Sick, limping puppy.

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that little Sparkles is not doing well.

It sounds like the two parasites that he had were Giardia and Coccidia. These can make a dog very very sick with vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss. However they shouldn't cause limping.

It's hard to say why he is limping. It's certainly possible that he has sustained an injury. But this shouldn't make him so lethargic.

I'm really worried that there is something very serious going on. When I see puppies like this that have multiple problems and don't gain weight like their siblings then I get worried that they may have been born with a serious problem such as a heart condition or possibly a liver problem called a hepatic shunt. Unfortunately if this is the case then there is not a whole lot that we can do.

Lyme disease is really not common in such a young puppy. The animal would have to receive a tick bite and then it takes 4-6 weeks for symptoms to develop. The symptoms are usually muscle pain and lethargy that comes and goes. To me, it sounds like this is more of a sudden thing.

Some kind of infection on Sparkles' foot or leg could cause limping and lethargy. If there is an infection then the sooner he gets antibiotics the better.

Unfortunately there is no over the counter medication for pain that I would consider safe to use for him. These medicines are all processed through the liver and kidneys and we don't know if those organs are healthy.

Is there any way you can get him off of the island to see a vet? His best chance of survival is to have him seen as soon as possible.

Until then, I would try to encourage him to eat. (Perhaps you could make a broth from some canned food?) You can also offer him some unsweetened pedialyte (which is something you can get at the pharmacy that helps children fight dehydration.) If he tolerates it, you can try putting an ice pack over the joints of his sore leg. This might help somewhat with the pain.

I really hope he pulls through!

Dr. Marie.


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