Saving Tinkerbell - The fight begins

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Is is small or what?

Tinkerbell with a Happy Face

Tinkerbell Colbert

Tinkerbell is this feisty Jack Russell, Chihuahua and Pekingese mixed. From the time she began to walk and run, she wanted to show her twin brother that she was just as tough. At first, I thought that she just wanted to play, but then her personality began to show. The tomboy in her began to show. Dogs are just like people, they all have different personalities.

Bear is Tinkerbell's twin and he always wanted me to play with him. His favorite activity was grabbing hold of his stuff toy and allowing me to pull him off the floor without letting go of the toy. Bear and I  played together for a few day before Tinker decided she want to show are brother that she was just as strong. She proved herself because she could hold on to that stuff toy just as long and on many occasions longer than her brother and did not mind being lifted off the floor.

Letting the dogs out every morning and watching their mother teach them how to survive was a thrill. When the puppies fought each other, she would break up the fight by walking in between them or sometime she give them a bit or two to end their dispute. It was wonderful watching the puppies do what she told them to do. I love watching precious make her babies chase her. I loved watching Precious discipline her babies as she still does today.

    

By the time the puppies were four months old things began to change. The last puppy to be welcomed into the world began to show sign of an illness. The fight begins. She first became distant, then she hid under my bed throwing-up. The night before I took her to the doctor I could hear her crying out this sound of pain that I had never heard before. But still I though she was ok. I arrived home the next day and she came from under and bed and begin to cry out in pain. I immediately run up the stairs to find her lying on top if my backpack and just the sound alone told me she was dying.

I rush Tinkerbell to the emergency hospital and was told by the doctor that she was suffering from Canine Parvovirus. She weighted about 7 pounds and the doctor said that she may not make it since she was the last stages of the disease. I'm proud to say today that she is happy, health and alive. It took some work, but I found the courage to save her life.

Tinkerbell giving Baby G a beat down

Tinkerbell  playing with Baby G and Bear

Deborah

The Signs an Symptom

Symptoms and Types

The major symptoms associated with the intestinal form of a canine parvovirus infection include severe, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia fever, vomiting, and severe weight loss. The intestinal form of CPV affects the body's ability to absorb nutrients, and an affected animal will quickly become dehydrated and weak from lack of protein and fluid absorption. The wet tissue of the mouth and eyes may become noticeably red and the heart may beat too rapidly. When your veterinarian palpates (examine by touch) your dog’s abdominal area, your dog may respond with pain or discomfort. Dogs that have contracted CPV may also have a low body temperature hypothermia), rather than a fever.


If your dog or puppy is experiencing these parvo symptoms, please ensure you see your vet immediately – don’t wait to see if it will improve. As a first stage in the treatment, your dog is likely to require fluid replacement – and your vet will be in the best position to provide this.

If your puppy or dog remains untreated, the virus is likely to get worse and your pet could die. In addition, secondary infections may occur due to the weakening of the immune system and gastrointestinal tract and although your pet may survive, long term damage may occur.

Finding the Courage to Save My Puppies Lives

Sitting in order of left to right.
Gabby, Bear, Tinkerbell (biting  her brother) Baby G and Patches

On the 6th day of March 2011, my dog Precious gave birth to five beautiful puppies. She had two sets of twins, each set consisted of a boy and girl. Her first puppy was not a twin and looked very much like Precious's mother. The puppies are of mixed breed. Jack Russell, Chihuahua and Pekenses.  Precious, the mother is also a mixed breed. She is Chihuahua and Pekense. The father of precious baby was a full breed black and white Jack Russell. He was killed on January 9th 2011 by a driver who sped up his car and brutally ran down Gangster, never stopping his vehicle. 

