With her being a stray – no telling how long she’d been dumped (although, not long enough that she was skinny) or what she’d been in contact with, a vet visit was in order. My other reason for a vet visit was a concern about the skin on her belly near her private parts (I spotted it while looking to see if it was he or she) – discoloration, splotchy, just didn’t look like a normal puppy belly.Â
After making sure Brian & Taylor were WELL out of the driveway, I went to the back porch and got her and her blanket/towel. Before putting her in the car, I put her on the grass so she could do her business (She’s great! Put her on the grass, she goes!). A BM she had earlier looked normal, the one she had prior to the car ride ended not-so-normal… that made me worry.
The nurse at the vet said the not-so-normal BM could’ve been because she’d been scavenging for food and then we fed her puppy food – shocked her system. “It could also be worms.” Â
I called to check on her and she has worms, a fever, infection in her ears, and the skin on her belly? This is the part that got me – the doctor said, “Don’t hold me to it, but it looks as if she *may* have been burned.” I cried.
Oh, and the downside to her having a fever and burns healing is that we can’t bathe her. Let me tell you, she is one STINKY puppy right now. I have no clue what we’ll do other than keep her outside and wash hands immediately after handling.
The doctor wants to see her again on Monday (waiting for it to sink in…)Â Yep! You guessed it! There is NO WAY to hide this puppy from Taylor all the way through the weekend. We’re planning on telling her that it’s a very sick puppy that mommy found and we’re taking care of it. Oh yeah, and I’m going off on a retreat this weekend leaving Brian, Taylor, and the puppy. *grin* And once she’s better, I think we’ll have to watch Taylor closely around her – I don’t think traumatic experience and hyper children mix very well.
The bill was another part that was worrying me – it actually was less than I was expecting, so I’m pleased there. Anyway, she’s sick, traumatized, and ours for the time being.