses if its possible. I actually consulted with a lawyer about Lucy's situation. In GA, animals have almost no value in the eyes of the law...they are "worth their hanging weight" which is Lucy's case is about $16. :-( I decided legal action wasn't going to be the best way to go after Lucy's "breeder". I've been pursuing other channels which I'd be happy to chat with you about out of band if you'd like.
Good luck and please keep us informed.
dlouisroberts makes a great point …. It’s not a lost cause….If your Shiba has developed IBD, it can be managed and the dog can lead a normal life. So don’t give up just yet. Go with the motto “it ain’t over til it’s over”. It is important to get her initial recovery complete first and then move into management.
It might be a good idea to check with veterinary teaching schools to see if you can get some clinical work done as part of their teaching hospital (For example Penn State, Tufts University etc.) and maybe the fees/charges may be a little less.
Here is a link. Go down to the map to see your state if you reside in the U.S.
http://www.aavmc.org/
I sense you are overwhelmed but make sure you continue with treatments to assist in the recovery process. Since from what you describe, she sounds so perky it seems like a positive sign : )
Hang in there and let us know how it goes.
Snf