[TillyHeart]

Hi there my name is Tiff, I'm from Texas, 28 years old. I just got my first chi pup for christmas, she is a 2 lb long hair, 11 weeks old. Her name is Tilly, and she has stolen my heart from the get go.

When I got her I was staying 6 hours away with my mom, and was there for a month during christmas break, she did fabulous and got on with my mom's chi perfectly.

I brought her home to south tx on Monday and it's been one thing after the next. I found her very disoriented that night, at first I thought it was because of the car ride, but then I went ahead and took her to the ER because I was freaking out. Turned out she had hypoglocemia, I guess this is quite common with these tinies. I have been told to give her nutri cal every four hours and have been doing so.

THEN, on wednesday she had to have her second shots, in which case she had a bad reaction and i had to take her back to the vet TWICE for benadryl shot and checkup becuase her lil face swelled up.

THEN yesterday on new years eve she seemed disoriented again so I took her back to the vet and she tells me I should give her the nutri cal every two hours and that she has a slight cough infection, so she is now on antibiotic twice a day.

PLEASE tell me this is semi normal and maybe she is just having a rough start. Should I be even more worried than I already am? Today she is doing pretty well, eating well, playing well, hardly coughing. Seems her normal self but I'm terrified to let my guard down in the slightst.

I would appreciate anyones support or advice and thank you for allowing me to share this.

Love, Tiff & Tilly

 

[codyann]

aww bless you! she aint had the best start has she poor thing, ill be honest with roxi she was fine and ive had really no problems with her health wise but i do think that you are doing the right thing by taking her vet if something changes and that you are keeping your eye on her. hopefully she will get better soon. and welcome to the forum
keep us informed by the way

 

[Brodysmom]

Sounds like she's had a rough start. NO more vaccinations until (and if) she gets bigger and her immune system gets back to a normal baseline. This is a thread in itself, but you can do some reading on vaccinosis and I heavily recommend this baby NOT be vaccinated again, especially considering her reaction. You could lose her next time.

Stress can cause hypoglycemia, as can her size. 2 pounds is pretty normal for an 11 week old so she's not super tiny but some have more trouble with low blood sugars. The nutrical is good, but you should give a protein with it or her sugars will just bounce around. First wayyyyyyyy up from the sugar in the nutrical and then it bottoms out a couple hours later UNLESS you back it up with a protein. If she's not a big eater (many puppies aren't) and you can't get her to eat some kibble with the nutrical, then use chicken baby food. The beech nut brand is the best. The gerbers has corn starch in it. Give her a teaspoon of the baby food every time you give the nutrical. If she won't lick it up, then syringe it into her mouth. Protein is very important in regulating blood sugar.

Try to minimize stress if you can. Let her rest. Make sure she eats every few hours. Does she have kennel cough? Antibiotics can depress appetite.

Tilly just needs some support right now, but I think she will come through fine. Just stay on top of everything. Get back to us with questions and we'll help you. Congrats on your new baby.

 

[TillyHeart]

Well she honestly has no problems eating oddly. The only time I had trouble with her eating was yesterday and I think that was because I left her for an hour to get some stuff done, which I feel terribly guilty about. When I came back she seemed all stressed out and hadn't eaten and then that's when I saw her to be disoriented. The vet gave me some wet food that she LOVES and will eat untill I make her stop. She seems alot better today. As for the vaccines, My breeder and others have told me the bad reaction is pretty common, and usually they just give the benadryl before hand if they know this will happen. Isn't it unhealthy not to give them vaccines? I have a very well known vet and I feel I can trust her judgment, but then again I'm so new at this. I never knew how nerve wrecking this could be. I only ever had cats before, no kids or anything. Now that I know how stressed I get over a lil puppy, not sure If I can handle kids now hehe. My husband thinks I get too worked up a bit, but really the poor thing has been through hell. Just so you know though, when I say she had a bad reaction to the shots, her face just swelled up a bit, she didn't get sick or lower on her blood sugar. The only time she has had problems with her blood sugar is when we traveled all day and then yesterday when I left her. Do you think if I'm giving her nutrical every four hours and shes eating fine that is enough, or would you still suggest the baby chicken? I think what scared me the most was the cough infection, and no it can't be kennel cough I don't believe, because she has never been boarded. I've had her three weeks and watched her like a hawk and she never had it untill yesterday. They noticed it while I was at the vets, but prior to that she had maybe only coughed once ever. So it's not really bad. I do tend to fret, I'm a massive worry wart. I just never knew how attatched I woudl get to her, and now I freak out over everything. I appreciate all of your advice and support. It means the world to me.