The first three months of the puppies life was filled to plenty of joy and happiness. Patches, an individual male was the first born. He was pink and white. His fluffy white fur  and his pink skin made him stand out from his brothers and sisters. He was so different from the two sets of twins and everyone wanted him. Next came Gabby who looks just like her father (a Jack Russell) with a very pretty tan and white crown. Then came Baby G. Gabby and Baby G are twins. Gabby is identical to her father.  Baby Gangster has the physical appearance of a Jack Russell with the notorious spots on his back and underbelly, but he is the spitting image of his mother even in body shape. Next came the second set of twins. Bear was first then came Tinkerbell. Even though Tinkerbell is a twin, she is the runt of the litter. Watching them grow and develop into healthy and happy and puppies gave me much joy. The puppies turn four months on the 6th of July and all was well and good. Then on July 15, 2011, Tinkerbell had to be rushed to the emergency hospital in San Leandro, CA.

When Tinkerbell and I arrived at the emergency hospital, I was so unprepared to hear her diagnosis. Tinkebell had contracted Canine parvovirus and the diagnosis was not good. Tinkerbell was released from the emergency hospital the next day, the 16th July. Sunday morning, she was back in the hospital. The outcome was the same. Tinkerbell was sent home with meds and both the emergency and the VCA hospital gave me enough medication to treat her and the other four pups since they had been exposed. As I said earlier, Tinkerbell left the hospital on Sunday the 17th of July and when we arrived home, Gabby was ill. Baby Gangster followed Gabby and Bear followed Baby Gangster and final on July 19th Patches begin to show signs. I can say on this morning of July 20, 2011 Gabby, Baby G and Bear are well and thriving.These three had survived this very violent and swift killing disease. Patches, began his meds on July 21st and was well within two days. Tinkerbell is still weak and fighting for her life. 

Canine parvovirus is a very violent disease of the intestinal tract. Researching this disease, I learned that it attacks a puppy's intestinal tract and causes ulcerative enteritis, diarrhea, dehydration and death is swift it not treated in time. Any dog that contracts this disease and dose not get the proper medical help, he/she will die a slow and painful death. Its so deadly, that a dogs could die within three days. Tinkerbell was in very bad shape when she arrived at the emergency hospital. As Tinkerbell laid on the table as the doctor was assessing her.

Once the doctor has a chance to see Tinkerbell, she relieved herself which consisted of thick dark red blood. I was so afraid that I was about to lose her. Tinkerbell had to stay overnight at the emergency hospital and was released that Saturday. Her treatment was all intravenous injectable medications and I had to administer it to her every twelve hours. I had never given a shot of medication to any person or thing and was afraid I would kill her.

For more information on the disease, please type canine parvovirus in you search section on your computer and read from one of the many article written on this disease.

An Introduction to Canine Parvovirus

I have 6 dogs. Sir Browie, Precious, Patches, Gabby, Baby G, Bear (The handsome one) and Tinkerbell the runt.  Sir Browie is a Long Hair Chihuahua, Precious is Pekingese and Chihuahua. Precious is the mother of Patches, Gabby, Baby G, Bear, and Tinkerbell. Gabby and Baby G are Twins as is Bear and Tinkerbell. The puppies are mixed breed as well. They are Pekingese, Chihuahua and Jack Russell. By the way, Sir Browie is not the father. Gangster is the father. Gangster was a full blood Jack Russell who was killed on an early Sunday morning by a driver who I believe did not get up that morning looking for someone or something to kill. I just believe at that moment he spotted Gangster standing next to a parked car, he then made the decision to speed up his car and turn it just enough to hit  Gangster without hitting the park car. Why do I believe this, because I witness the incident  Rest in Peace Gangster because you are truly missed.


I decided to write this blog on Canine Parvovirus to introduce to my readers who are dog lovers the signs and symptoms of this very unforgiving and deadly disease. I want to take you on a journey where I had to find the courage to save my five puppies lives who were afflicted by this disease.


Canine parvovirus was originally discovered in the 1960s. Since then, several variations of the current strain of canine parvovirus began to emerge; in the late 1970s. At the time, it was known as canine parvovirus 2, or CPV2.


