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[benniesmom]

Three of us who lost our dogs, Bennie, my Greyhound, Sadie, Shelley's Aussie, and Niners, Catherine's Aussie, have littermates, out of a litter born in St Cloud, Mn. I was the last to cave, after being very determined not to have more than one dog anymore. Now we have Alfie, Katie, and Scout. What a blessing.

[Ty823]

Alfie looks adorable.

[jiggasmom]

OH SO CUTE!!!!

[Sadie123]

We all lost out dogs within 6 weeks of each other and all found new pups - yes littermates, brothers and sisters, and got them within 6 weeks of each other. 

And it wasn't planned....it just happened that way.  Bonded by grief and support, and now bonded by our new pups - who are all part of the same family.

[Wilson3]

OMG! just way to cute!
how did you guys all find the same breeder?
what are the odds?
I am so happy for you guys!
kristin

[Lisa]

Wow. This is the neatest thing ever that you each have littermates!  Keep the pictures coming!

[Niners]

Yep, here we are in puppyville! And it is fun. 

What to say? I still think of 99 all the time. Feel like she's here with us, in all the memories. Scout is a keeper for sure. She and Cowboy make a very nice team. Will try to post a photo soon.

Hugs to all the wonderful friends here on the board.

ct

[Cathy, Bailey and Duke]

Oh Alfie is gorgeous! I'm SOOOO happy for you!

[Cathy, Bailey and Duke]

Prayers said!

[Lolasmom]

This is horrible.  We are praying for you and Alfie.  My brother found a pup years ago with Parvo. She was very very sick. But she made it and lived for 14 yrs.  So keep positive.  We are all praying for the baby.

[jefndebbacon]

Wow!  Not sure how all of you ended up with the same littermates, but that is incredible!  I feel like an aunt or something being on this board for so long!  Great news! Send photo updates!

[benniesmom]

Good news, bad news, who knows?  

Alfie is home from two nights in hospital. We have sent off a test for leptospirosis, as we have concluded that it is not Parvo. We really want to rule out Lepto, as it is zoonotic. another word I had no need for before this last insane year with dogs being ill and dying......  Heather can get it, if it is Lepto, and I can. Not good. Our breeder was going by some research that has been debunked re vaccinating. It caught on in the dog world with the holistic crowd, and she believed in it and has not vaccinated in 8 years. I did not have a clue about this trend, so I didn't think to ask. Alfie got sick within the incubation period that would include her home. I alerted the breeder that she might want to review her protocol as this study from Purdue that she was going by has been debunked, the vet who wrote it and the research have been discredited by the AVA. She looked into it and is now going to vaccinate her pups. This is very good.

Also possibly good is that Alfie could have adenovirus, and not Lepto. It runs its course and there is immunity thereafter. Also known as Canine Hepatitus, it often presents a blue and cloudy eye toward the end of the course of the disease. Alfie woke up with that this morning, and I called right away, and we are trying not to get excited about this, as we won't be able to rule out Lepto until the blood work comes back on Monday or Tuesday. Adenovirus, too, could have been avoided by vaccine, and it is in the normal protocol for puppy vaccine in the US, so seeing a case of the actual disease is pretty rare, but all the symptoms, and especially the eye, fit.... the eye can also happen with other things, but the weather is wrong for Lepto. sound familiar?? weather???  We have done all the right things for Alfie, and if it's not Lepto, we may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Wish us luck , old friends. I am in love with this little guy.
Barb

[Wilson3]

not fun having a sick puppy...
 hoping and praying it isnt lepto
I have known people whose dogs got it and they where sick one day and gone the next so it runs its course very fast
 a good sign that Alfie  is still fighting
What do you mean buy this not being the weather for lepto? I always thought that our dogs get it buy drinking water that has wild animal pee in it that has it or as most dogs ID things they also taste pee when they come across it . Does this only happen in summer?
If Heather was vaccinated for lepto then no need to worry about her getting it if that is what Alfie has(soooo hoping it isn't)

how did you guys end up going to the say breeder?
positive thoughts going your way and please keepus posted
wilson3 (kristin)

[Lolasmom]

Barb,  You are wonderful.  I'm so glad your pup is coming around.  I'm praying for a speedy and complete recovery. God bless.

[benniesmom]

answers, and thank you, Lisa...

 This is way north in Minnesota. There is no water outdoors for animals to drink. it's all snow and ice, or it was until today. Coldest god damn winter I have ever seen. Lepto is spread by pee, but in this friggin' North, water is not out there all winter, and Alfie had no access to it. Alfie has been ill now for a week, and if they make it this far they usually do just fine. This wild puppy under the desk  here is not about to die. He is, however, making short work of my waste basket.

  We do not know yet, will not until Monday or Tuesday, if it is Lepto, but Alfie is improving by the minute. we still hope to rule out Lepto so I can relax and not worry that Heather and I might get it, too.  However, Alfie is on the mend, thank goodness, and the antibiotic eye drops are really helping his eye. Alfie will be fine.

All right, old Blasto buddies..... you deserve to know how we ended up with the pups. Shelley, Sadie 123's mom, found this litter in St Cloud, MN. She signed up for one for Tyler's birthday. Then she told Catherine, who lost Niners earlier, and she signed up for one. Both of them wanted me to go in on a children's book. I kept saying no. I have two big shows this summer, and am probably moving back to Idaho... too much on my plate, and out of money... So it was no no no. Then  they thought maybe I would like to just see the last puppy in the litter, who went by Clearance for a name.....I had just caved and said yes on the children's book when I saw his picture, and that was it. I was in for the whole nine yards. I went to St Cloud , 4 hours away when you get lost, and picked him up three days later... The book will be about more than we thought, by now... maybe there will be two books. We have become fast friends, and have learned and grown beyond words from all this.

All from this wonderful little meeting place, called the Blasto Forum!!
XO everybody, and lifelong wellness for all your doggies.
Barb Savage