 

[chi's R me]

You just got very good advice from Brodysmom. Just hang in there it'll get easier with the low blood as she gets bigger and they grow pretty fast. (actually way too fast) lol
Welcome to chi-people.

 

[Amandarose531]

Brodysmom as always to the rescue, that is fantastic advice.

I agree, NO MORE vaccinations, if nothing else till she isn't quite so small. Our wee ones, and even the big ones, can react very poorly to them and with one so teeny it's not always a pleasant ending.

Welcome to the board, hope you can find some comfort here. Also, hello from a fellow Texan.

 

[LovesMyPups]

Aww, sorry to hear your new pup is having a rough start. I would have been bringing her in if it were me too! I would keep up with the nurtical, along with regular frequent feedings. Sounds like you have been keeping a good watch on her and know when she's a bit off though so I'm sure she's in good hands!
About the cough though... my youngest has a teensy heart murmur, and I've been told to watch for a cough because that means it is getting more severe. Has your baby been cleared for her heart?
Congrats and Welcome!

 

[cprcheetah]

I agree with what Brody's mom said, NO MORE vaccines for this girl probably EVER, the next reaction could possibly kill her. What is she eating (brand etc?), does she eat well? My Zoey had a pretty rough start as well, it took some time, patience and lots of diligence making sure she had her nutrical and baby food, and making sure she ate but we pulled her through it. If she continues to have problems with low blood sugar you might want to have further testing done to find out if there is an underlying reason. Zoey has hydrocephalus which makes her more prone to them.

 

[FurKidMommy]

Oh bless her heart! I don't have anything to add. I just wanted to welcome you to the forum and tell you that I hope your baby girl feels well soon!

 

[TillyHeart]

Thank you all!

I would like to thank you all for being so kind to me and for helping me ease my mind a bit. It really means alot. I have felt really alone in all of this because no one here seems to really understand, none of my friends have chi's and realise how fragile they can truly be.

My mom has one and has been my only support and she is 6 hours away, so she does the best she can. I really do appreciate all your help though and for welcoming me. Most forrums I have joined in the past have never been so welcoming.

I know one of you asked what brand of food she is on, well I had her on Royal Canine dry food, which she LOVEDDD. She really has never had problems eating untill yesterday, yesterday was the first time i left her alone. I had to do errands for only one hour and came back to a totally distressed lil girl. I felt terrible and so guilty. That is when my vet suggested me put her on science diet wet food, which she loves and I've been giving her lil bits of that several times a day and nutrical every four hours.

Today she seems alot better, but I'm terrified to let my guard down in the slightest, so I'm watching her every move. I won't even leave her to go to the store. I'm kind of worried when I eventually HAVE to leave her, becuase she is getting really attatched and really used to me always being around. If any of you have suggestions on this, please let me know also. I work from home but from time to time I do have to do errands and stuff, doesn't everyone!

Tonight I had to go walmart to get more potty pads, so I made my husband come along with me so he could sit with Tilly in the car. I refuse to leave her when she is feeling this way.

Brodysmom, you had told me to give her babyfood, do I need to do that even if she is eating fine? Also about the vaccines, I really don't know what to do because aren't vaccines nesacary? Also I might have made it seem worse than it was as I'm a bit of a basket case lately hehe. When I say she had a bad reaction what I mean is her lil nose swelled up, but as soon as they gave her benadryl she was great. She was even playful that day and went on as normal. My vet and breeder told me that is pretty common, but if it isn't please let me know.

I guess the most freaked out I got was just yesterday after I left her and came back to her totally disoriented, and then the vet tells me she has a cough too, so she is on clavamox twice a day for a cough. I have literally only heard her cough a handful of times, so I'm asuming it's not super seroius.

My vet seems to think it isnt, and i totally trust her because I have been going to her for years with my cats. Though I'm finding out really quick cats and dogs are realllly different.

Again, thank you all and I hope to make lot's of new friends here