Help!!! Our brand new puppy has parvo!

[ryan840]

One week ago today we got a boxer/lab mix puppy, around 7:00 Monday evening. He seemed fine, had a full little belly and was in great spirits, etc... I did notice while we were there that his stool was a little soft, but not knowing much about puppies I thought it might be normal. By Tuesday morning he had diarrhea and by early Tuesday afternoon he was vomiting. I took him to the vet and he has parvo, and has been in the hospital since. I couldn't just abandon him so we are stuck with the bill now He's still there but is finally doing better and will hopefully make a full recovery, but his bills are getting scary close to the $2,000 mark. I called the lady I bought him from and she claims to have taken all the other puppies to the vet and that none of them have Parvo. I don't see how that is even possible, but it doesn't change anything for us either way. I'm wondering if I have any chance of getting some compensation from her? I don't expect that I will, but I figured I better find out what MI laws are... I did look to see if we have a puppy lemon law and we don't. Since I'm not counting on seeing a dime from that and we were in no way prepared for this, I need ideas to raise some money to cover this bill! Do people do fundraisers for their pets? I feel a little weird about that... Vet bills, shots and neutering we can handle, but $2k in the first week alone: Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

(I also didn't know he was too young to leave his mama until after we got him. I hadn't done my research because I didn't plan on buying a dog, but when I saw the for sale sign I knew I was supposed to go get him. I even knew him right away out of all the other pups. I've been doing all the research after the fact, while he is in the hospital. I truly feel I was meant to find him and save him, so please don't flame me for not being prepared!)

6 wk old Romeo the night he came home- his only night with us!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

He so cute.

I bet the other puppies have Parvo too and she's not telling the truth about taking them to the vet.

How about putting together a quick yard sale to make some money?

 

[ryan840]

He so cute.

I bet the other puppies have Parvo too and she's not telling the truth about taking them to the vet. How about putting together a quick yard sale to make some money?

Thanks! I'm thinking that's exactly what she did... I just had a yard sale last month and cleared out all my extra stuff. Too bad I didn't know then what I know now!

 

[bballmom56]

Oh he is just adorable. No wonder you fell in love with him and thank goodness for him that you did. You are wonderful for not turning your back on him. I would ask your vet if they know if you have any legal options for having the seller compensate you for the vet bills since this puppy had to have it before you got him if it showed that soon.

I hope your little guy gets better quickly and comes home to live with you very soon!!

 

[ryan840]

Oh he is just adorable. No wonder you fell in love with him and thank goodness for him that you did. You are wonderful for not turning your back on him. I would ask your vet if they know if you have any legal options for having the seller compensate you for the vet bills since this puppy had to have it before you got him if it showed that soon.

I hope your little guy gets better quickly and comes home to live with you very soon!!

Geez, with all the other questions running through my mind I never did ask that one! At one point I meant to and forgot, and it's slipped my mind ever since.

 

[hereyago]

He is too precious and I am sorry he is sick.


Did said "seller" tell you the name of the vet she took the pups too? I won't flame you for being unprepared.

Were there many pups left after you picked yours? Could you call your local humane society and let them know this woman is selling them and they are sick? I dont know just an idea.

 

[kacaju]

I have a contract from my breeder that states:
Your new puppy comes with a 21 day money back guarentee, for whatever reason.

The pup also came with a 2 year health guarantee and the guarantee includes hereditary issues.

Did you get any kind of contract with the puppy?

 

[clh2]

New puppy=adorable Thanks for posting a pic!

And glad he found you! Because for sure, all the other puppies in the litter have this too.

I cannot offer any words of wisdom - I'm not feeling very wise tonight!

Good Luck

 

[CathrynRose]

6 wk old Romeo the night he came home- his only night with us!

Ouch! $2000?? Yikes!

Was this a breeder? Or someone looking to get rid of pups? I don't even know who you could call? Maybe the ASPCA could guide you?

And you know that Romeo doesn't look Boxer, right? He looks a lot like my Hazel, a pit mix, when she was a youngin'. Did you see the Mom or Dad?

 

[BELLE1109]

And you know that Romeo doesn't look Boxer, right? He looks a lot like my Hazel, a pit mix, when she was a youngin'. Did you see the Mom or Dad?

my second thought was that dog is not a boxer...
first was POOR BABY!

I'm sorry to say if this is not a reputable breeder concerned about their reputation (which I guarantee they are not considering they sold you a puppy way too young) you are out of luck.
However, for the sake of the other babies, please please contact your ASPCA and alert then about your dog's situation.
They may be able to do a welfare check on the others.

Good luck and God bless you for seeing him through this!

 

[ryan840]

No, she didn't tell me the name of the vet she took them too. She actually left a message for me that she took them (and honestly, it was a little more than an hour after I called to let her know about the parvo that she called back, so how she got in and out of the vet with four puppies and their mom and grandma and had them all tested for parvo, plus the mom's post birth check-up that she already had scheduled AND got the results is beyond me...) so I never spoke with her.

I paid $50 for the dog, wrote a check to cash (I'm sure that should have been a red flag too but honestly, the name on the check doesn't matter, the bank can still tell me who cashed it) and left. The house seemed clean, the puppies seemed well cared for they loved her back, and the couple seemed like a normal decent couple. I didn't think of them as breeders so I didn't really ask many questions, I just knew I was there to buy the dog.

Now I'm convinced they knew the puppies were sick and that's why they were selling them so cheap. I'm so glad I didn't have another dog at home who could get sick too!

 

[alliecats]

OMG, that face, those eyes! I agree with CathrynRose, though, I am not seeing a boxer here but a baby pit mix.

