Please help! 9 week old chocolate lab is sick! How in the world do I know what to do?? Pet store purchase?

Question

3 days ago and she is sick. She didn't have great energy even Day 1, but we were hoping she was just calm. She really didn't dig into her food like a hungry puppy, but we were happy that she was drinking well. Last night she stoppped eating and drinking, was lethargic, runny eyes and nose, and had a dry cough, heavy breathing, and frequent gagging and bringing up mucousy stuff. My vet says, distemper, or pnemonia. Vet doubts kennel cough only because she looks so sick and has chect congestion and heavy breathing. Getting the total run-around form the pet store. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME IDEAS! The pet store says they will treat her and giver her back when she is "better". We lost our 15 year old yellow lab last month and our hearts are breaking! Our vet said just the work-up to see what is wrong is $600. Any advice would be so appreciated. Thank you!

Answer 1

Now you know why you shouldn't get a puppy from pet store! Check this ASPCA website for the Puppy Lemon laws in your state so you can learn your rights.

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=cruelty_puppymills_lemon

Next time, find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money. The best breeders will be members of their breed club, promoting healthy dogs with great temperaments. They should ask you a bunch of questions to make sure their puppy will be getting a good home. If all a "breeder" seems to care about is whether your check will clear, you can be sure he won't care a week later when the pup is dying from distemper or parvo and you want your money back.

Whatever you do, DON'T go to a pet shop, a flea market or buy one sight-unseen off the Internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are often kept in deplorable conditions - spending their entire lives in small wire-bottomed cages. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there.

These so-called "breeders" have now figured out that they can use the internet to ship a dog directly to the customer and thus make more money by cutting out the middleman. If you buy a dog from out of state, good luck getting your money back if there's something wrong with the pup. These people count on you becoming instantly attached to the poor little guy and being willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars at the vet to treat whatever is wrong with him.

Answer 2

Did you contact the pet store that you bought her at?They most likely have a warranty.If you haven't yet I would contact them ASAP..they might be able to help you out!I work at a pet store and if we have a problem like this(which we rarely do..not ALL pet stores are bad..you can get a sick dog from a breeder too..it happens)We give 14 days to let you have the puppy checked by your own vet and if there's something wrong you can return the dog for another one,for a full refund,we would reimburse for any meds ,or we would treat the dog and then give it back after our vet gives it a clean bill of health.


Okay..for All of you who think all pet stores are horrible places..I LOVE animals and would never work at a place that mistreated them or sold sick ones.I've worked in a pet store for over 4 years..there are some good ones out there that DO get their puppies from breeders not "puppy mills".Please don't believe people when they tell you that every single pet store is a bad place..it's just not true.Where I work all of our puppies are checked by a vet ONCE A WEEK.If there is ANY problem AT ALL they are NOT to leave our store.They are treated and once they are COMPLETELY better they are put up for sale.All of our puppies are up to date on their vaccines and have been dewormed with several different dewormers (as profalactic treatment)they also all have full 1 year warranty.We deal with ignorant people such as the people in here on a daily basis and it can get pretty damn annoying.Okay as for the guy that said we "euth" the sick puppies instead of treating them..please don't give information about something you know nothing about.We would absolutely treat them and ABSOLUTELY give the puppy back when it was better.We would NEVER euthanize..please don't be ignorant.I know I can't speak for all pet stores..there may be some out there like that..just please don't think that if one is bad they all are bad.Thank you.

Answer 3

First, You need to go back to the store and have them pay the vet bill. Your dog is obviously sick and if you cannot afford the vet bills then you need to go after the company. Stores often get away with selling sick animals and people just don't do anything about it. You need to let them know that they are dealing with ill animals and that they need to fix the problem. PLEASE, please, please, in the future DO NOT buy a puppy from a pet store. You might be saving the life of that one dog but just think about the cruelty to the puppies that follow.

And I really must reply to Courtney's post. I would LOVE to see the store you work in because you must have huge fields and runs for the puppies to play and exerice in. You must also be feeding the puppies high quality food like Innova or Wellness and not Eukanuba, Iams, Purina, Science Diet, etc. Oh right and your puppies come from breeders. (sarcasm).

Selling animals in pet stores IS CRUEL. They are caged for most of their time there, they DO NOT get fed good food, and NO REPUTABLE BRREDER WOULD SELL TO A PET STORE. I'm sorry but even if your store has a "breeder only" policy and will only buy from breeders, who's to say that breeder isn't running a puppymill? I know so many breeders who raise their dogs in devastating conditions. It takes so long to shut these places down and that is why they get away with what they are doing. If you are so convinced that your store is selling healthy, safe, well brought up dogs, visit the breeders.

PLEASE everyone, go to a shelter or seek out a reputable breeder when purchasing a pet.

