Well I took Kirby (puppy finally has a name!!) to the vet today. He has been having uncontrolled diarrhea since I got him. About 2 hours before my appointment he totally crashed. He was very lethargic and trembling uncontrollably. I took him in early because I was really worried about him. He had a 105.1 tempterature!! (normal is around 101). We did a fecal and he is INFESTED with giardia. REALLY REALLY REALLY bad infection. The vet said his intestines feel really inflamed and thickened. He also has pretty bad kennel cough. We sent some bloodwork to the lab because the vet was worried about his fever. Kennel cough doesn't really cause a fever so he isn't sure if the fever is from the giardia or if he has something else going on. He kept asking me over and over and over if he is vomting so I am thinking he was maybe suspecting parvo due to the thickened intestines, severe lethargy (today), and high fever. So glad I was able to report no vomit! I am really really frustrated with the rescue though. Just frustrated that I had an application in to Kern Animal Control where I could have got him for around $60, but instead the rescue pulled him "to prevent him from getting sick" and then charged me $375, and now look where we are! I'm $300 poorer and my poor baby is still incredibly sick! Also, the rescue posted a new dog for adoption yesterday that they had just finished treating for kennel cough! I want to tell her how I feel about this but need to find a constructive way of venting my frustrations to her. I know they can't control who gets sick and who doesn't, but to pull a safe dog and use the excuse of preventing disease, and then adopt him to a new home loaded with giardia and sick sick sick is just a bit ridiculous. They didn't even do a fecal or a heartworm test on him and he was supposed to come with 30 days health insurance but she made no mention of that at all when she gave him to me (not to mention didn't give me his rabies vaccine certificate or tell me how to register his microchip!) And he is less than a year old and she said he is fine with just one DHPP vaccine, when ANYWHERE I've ever worked and EVERYTHING I've ever learned about the immune system and how vaccines work say you have to have at least one booster for almost all the dog vaccines (there are a few exceptions but DHPP is NOT one of them). Just so frustrated with all of my dealings with this rescue and its so sad to see Kirby so sick :-(

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I'm not sure why a "rescue" would be picking dogs that have the highest chance of being adopted, over and over again. That's kind of defeating the purpose of a private organization saving animals from kill shelters. Anyway, I don't like that they were being super shady about Kirby's health. They really need to be told off. I also hope nothing ill befalls Frank and your cats! >:(

I would definitely contact the rescue regarding the insurance and papers. You may want to use e-mail or a letter so you will have a copy. If the response is poor I would consider letting the shelter know. Where I live the shelters are quite good and young dogs that are not pit related all find homes so rescue primarily works with unusual cases. I like the name Kirby and hope he is better soon!

I am so sorry about Kirby!  Hopefully he will make a swift recovery! Tell that rescue what you think. I have a friend that had a similar problem with a rescue. She adopted a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and found out after bringing him home that he had kennel cough and a bad skin infection that made him start losing all his fur! The rescue knew he had these problems because other dogs they were fostering were sick, but they neglected to mention anything to my friends. The rescue just let them deal with all the vet bills. Rescues should have more integrity than that. They should not sell sick dogs, they should not bring new dogs into an environment where there are sick dogs. What is the point of recusing then when you are jeopardizing their health to do so.

Wow!  I would be furious!  I know that good people work overtime to rescue animals but don't understand what has happened in this case.  It does sort of sound like they saw a chance to add an additional $300 to their operating budget.  I would ask (demand) to know where his insurance policy is. I am so sorry for you little guy.  PS-Love, love, love the name!!

Poor little guy!  Hope he recovers quickly.  I too would be on the phone with the rescue, or better yet send an e-mail so you have a copy (as Bev suggested).   They should not be placing dogs til they've cleared quarantine! 


Someone near us does the sort of rescue where she pulls dogs from out-of-state kill shelters to bring them here.  On the one hand I appreciate what she does.  On the other hand she brought in a dog from Kentucky and it promptly came down with Parvo.  As a dog-lover, I am thrilled to see rescues doing such good work.  As a local pet-owner, I'm not happy with the thought of dogs bringing out-of-area diseases into my neighborhood. 

 

Poor little Kirby.  He may just have a high fever from dehydration. I once had a bad reaction to antibiotics that had my stomach a mess, and I got so dehydrated (could not keep liquids down) that I spiked a fever of 103 with no infection.  Just dehydration.

Hope Kirby gets well and is feeling better soon. Thank god he is in your hands now and not the shelters.

Boy, I would sure be on the phone to all the local shelters letting them know about this scammer. They should not be allowing this person to 'rescue" any more dogs. Perhaps the shelters can direct you to an agency in your area that might have some say about rescue operations like this.

I just e-mailed the rescue about the pet insurance. I also told her it was unlikely he got the kennel cough from the vet and more likely he got it from the kennel cough dog they had! I wasn't sure if the kennel cough dog was fostered with her or not, but then I saw on its petfinder page a picture of her son with the dog. I can guarantee she didn't make her son change his clothes and wash his hands every time he went and played with the dog. I know my comment will probably make her mad but at this point I just don't care. SOOOOOOOO STUPID to tell me you pulled a safe dog from a shelter to prevent disease and then put him in a home with a dog with kennel cough! When I either a) get a response from her or b) e-mail her with the bloodwork I am going to tell her my frustration about the adoption fee seeing how their excuse was to keep him from getting sick. I don't plan on having any further contact with her once I get his paperwork so I don't care if I make her mad. They don't have a yelp page or any page I can write reviews or I would post a negative review for them. So frustrating.

Melissa, this has absolutely nothing to do with any of this horribleness......but I love the name you finally decided on!

 

And good for you for informing the rescue about what you think!  From what you wrote about...seems a pretty questionable place.  Thank you taking Kirby!  He is a cutie and he's got a fantastic home now!

Geuh, that's awful. And yeah, making her mad is the least of your problems right now. You go girl!

yeah I'm not really upset that he got sick because I'd think any dog in a pound will get kennel cough. What I'm angry about is the fact that he had 6 applicants waiting for him to be released from stray hold, he was safe,  then the rescue pulled him with the excuse of preventing him from getting sick. They then proceed to put him in a foster with a dog they are treating for kennel cough, don't do a fecal or heartworm test on him, and don't even keep him for a quarantine period and then adopt him out for quadruple his original adoption fee. If you are pulling him to make sure he doesn't get sick, you better keep him long enough to determine he ISN'T sick before allowing him to go to a new home.  

I'm so sorry to hear how sick Kirby is (and I love his name). I'm praying that he feels better soon and that the rest of you don't come down with anything.

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