Intestinal Parvo:
Most common of the Dog Parvovirus. 


Dogs are infected through oral contact with Canine Parvovirus in feces or soil which is infected with the virus. Once the dog has contacted the virus, it replicates in the lymphoid tissue in the throat followed by a move to the bloodstream. It then attacks cells in the intestines, lymph nodes and bone marrow. The resulting effect on the dog can include fever, lethargy, vomiting and bloody diarrhea.


Cardiac Parvo:
Less common of the Dog Parvo virus, and affects mainly very young puppies, infected either in the womb, or within the first 8 weeks of life. The cardiac form of parvo damages the heart muscle, and can lead to breathing difficulties, and death.


Before a vaccine could be developed, thousands of dogs were afflicted with parvo leading to thousands of dog deaths. In 1980, another very similar strain developed replacing CPV-2, which was labelled CPV-2. In the mid 1980, a further strain developed, labelled CPV-2b, which emerged as the most prominent of the parvovirus strains. This is the most common form of the parvovirus which puppies and dogs today. Whilst a great deal has been learned about the parvovirus since its discovery, there is much which is still unknown. However, vaccines do exist for parvo and although they are not 100% effective in preventing an infection, they do prevent an enormous amount of parvovirus and in turn, further spreading of the virus. To learn more about this swift killing disease please read my blog to learn the early waring signs of this very deadly disease.


Or visit this URL http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=canine+parvovirus&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 to read some of the man articles on the disease.

Baby G Watches over his big sister - Becomes next victim

Baby G

As I mention earlier in this  piece that each dog have his/her own personality. Baby G is this happy-go-lucky dog with a beautiful smile. He thinks he is the leader of the pack. I love to see him walking down the street just as happy as he can be and as if there is no danger. One of his favorite things to do is bark at people he passes. He also like to chase people riding their bikes. As I said, Baby G is identical to his mother in body shape, but has all the signs and markings of a Jack Russell. There is always one puppies in the group that  loves its owner and I can clearly say that this is the puppy that loves me the most. He never allows me to hold or play with any of the other puppies. Anytime I play with the other puppies he jump in my right into my arms thus stopping me from playing with the other pups.  He needs to sleep next to me ever night. Whoever is sleeping next to me, he slides right between us and fall to sleep. I must admit that all he does bring joy to my heart to know how much he loves me.


After getting home from putting Tinker in the hospital I notice that Gabby was curled up in Tinker's bed. Baby is Gaby's twin brother and I found him licking her face I guess to cheer her up. He stayed with her whilst Tinker was in the hospital. I do know one thing for sure and that is when Tinker left Gabby went into some type of depression. She kept this sad look on her face.


When I went to pick-up Tinker and got her home, both Gabby and Baby G wasn't looking to good. Sunday morning, I knew they both has contracted parvo from Tinker.  The emergency hospital where I took Tinker sent me home with enough medication or all the dogs. But Tinker needed a doctor that she could see on a regular bases for the paro, so I took Gabby and Baby G with us. Sure enough all three had the disease, but Tinker was in a very serious stage of the disease. I wanted her to stay at the hospital, but the hospital closed at 9pm. I couldn't take a chance on her dying so I took her home with me.


Since both Gabby and Baby G had only been exposed for  few days, it took Baby G about two to recuperate.  He is growing and healthy.  All three animals has to be separated from the other two puppies, but Bear keep going in the room to see about his siblings. I had to keep running him out of the room and thought that he was fine. He was still going outside to play with his brother and it appeared that neither Bear nor Patches would catch paro. Boy was I wrangle After two days of treatment a-Gabby and Baby G  were fine and back eating and playing.


For more information about how this disease affects each dog differently. Please continue to read my blog on how it affect each of my dog or just type in goggle canine parvovirus.

 

GABBY

BABY  G