by Nancy Gallimore
I forced my eyelids open at still-dark o’clock in the morning. When you have a houseful of foster dogs who need to go potty, you don’t sleep in. This morning was especially pressing because our rescue, Tails You Win K-9 Rescue, had a sweet mama dog and her four little sons recently released from Tulsa Animal Services in its care.
If you have never cared for a litter of growing puppies, let me assure you that jumping out of bed and getting straight into cleaning mode are vital. Mature dogs wake up and go outside to take care of nature’s call. Baby puppies wake up and immediately decorate just about every square inch of the floor in their puppy pen. So speed in providing necessary attention is vital or you’ll end up giving puppy baths in addition to cleaning the nursery.
Initially, all seemed very normal in puppy land — a spacious pen in our heated garage where the family was afforded quarantine as well as privacy from the prying sniffs of our other canine residents. Four little tail-waggers swarmed my feet vying for attention. The pen cleaned and noses smooched, I headed inside to start handing out breakfast.
After the dogs in the house were satisfied, it was back to my foster family to feed their mom, dubbed Beth, and offer warm puppy mash to Gene, Ace, Paul, and Peter (bonus points to everyone who understands the name theme). The puppies, now about five weeks old, although still enjoying the occasional visit to Beth’s milk bar, had also started eating soaked-to-soggy puppy food. This addition to their menu met with great enthusiasm, and all pups appeared to be thriving.
Everything Was OK Until It Wasn’t
All thriving, that is, until that Friday morning. Three of the puppies swarmed the bowl as usual, but little Paul sat back, seemingly uninterested. Just 30 minutes prior, he had appeared fine, seeking attention and hopping around with his brothers. Now he moved away from the breakfast buffet and curled up solo on a dog bed.
You could shrug this off by saying he possibly had filled up when he nursed a bit earlier. You could decide that disinterest in just one meal was probably no big deal. You could choose to wait and see how he feels later, right?
Wrong. The wait-and-see approach that I might adopt for a few hours with an adult dog who seems a little off does not apply to a young puppy. Any change in behavior or activity is cause for concern.
I picked Paul up and noticed that he felt very warm. I checked his gums and found them pale and a little tacky to the touch. I offered Paul a little bite of chicken — a treat normally met with sharklike enthusiasm. Paul sniffed and turned his head away. Then I noticed Paul’s breathing seemed a bit rapid and shallow. That was enough for me to know we had a problem.
Pajamas quickly swapped for jeans and a hoodie, Paul and I headed to the animal urgent care. Time is often not on your side with a sick puppy. Getting veterinary support is crucial.
Urgent Care Required
Chris Johnson, D.V.M., at Tulsa Animal Urgent Care immediately took Paul for an exam. In a short time, my concerns were confirmed. Paul had a high temperature and congestion in his lungs. Because Paul had been quarantined for three weeks since leaving the animal shelter and the other puppies remained healthy, Dr. Johnson believed Paul had possibly aspirated fluid into his lungs while nursing or eating.
Aspiration pneumonia is a very serious diagnosis for a young puppy and one that requires aggressive treatment and supportive care. Paul remained hospitalized on oxygen and IV fluids and antibiotics while also receiving steroids to lessen inflammation in his lungs. I was told he was resting quietly, which was not comforting news. A five-week-old puppy is generally anything but sedate.
Change in Behavior or Condition Is Cause for Concern
According to Dr. Johnson, any alterations in normal behavior — including energy level, appetite, stool character, breathing, or the presence of vomiting/regurgitation — warrants evaluation by a veterinarian.
“Energy level and appetite are paramount to me in any patient, but puppies can make changes for the worse all the more quickly,” said Dr. Johnson. “Younger dogs, especially in the first several weeks of life, have a much higher risk of developing low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Puppies do not have sufficient stores of sugar in their bodies; therefore, they must get sugar (carbohydrates) directly from a food source. If they skip a meal, hypoglycemia can ensue and if not treated quickly, can even be fatal.”
“Another thing to consider besides energy level and appetite is breathing and temperature,” added Dr. Johnson. “If a puppy has a consistent change in respiratory rate or effort, he should be seen by a veterinarian.” Little Paul was the perfect example of this.
Dr. Johnson went on to explain that because puppies do not have fully developed immune systems, they can develop impressively high fevers. This was the case with Paul. Although fevers exist to fight against infection, an extremely high fever can create secondary issues in the body which can lead to organ failure, blood-clotting issues, and other complications.
One thing Dr. Johnson also stresses with new puppy owners is the need for appropriate vaccines and preventive care. “Puppies should always receive three to four sets of immunizations and should be kept away from areas that other dogs frequent until they are fully vaccinated,” he advises. “Equally important is deworming. Even if a puppy has been dewormed, it is still necessary to perform a fecal examination with your veterinarian so the appropriate deworming medication can be administered.”
A Tale with a Happy Ending
So how did Paul’s story end? Thankfully, my little spotted guy responded quickly to treatment. Just 12 hours after walking into urgent care, I was able to take Paul home for the night with instructions for strict supervision and prescribed medications. A follow-up exam the next morning was met with the great news that Paul was on the mend almost as quickly as he had become critically ill.
The moral of Paul’s story is this: Overreaction is far better than the wait-and-see approach potentially leading to a puppy who no longer has a fighting chance. To the untrained eye, Paul’s initial symptoms might not have seemed profound. It would have been easy to wait an hour or two to seek help. But at that point, his outcome might not have been so rosy. I would rather pay an exam fee to find out nothing is wrong than to have a more conservative approach result in tragedy.
It’s now Sunday morning, and I feel a fierce tug at the cuff of my pants. I look down to see sweet Paul yanking at his fabric foe with all his six-pound might. As I gently remind him that “killing” a toy instead of my clothing is a much better idea, I must also smile in gratitude at his antics. A healthy, ornery puppy is a beautiful sight.
