• Mood: crushed

Sick Puppy

Gambit's vet called. He has giardia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardia_lamblia) They had to run a whole bunch of tests to determine it. That would explain why he's being fussy with his food and why he whimpers when I hold him - stomach aches, no doubt. He's not showing any severe symptoms and seems ok, but he's not. He's lively enough, all right, but I hate that he is sick. It's strange because we took those stool samples to the vet on Monday - and the website says it can take 7-10 days for the symptoms to show themselves. So that means he either contracted it immediately after coming home to us or with his breeder.

Apparantly, it's very common in pets and that he prolly got it from coming into contact with the feces of another dog. Which sucks because we live in an apartment, and the big park/lawn surrounding the apartment and the park beside it, too, are littered with dog feces. :S People don't stoop and scoop. I'm a HUGE stickler for stoop and scoop. Once Gambit did 3 poos, so when I took him upstairs I marched right back down with a third bag to pick up what I hadn't been able to before. It's not just for the sake of keeping our parks looking nice, it's clearly sanitary.

Now how am I supposed to keep him away from dog poop when everywhere we walk once we step outside could be contaminated? Think - a dog poos. Another dog steps in it, walks across the grass. Gambit nibbles the grass, or it gets on his paws and he licks them - or he comes into contact with the poo himself while walking. It's almost inevitable. Tomorrow I'm going to buy some baby wipes. After each trip inside he will have his paws, face and bum wiped thoroughly clean, and my hands, too. It is easily transferrable to humans and I have been experiencing stomach cramps lately. :(

He took his meds tonight without much fuss, we give him a syringe of white goop. He fought at first but then swallowed like a champ.

Poor baby. :(