As I promised.... a Goldie update.
Let me just say that is Freezing cold in Kentucky these days. Much more like up north... in Chicago than down south in Kentucky. Several nights have been at zero... and a few degrees below that a couple of times... and that does not include wind chills!!!
Her life in our household has been a bit difficult to say the least. Nothing too serious .... but her puppyhood has had a rather 'loose' beginning. I will try and discuss this delicately... She was 9 weeks old when she came to live with us. As you can see by the rug she is on... she has grown! Photo on the left 9 weeks + and one on the right is just the other day at 16 weeks +. She pretty much fills up the rug now.
At first we thought that she was under stress ... of leaving home new people, sleeping alone; then she wasn't eating so we gave her a little food additives (canned food as the breeder was doing) which can also bring on a bit of looseness.
Then we saw the vet for our 12 week inoculations, vet found Roundworms, (they come from mom, either in utero or via the milk). Medicated and eradicated.
Next we had a bit of teething.... which will often cause the same issue.
So, at about 14 weeks... still the same, so return visit to the vet along with a sample. The sun was coming in a high window... and I just couldn't resist the silhouette.
Diagnosis; Giardia -generally caused by unclean water or from a particular delicacy found in a yard that has visiting wild rabbits (Rabbit Treats).
At 16 weeks, the final shots and a revisit about the Giardia... Now after 4 weeks of 2 different medications, and not much improvement, although she feels better! More active. It might also be just a particularly healthy colony of Giardia and it has resisted the individual medications, but we may be seeing some improvement.... Along with this last course of medication we are changing her diet, as there may also be an allergy to something in her food. Hopefully this poor girl will get a bit more regular and I will get a full nights sleep without a trip or 2 outside in the middle of the night!!! We keep a calendar... of 'puppy business' so we will know if the puppy is holding longer... and able to go through the night without a trip outside. This calendar started out as joke for the husbands retirement...so he would know which day of the week we were on and the date. It only took a year for us to not need the chalkboard for that... we found a new reason to use it... first for Bandit and now for Goldie, but I din't change the reason!!!
It always seems to be something.... the next dog story I'll share some about Linzi, she has been a trooper!
Do you have a pet? Does it bring you joy? Share in the comments, we all want to know!!!
As Always- More later! Beth
