February 2009

• Bubba’s Story - by Frank & Nedra L. - (Mon, Feb 02 2009)
  One week prior to christmas 2008 my 33 y/o dau. presented us with a chocolate lab which was repordedly 8 wks old. The pup was very small and probably only 5/6 wks of age. Unlike most pups , this one was not active, had bow legs and a noticable awkward walk. I thought maybe he had hip dysplaysia. After christmas I took Bubba to a vet for shots, he hd three small feet and one large foot, and two open sores on his nose. The vet examined him and gave a prescripton of anti-biotic and steroids to make hime grow. He was scheduled to return in three weeks. The night before his visit with the vet, I took him outside and he sat down , urinated, tried to get up and fell on his side.I took Bubba immediately to the Animal Emergency Hospital where he was given an intraveinous anti-biotic, a shot for pain and informed Bubba had distemper and given only a 20% survival. I brought Bubba home and became emotional telling my wife about little Bubba that I had grown to love. We keep his appointment with the regular vet the next day, he was given a prescription of anti-biotics, eye medication and pills for pain. We came home not dejected but oppotimistic that Bubba and us would beat this terriable disease. We bought Bubba, baby food, soft dog food, dog pads, and pedilyte. Bubba had been coughing two weeks prior and we just thought it was a reaction to the steroids or cold. The first two days we almost lost Bubba, he was in the advanced stage, had pneumonia, running nose and partial paralysis in his hind legs. We took him to bed with us, slep with lights on, fed him baby food and gave him pedilyte by dropper.Three days went by and no bowel movement.His vet called me every day in the morning and evening before she got off work. Things got worst on the third day as Bubba vomitted for one hour straight. I filled the one gallon plastic jug with warm water, keep him covered and stayed by his side. At 11pm I took Bubba outside and he had a bowel movement. At 12:00 Pm I sat him by his food bowel and he ate and ate. Later he lapped down the Pedialyte to our relief.Bubba had two go days where he walked four or five feet and then had to be carried, he continued to eat solid food and take in fluids. Then a relapse occured where he did not eat for a day and refused fluids. Then next day he returned to eating, drinking and sleeping. We are optimistic that Bubba will make it. This is a horriable disease. With Bubba fighting for his life, and our watching over him with great love and affection and prayers he should make it. We do not know how long he will be like this. We only know there are good days and bad days and that Bubba is very precious to us. He looks up with love and and sleeps with us, asking nothing but to give his love. [more..]