A Terrible Week

Last Friday we felt that the puppies were really on the mend-- so much so that little Maggie (aka Sarah Jane) went to her new home! But on Saturday we awoke to a terribly ill Sabrina. Her blood sugar was so low that it caused her to have a seizure, and her body temperature was very low as well. We rushed to our vet who diagnosed pneumonia, but warned us that poor Sabrina could also be suffering from a congenital defect known as a liver shunt. We took her home and began a round-the-clock regimen of treatments (syringe feedings of special food, subcutaneous injection of fluids, new antibiotics, heating pad, capillary blood sugar checks, etc.). Sunday, she was cold and had even lower blood sugar. When the vet re-opened on Monday, we were there again, and this time came home with a nebulizer and the knowledge that she had lost weight over the weekend in spite of the feedings.

We kept up with her treatments and by Tuesday she seemed more stable. Her breathing was less labored and she was eating well. Hank had been her constant companion throughout this, keeping her warm with his body. But by Wednesday he was frolicking around their pen while she watched-- alert but resting-- from her heating pad. By tonight she was playing a bit herself and has hopefully turned a corner on the pneumonia (though they both are still coughing occasionally). The hope is that her blood sugar problems were a symptom of her struggle with the upper respiratory infection. As it clears, we will begin to see if that was exacerbated by an underlying problem (such as a liver shunt).

Unfortunately, we had hoped that Maggie was happy and on the mend in her new home. But she was rushed to her new vet with identical symptoms to Sabrina on Wednesday. That vet independently came to the same worrisome diagnosis: pneumonia and possible liver shunt.

So, for now we are freezing the adoptions of Sabrina and Hank until we know for sure that they are going to be OK. We do not want any more families to face the heartbreak & expense that Maggie's family is!

These photos and this video are from tonight (there are more new photos from the week in the photo album). Enjoy!