Could it be Mega-E - Page 2

I've never heard of deworming a pup that young, I guess the meds that are used today are a lot safer than they used to be. Do you just do it routinely without a fecal? I guess I learned something today. It used to be 4 weeks for the first dose and then only after a fecal. Times change. Sorry VK, your pup was not too young by today's standards.

VD, last year you said here that you are not a breeder and had a pet GSD. It sounded as if  you were shopping for another dog/s. Now  you have a litter from parents that have never produced "this" before. I assume you purchased this pair as already proven and xrayed adults. If so this could very well be the first Mega E pup produced by them if this truly is what it is.

Its not 'standards' but the meds are better, safer and more effective than, say, forty years ago. Round worms are endemic, waiting til the pup is four weeks old is unnessesarily compromising the health of the litter. Be sure to deworm the mother dog the same time as the litter is dewormed and with the same dewormer.

That's not true for every breeder, Joanro. The people on my breed board never deworm at 2 weeks, always  do fecals first and many have litters that have never had positive stool checks. I just asked them today.  The earliest any of them deworm is 5, 6 weeks. Their dogs are healthy too and they don't lose any to parasites either. It appears to be more than one way to do it especially if the dam has been on ivermectin for h-worm preventative.

I have always used pyrantel @ 10 days - 2 weeks. never an issue. I have never taken a pup to a vets office for anything short of a life threatening issue. Mega E being one.

Blitzen, what ever.:-) If dogs live in a basically sterile environment, internal parasites are probly not an issue. But dogs that regularly are exposed to the natural environment, ie, woods, steams, wild animal scat, etc, then internal parasites are a given. My dogs are surrounded by the wilderness, so I stay on top of the deworming. Took random stool sample to the vet's from the latest litter at five weeks old ....it was negative. Took the whole litter in at seven and a half weeks for shots, physical and health certificate, the whole litter tested negative..no worms, no coccidia, no geardia....my vet was duelly impressed. Hardly ever do the vets in this part of the country see pups that routinely show negative fecal check. :-)

ME typically starts showing up when the pup starts eating solids.  Here are some things you can do until you get to the vet. (pardon spelling)

1.  Feed puppy seperately and much smaller meals.  For example: Current meal plan is 1/2 cup twice a day.  Reduce to 1/8 cup 4 times a day with at least 2 hours between feedings.

2.  After eating, hold puppy upright for 30 minutes.  Holding in arms works well. 

3.  Watch the water intake also.  Have water and meal intake seperate with at least 30 minutes between.

Things to consider if the diagnosis is Mega E.

1.  Having a dog with ME takes full dedication from the owner. 

2.  As meals are more frequent and may require additional efforts afterwards, if both owners work out of the home, this is difficult to do.

3.  For the dog's sake, be up front with the owner.  Otherwise, as stated above, if the dog is feed like a normal dog (large meal 1 - 2 times a day), asperation is very likely.

4.  Minimize anything that can cause vomiting, including the normal dog activity of eating grass.  This will only make the ME worse and much harder to control.

5.  ME is a nerve issue around the esphagus.  The nerves do not work to contract the ephagus to push the food into the stomach.  If you think about this and plan feeding accordingly, you can help control the issue.

6.  There is no confirmed cure, but there is life and it does not always require the "Bailey Chair."   Based on above and the severity of the issue, make the best decision for the dog and be prepared to keep the dog.

7.  If one puppy has it in the litter, check to see if others have it.  They may not be as sever and may not be noticed as if they vomit, either the puppy or another immediately eat it (ewwww but it happens).

Good luck.  PM me if you need more info or have any questions.

Most of the pups that don't get wormed routinely are also exposed to the elements. Do whatever works for your situation, no right or wrong that I can see.

Look into PRAA Persistent Right Aortic Arch. I have had a pup diagnosed (and pts). Same presentation as you have described.
Good luck

The 'right' is evidenced by my pups having negative fecal results, consistently. Like I said, veterinarians are not used to seeing negative fecals on puppies in this part of the country.

Blitzen, I had several "clean" litters, but I've also had litters that do have worms and waiting until 5 or 6  weeks would seriously compromise their nutrition and condition. I can't seem to get my imports as "clean." Seems to take a few rounds of deworming here before their litters are not needing to be dewormed so early. I am careful about parasites; parasites weaken them and make them more likely to succumb to other diseases. I've often wondered if perhaps there are difference resistances in parasites from other locations, as I had a Czech import I had the HARDEST time getting/keeping parasite-free. He arrived wormy, and took several treatments to get clean, whereas my litter that was one week older than he was was clean at every check.