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Scabies, giardia and worms; Oh My!

January 18th, 2007 · 14 Comments

Poor puppy! We took him to the vet today for his first visit.

We found out why he has been scratching: Scabies! These are little mites that live in the skin. So he had to get a shot for them, and has to go back in 10 days for a follow-up shot.

Then they tested his stool. Giardia! Well, that’s not too serious, and the infestation wasn’t bad, so let’s not load him up with too many shots today.

Oh, wait a minute: Further inspection of his stool revealed: Roundworms! These are big ugly guys that live in the digestive tract eating the puppies food before he can digest it. More serious than giardia, so give the poor puppy more medicine.

All these things are more or less contagious to humans, and can reinfect the puppy, so we have to clean everything he has touched, scoop all his poop, and wash his bedding in diluted bleach. However, so far none of us have any symptoms, so we’ll probably be OK.

All the girls in the doctor’s office went crazy over him. I told Derek that he was a good way to meet girls, as long as he doesn’t tell them about the parasites. That might be a turn-off!

Tags: Family Updates

14 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Donna // Jan 18, 2007 at 9:52 pm

    Sounds like pretty normal puppy ailments, but good to treat them quickly. Hope he’s on the mend soon.

  • 2 Mom // Jan 18, 2007 at 10:21 pm

    I can empathize with giardia, but can’t see how he always made it outdoors to leave his residue. Pin worms are common in kids and animals, but I never did have round worms or scabies. Is that what we found that felt like little bumps? Aren’t they going to treat the giardia immediately? I picked that up in a State campground in NM where we drank well water; apparently it wasn’t pure. It was fairly east to treat.
    It sounds as though I led a dog’s life.

  • 3 Daryl // Jan 18, 2007 at 11:15 pm

    These worms are big puppies (so to speak). The medicine has already killed them, and the last time he went outdoors, he had a dead three-incher hanging from his butt. I pulled it out and threw it away.

    The vet just saw some giardia cysts, but no live bacteria yet. The other medicines may take care of them, but apparently they aren’t a big problem right now. Next time he goes in they will look again and decide if they need to treat them or not.

  • 4 Richard // Jan 19, 2007 at 9:31 am

    I hope you have let the breeder know. If Apollo has these ailment, then all the puppies in the litter do as well. Other owners will want to know.

    So why are you pulling 3 inch worms out of his butt? Whose puppy is this anyway?

  • 5 Daryl // Jan 19, 2007 at 10:14 am

    Derek was outside, calling “Dad, come help”. He was holding Apollo up in the air with both hands, and needed a third for the worm. So I slipped on a latex glove and helped out. For some reason Derek was squeamish about grabbing the poop-covered worm with his bare hand!

    We will email the breeder today and let her know.

  • 6 Heather // Jan 19, 2007 at 12:19 pm

    Wow! What a start! Tell Derek he needs to get used to dealing with poop covered things for the future when he becomes a dad. It is amazing what I will touch, catch and clean up from my boys!

    I still want to meet him but will wait till he gets healthy!

  • 7 Don // Jan 20, 2007 at 9:58 am

    I want to see pictures of the next worm you have to pull out. Ok, maybe not. 😉

  • 8 Mom // Jan 20, 2007 at 6:54 pm

    Do you have any idea how many of those cute little things are in there waiting to make their exit?

  • 9 Daryl // Jan 20, 2007 at 7:42 pm

    Best estimate, maybe 20 total came out. His poop was full of them for the next 12 hours or so, but now seems clean.
    Of course, there are still eggs in there waiting to hatch, so he’ll need another treatment in two weeks, and then two weeks after that, but they shouldn’t be so plentiful or large the next times.

    Sorry Don, we didn’t take any pictures. It wasn’t on our minds at the time…

    I emailed the breeder and she was grateful to know; said she would be sure to treat the others before they were picked up.

    Heather, we’ll invite you over the next time something poop-covered needs to be handled. Or don’t other people’s puppies get the same treatment your own boys do? 😉

  • 10 Heather // Jan 21, 2007 at 4:40 pm

    The poop/vomit that I handle must be produced from my boys or my pets. I am much more tolerant of boys them my pets!

    Enjoy the wormies! 🙂

  • 11 jocelyn // Jan 22, 2007 at 8:35 am

    When we got our kitten she was infected with all sorts of stuff too. But we got her medicine and now she’s all better…. anf climbing everything she can… So I’m sure the puppy will be better in no time.

  • 12 Mom // Jan 26, 2007 at 11:47 am

    We need another picture of Apollo. He must have grown a few inches since last week.

  • 13 Richard // Feb 5, 2007 at 9:29 pm

    OK Daryl, we either need photos of Apollo or the worms.

  • 14 Donna // Feb 6, 2007 at 1:11 pm

    Oh, please not the worms!!