by Kirsten
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:We took her to our vet that we've had for a long time, to get her 2nd set of shots (she was 12 weeks old), and to be "checked out." Our vet gave her the shots, and did a rather quick check, but did find ear mites. I was very upset, but he said it was really no big deal and treated her for them. "Just one treatment here in the office is all she needs," he said, "and she will be feeling better in a day or so." Well, about 4 days later, she was still really itching and scratching at her ears, and her eyes seemed to be tearing pretty bad. I had read and read all the advice you gave on the tear-staining, but Sophie seemed to have it really bad. One thing I read was that if they have a yeast infection, that can make their staining worse. I wondered if maybe she didn't have a yeast infection in her ears, so I took her to another vet that I had heard was really good with maltese. I was right, Soph did have a rather severe yeast infection, so he gave me drops to put in them 3 times a day for 10 days. About 2 days later, she began to walk around like she was drunk! She was absolutely walking side-ways, not being able to stand still or run very good. We figured that her equilibrium had been off and with the drops making her ears better, she was just having to adjust to the change. WRONG!! She seemed to get a little better that day, so we decided to give her another day or so more to see if she completely improved. Unfortunately, my son one morning was running out the door to go to school and Sophie was right on his heels (only he didn't know it). He shut the door, but Sophie was only half-way out. She began to really cry so we rushed her back to the vet. (second vet). They kept her for 2 days because after doing X-rays, IV's, blood tests, and who knows what all, they determined that she had a dislocated disc in her neck from the door, but that she also had a severe case of hypoglycemia. (everthing with this doctor is severe, we learned). They put this little make-shift neck brace on her so that she couldn't move her neck. It was so pitiful seeing her like that when we went to visit that afternoon to take her some of her favorite toys. When she should have been able to come home, they called and said that she had had a reaction to some kind of medication they gave her, and that her bowels were bloody. We weren't going to be able to take her home until that cleared up. We said, "ok" but didn't have a good feeling at all about this vet.
Needless to say, after 3 days and several hundred dollars,w e finally got to take her home. The doctor, however, didn't give us much hope that we would have a "normal" puppy. He said that from the neck injury (the door didn't even come close to her neck), that she would always walk around like she couldn't control her extremities completely. She was still unable to hold her head still, or her body for the matter, and she still walked around half drunk.
The next day was Saturday and Sophie just acted almost lethargic. We really felt like it was just everything she'd been through wearing her out, but we were really worried!!! My grandmother saw her and insisted that we take her to her vet, who isn't big on doing all kinds of tests, and prescribing all kinds of meds. (like the other vet, who sent us home with 5 different kinds of medicine.) So, we did. And are we ever glad that we did!! I know that you are suppose to find one vet and stick with them, and after the horror we've put Sophie through, thankfully, we have. This vet took the neck brace off, and did a thorough check-up. For one thing, he couldn't understand where the other vet was coming from about the neck, because it was perfectly fine. Sophie was so lethargic you had to practically hold her head up and she couldn't stand up by herself. At first he said that he thought maybe she had lack of oxygen at birth because I told him that she has never really acted like a normal little puppy. The reason I said that was because when we first brought her home, she never cried at night for her mother, she was very much a loner, and didn't play a whole lot. We found out later that she had had no socialization at her original home and that she learned to go off by herself and be content. Isn't that so sad!!! I almost cried when I heard that, and have been very angry at the lady we got her from, and have actually called and told her how I felt. (didn't do much good, but I felt a little better.)
Anyways, after seriously thinking about how Sophie acted the first couple of days, we realized that she hadn't always walked around like she was now. We starated tracing back day by day, until we came to the day that the 2nd vet gave her those ear drops!! This vet said, it's definitely worth a try to take her off of that medicine (actually we've now taken her off of everything), and see how she does. Well, that was only 3 days ago, and now we have a perfectly healthy little baby!!! Her neck is as strong as can be (I don't think she ever had a neck injury to begin with), all signs of hypoglycemia have disappeared, and she is a happy, playful, active, "normal" little puppy!!! The vet saw her again yesterday and was absolutely amazed!! Her pupils before woudn't respond to any stimulation of light, and acted like there was nothing there, and now they are responding wonderfully, and her check-up was a BIG "THUMBS UP!!!"
We have learned some major lessons through all of this. First of all, to be very careful where you go to buy a puppy. Even though we are thrilled to have Sophie, we probably could have avoided all of this had the breeder taken care of her the way she was suppose to. To find a vet that you trust and can feel comfortable asking any question you might have, and to do this BEFORE you get your puppy!! Also, that we should not be so quick to give a bund of medicine when there are a lot of other ways to help your puppy get better, through natural means. And if it is necessary to give some form of medicine, to really check it out before administering it. WE HAVE A MIRACLE PUPPY!! Sophia means "Wisdom", and she is absolutely making the most of her name!!! I realize that a lot of you are probably apalled at all we have put her through, and I don't blame you. We really had no idea what an awesome responsibility it is to bring home such a sweet little puppy. But, we have learned so much, and she is thriving in her new home, now, and seems so happy!! I hope this story will help someone to really check out all of these things, before taking action with medicines and treatments!
Thank you for you wonderful web-site, it has been a real blessing to us!! Kirsten
DISCUSSION:
Dottie & Tasha