Answer 4

We have a chocolate lab and they won't stop chewing until they are close to a year old. They also love to dig. My suggestion is confine her in a kennel when you aren't around; for her safety and for your peace of mind. Now this mean you will have to let her out if you work and that means coming home for lunch. Also, get her toys, LOTS of toys, stuffed animals she can chew, raw hides and pig ears. As for the whining, firmly say no, everytime she whines. Basically, put her in the kennel and leave the room, when she whines, come in and say "no" firmly, then leave the room again. Do it about 3 times and then stay gone. Also, though, make sure you keep toys and treats in the kennel. Also, try putting a radio or tv on. The noise will help too. Also, if the kennel is an open kennel (can see into it from every angle), then cover it with a blanket. You risk her chewing the heck out of the blanket, but that is okay. Dogs/puppies love a den feeling, so an enclosed kennel is good. I would not leave your dog tied up anywhere. My sister's in-laws had a dog die that way. If you need to leave your puppy outside, your best bet is to get a 6' chain link kennel that is about 6'x12'. Put a dog house in it too, but be sure to check it/clean it weekly for spiders. Unfortunately, you'll have to deal with the whining for a while. There is a bit of separation anxiety from not being around her litter mates or mom. Blankets, stuffed animals, toys and a lot of attention from you as well as not caving into the whining will help. Give her time to adjust and she'll be fine.

Answer 5

A lot of pet stores sell sick puppies for some reason. This sounds like the symptoms of a dog that came to the vet clinic I worked at and It's skull wasn't growing right. I know wierd huh it came in with the same symptoms as you are describing and these people bought it from a pet store. but that is one of many reasons that could be causing it to be sick. I would send the bill to the pet store they should have a so many day guarentee on health on the puppies they sell. Just like a lot of breeders have a health guarentee i've seen them go up as far as a year on one of them, if it happens to be something in the bloodline and proven then the breeder can get stuck with the vet bill. I would make them pay the vet bill get my baby home with me and take it to the vet I choose. if there was a guarentee. wish you the best of luck.

Answer 6

OK- upfront bad news: U screwed up.

U purchased a pup who was noticeably dull, & lied to Urselves abt the cause ["she's just calm"... HAH!]
now U have a seriously sick pup, & the pet-shop is telling U it';s not their problem.

i'd DOUBT that they'll "treat her & give her back when she's better" - more likely, they'll euth her, claim that they couldn't save her [euth fluid is cheaper than vet services], & tell U that they're sorry, but she "couldn't be saved" - & they may ADD "U waited too long".
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SEE if Ur state has a LEMON LAW for pups & other pets: call Ur local AnControl & complain abt the pet-shop [U won't be the 1st one to have a gripe!!].

ask the AnCon officers if they know of a state or local "pet lemon law"; they ARE around, but not every state has one.

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if Ur pup has DiSTEMPER, this can cause brain damage or nerve damage; epilepsy is one possible lifelong after-effect. so let's hope it's pneumonia...
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ask Ur vet for a Payment Plan -
call a local Humane Soc, & ask for donations to help pay Ur pet's vet bills.

or contact United Animal Nations: they have a website, & they help cover emergency care for pets whose owners can't afford it.

call a LAWYER, & ask them to write a letter to the pet-shop, threatening legal action if they don't help U pay the pup's vet bill. tell them they can split it now, or pay it plus court costs & interest, PLUS replace the dog, if U have to go to court.

sometimes just a blunt, no-chit-chat note from lawyer can get them to see the light real quick...

don't give up! this doesn't sound like Parvo, but URI can kill too. Ur pup needs good vet care, & excellent nursing.

see if there's a vet tech near U, or a wildlfe rehabber, who will agree to check her hydration & keep her fluids up w/ subQ fluids. that one thing can be a life-saver...

i'll be praying...

Answer 7

Consider asking your vet to do some Chest X-Rays on her, and maybe drawing up some blood work if he hasnt done so already. As far as the pet store goes, I wouldnt recommend that you give them back your pet so that they can cure it, keep in mind that the pet store is not an Animal Hospital, I would get your pet treated and have your Vet bill the pet store.

Answer 8

Please find a new vet ASAP and get your new baby some help it shouldn't cost $600 for a work up!! Then any and all pet stores are responsible for the pets that they sale,don't let up on them if you have to turn them over to the better business burrow or what ever then do so, and if there is one sick pup chances are there maybe another.

Answer 9

Didn't the vet do any tests? first thing to test for is Parvo. I would take the puppy back to the pet store and either let them get her well or give you another pup or refund. If the pup dies they are obligated to make it right.

I am sorry this pup is sick, but with all the info out there, why did you buy from a pet store?

Take it back, if they are offering to make the pup better and it doesn't get better, its all on them!!!

Answer 10

I would have the work done, and give the bill to the pet store. They should have never sold a sick dog in the first place! If you keep having trouble with the pet store, tell them you've been very patient with them, but if they don't fix their mistake you'll be forced to call consumer protection. Things should be fixed almost immediately because they don't want bad reviews against them.