A Dundee mum has been forced to cancel a family holiday and take on extra work after spending hundreds of pounds on vet bills for her sickly puppy.
Carol Smith, 37, brought Saint Bernard Jarvis home in February but within a week her happy pup was unwell with “severe diarrhoea”.
He was later diagnosed with giardia, a tiny parasite that attacks the lining of the intestines.
A few months later Jarvis was diagnosed with hip dysplasia, a deformity that occurs during growth. He will need at least one hip replacement at a cost of £6,500.
Carol told The Courier that the dream of buying a puppy has turned into a nightmare – and that she has raised concerns with the breeder who sold Jarvis to her.
“I’m struggling to get the funds to have this operation for him,” she said.
‘I have never seen anything like it’
Carol explained how Jarvis became unwell with an upset stomach just three days after they took him home.
“I thought it was the dog food we had given him as it was different from the breeder,” she said.
“A couple of days passed and nothing was helping. He was due his vaccinations and when we took him to the vet they said they couldn’t give him them as he was too unwell.
“They gave him a pro-biotic which they thought might help but it didn’t and he was still getting worse.
“I have never seen anything like it, we were throwing out bedding and mopping up severe diarrhoea.
“We took him back to the vet two days later and they gave us gastro puppy food and thought he was having an allergic reaction.
“It did seem to help for a day but then he went back to being unwell, we asked the breeder but they told us he must just have a sensitive stomach.”
More tests were carried out, with Jarvis “getting worse” while they waited for results.
It turned out he had giardia parasite, which animals can pick up from dirty water.
“He was groggy and not getting up, his upset stomach was horrendous. There was blood and everything, it was awful,” Carol said.
Dundee mum had to cancel family holiday as puppy diagnosed with hip deformity
Then, at around nine-months-old Jarvis started having problems with his legs and was later diagnosed with hip dysplasia.
He will need at least one hip replacement, in the hope that his other hip will manage.
The surgery costs £6,500, with £4,000 covered by insurance.
However, Jarvis’ insurance would not cover a second surgery if needed.
Having already spent £750 on vet bills, including on medication for her other dogs after Jarvis was diagnosed with giardia which can spread, she has set up a fundraiser to help pay for her puppy’s hip replacement.
Cleaner Carol explained how she has cancelled a family holiday and taken on extra work to help pay the vet bills.
She said: “You can see him struggling with his walking and he can’t go out with our other dogs as he can’t keep up, it is horrendous.
“I am going to start working extra days as a swimming teacher – it is all go.”
Breeder insists ‘no proof’ where parasite was contracted
Carol said she has raised concerns with the breeder, Rockylodge Dogs, about her puppy.
However, the breeder insists it is not to blame and that giardia symptoms could have been triggered by moving house or changing diet.
Carol has since received an £800 refund from the breeder – half the amount she paid for Jarvis – to help pay some of her vet fees.
A spokesperson for Rockylodge Dogs said: “Due to the time interval after her collecting the puppy and him showing signs of Giardia, there was no proof where it was contracted.
“However it should be noted that this parasite is extremely common in the general dog population and around 50% of dogs may carry it but be asymptomatic.
“Stresses like moving house or changing diet can trigger symptoms to occur.
“As a precaution though I have updated my worming and antiparasite regimen which has been agreed by an experienced independent vet and my licensing council.”
The spokesperson added that the trouble with Jarvis’s hips is “very unfortunate” but that it “sounds like his symptoms are fairly minor at present”.
The breeder also raised concerns about weight management as a factor in problems caused by hip dysplasia.
They said: “Unfortunately many owners (of all breeds) overfeed their dogs and this only further stresses their bodies especially whilst growing.
“Saint Bernards grow so rapidly that having them overweight as pups is extremely detrimental.
“I know of one other dog we bred with ‘bad’ hips who is reportedly doing well with hydrotherapy and controlled exercise and diet.”
They added that they have imported a new male Saint Bernard from abroad to use for future litter and do not intend to repeat the same cross used for Jarvis.
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