I agree also that I seriously doubt she took those puppies to a vet. I hope the other ones were as lucky as yours is. Bless you for fighting so hard for his life.

 

[CathrynRose]

Now I'm convinced they knew the puppies were sick and that's why they were selling them so cheap. I'm so glad I didn't have another dog at home who could get sick too!

You're absolutely right. Parvo is a nightmare.

I really would call the ASPCA, is nothing else to do what a PP mentioned....check on the welfare of the other animals in this woman's care.

Poor thing. I'll be sending good thoughts you and Romeo's way.

 

[ryan840]

I didn't get him because of his breed, so if he's not a boxer I don't care. I can only go by what she told me, kwim? I do know that the mom and grandma are labs, because I met them. Mom looked like she might have had some boxer in her so maybe the lady used that and "forgot" about the pit part? Who knows, clearly I can't believe much of what they said! I am going to call that city's animal control tomorrow and let them know about it.

As for disinfecting, I guess we got lucky to have only had him the one night. He only went once in the grass and we dug it out and bleached the surrounding area, and bleached the driveway where he went too. I've boiled his leash and collar and toys, bleached his little travel kennel and that's pretty much everything. He was out on the floor in the laundry room for a little bit and of course we bleached that, and I've washed my bedding which is the only other place he was out of his kennel.

CathrynRose- He does look just like your dog! I guess I'll know soon enough if he uses his front paws a lot. I'll start researching pits too, the vet mentioned he looked like he might have some in him too.

 

[golfgal]

Ouch! $2000?? Yikes!

Was this a breeder? Or someone looking to get rid of pups? I don't even know who you could call? Maybe the ASPCA could guide you?

And you know that Romeo doesn't look Boxer, right? He looks a lot like my Hazel, a pit mix, when she was a youngin'. Did you see the Mom or Dad?

I was thinking the same thing.

OP, you probably won't get anything out of them, especially with all the info you posted about how you paid, etc. Chalk it up to lesson learned and hope the little guy is ok.

 

[DMRick]

Boxer/lab mix, eh? Did your vet agree? Looks just like the puppy pits that come into petsmart (and they are so very cute) during our cat rescue clinics.

In most instances, with reputable breeders, the agreements are that the breeder will take back the puppy within 30 days. That usually means the pup will be put down, so people (even after only a week) are attached, so they decide to keep them and pay the bills themselves.
On Judge Judy, she has been know to give back what you paid, if the dog died. She would point out that you should have returned the dog. Your state may have other laws, but I think you are out of luck. Did you try pleading your case with your vet and see if he will cut you some slack with the bill?

I'm sorry this happened. Perhaps you can talk to friends and tell them you are having a garage sale, and why, and see if they have anything they were planning on getting rid of, that they would donate.

One week ago today we got a boxer/lab mix puppy, around 7:00 Monday evening. He seemed fine, had a full little belly and was in great spirits, etc... I did notice while we were there that his stool was a little soft, but not knowing much about puppies I thought it might be normal. By Tuesday morning he had diarrhea and by early Tuesday afternoon he was vomiting. I took him to the vet and he has parvo, and has been in the hospital since. I couldn't just abandon him so we are stuck with the bill now He's still there but is finally doing better and will hopefully make a full recovery, but his bills are getting scary close to the $2,000 mark.

 

[DMRick]

Sorry, I hadn't read ahead.

I didn't get him because of his breed, so if he's not a boxer I don't care. I can only go by what she told me, kwim? I do know that the mom and grandma are labs, because I met them. Mom looked like she might have had some boxer in her so maybe the lady used that and "forgot" about the pit part? .

 

[hereyago]

CathrynRose-how are Charley and Hazel? they are too adorable.

OP: I am so sorry this happened. Dang, you didn't even have to take him in for a "got my new puppy checkup" before that happened.

The "buyer" probably let her pup get pregnant by some random dog, then trying to make money from the "cost of the puppies", except, she didn't have to spend any money. Pups get the milk from their mom, unless the mom weaned them early. And it looks like she didn't get them to a vet, so no cost there.

What if any laws does your state have about selling a pup before 8 weeks old?

 

[loopymommy]

OP, thank you for not taking the easy way out. You saved a life that is priceless. Our first rescue dog cost us about that much in vet bills and gave us a decade of unconditional love and companionship. If you returned the dog, I doubt they would've brought it to the vet to be put down. They probably would've just let it die what would have been a horrible, painful death. You did the right thing. Thanks again.

ETA: He's a pit. He looks like Petey from the "Little Rascals." Smart, loyal, sweet. Yours is adorable.

 

[ryan840]

CathrynRose-how are Charley and Hazel? they are too adorable.

OP: I am so sorry this happened. Dang, you didn't even have to take him in for a "got my new puppy checkup" before that happened.

The "buyer" probably let her pup get pregnant by some random dog, then trying to make money from the "cost of the puppies", except, she didn't have to spend any money. Pups get the milk from their mom, unless the mom weaned them early. And it looks like she didn't get them to a vet, so no cost there.

What if any laws does your state have about selling a pup before 8 weeks old?

I just looked it up, it is illegal for pet shop owners to sell a puppy under 8 weeks. Nothing about anybody else. We do not have a puppy lemon law in MI.

Loopymommy- I had a hard time deciding what to do. I never would have abandoned him or sent him back to that lady, but we really don't have the money to pay for this right now so I had to do some heavy thinking. The hospital had a program where I could have surrendered him to them and they would treat him and then adopt him out if he made it, but I wouldn't have been able to call and check on him or find out how he did. I tried to convince myself to do that as he would receive the exact same care that I'm paying for, but I fell in love with that sucker before I ever met him I think!