[gina]

We just bought a puppy less than a week ago. I took her to the vet today becasue she was acting ill. She has been caughing, runny nose, loss of apetite, and leathargic. She is not ineracting with the family as she had a few days ago. The Vet said he thinks she has distemper He gave her 2 shots today. An antibiotic and a vitamin B shot. He also sent her home with some antibiotics. What I am wondering is should I put her down? I would hate to see the poor baby suffering like this. The pet store where I bought her offered to give us another puppy and to take our Pearl back to the store. I love this dog and I dont want to give her back because part of thinks she will survive. I am also scared that all the other dogs at this pet store are probabally ill as well. What are the odds that this puppy will be O.K.? I also must add that I am not rich and can not afford costly treatments. Please any advise will be greatly appreciated.

[Daveyo]

Oh gosh another dum dum vet. Your dog has Distemper. Go and find yourself some Newcastles Disease Virus Vaccine pronto at any Agriculture and animal Store. Usually it is sold where they sell vaccines for livestock. Once you get it, go quickly to that vet and weigh the dog dose is 0.1cc for every pound or 2.2 kg. If between numbers go to the next higher number. Then inject to the blood stream. Cure is 12-48 hours. Hopefully you get it inside the window before secondary signs begin to show up.

Then after 3 days from this injection do the WBC count. Distemper will attack the bone marrow which makes white blood cells. If it is low, then you have to do the spinal tap to get some of the spine fluid tested for distemper antibodies. If positive, let me know and I will tell you the next step. OK

So get that NDV now ASAP and get it inside that dog pronto.