Introducing

Littlehorse Gabriella

Pedigree

 

The year Gaby was born somehow the dreaded parvovirus got tracked into our kennel.  We lost a total of 7 puppies.  It was heartbreaking to watch totally healthy puppies go down to skin and bones and worse, "death". Many of these puppies already had people waiting to be the newest members of their families.  Some where told horror stories about puppies with parvo never recovering completely or having future health problems.  "That is a myth.!"  If a puppy survives parvovirus it has a very strong immune system and can handle just about anything.  If we were afraid of future problems with survivors of parvo why would we keep three of them?  The three we kept are Gaby, Koko, and Spanky and they are very healthy adults and the females will have a higher titer against parvovirus when they become mothers. Here is a photo of Gaby right after she came home from intense hospital care.  She was emaciated and walked in the position pictured.  Many breeders will never admit that they have encountered any health problems much less something as terrible as parvovirus.  If you have been doing this as long as we have sooner or later you are going to see just about everything no matter how careful or how clean you keep your dogs. One of the reasons for this website is to help educate dog fanciers about the many pitfalls that can happen to anyone. Case in point:  About 6 years ago we had a couple drive all the way to Texas from the East coast to pick up their much awaited puppy.  They had tried for years to have children and finally decided that a Great Dane puppy would fill the empty spot in their hearts. The woman had an adult brother who was special needs and lived with them so while they were on their trip to bring home "baby", a well meaning friend dropped by to see if he needed anything.  A nice neighborly gesture.  However the woman had just left someone else's home who had a litter of puppies.  That litter of puppies had parvo.  She innocently tracked the parvovirus into the traveling couples home.  Ten days (incubation period for parvo) after the couple brought their lovely boy home he was dead from the virus.  They couldn't even bring in a new puppy to replace him since parvovirus and live without a host in your yard or home up to 6 months.  I was  thankful that a dear friend of mine who is also a breeder had a young adult female that she was able to place with them. So when a breeder tells you they have a "closed kennel" it's not that they are trying to hide something.  They are just protecting the lives that they have brought into this world. Gaby three weeks after coming back from our veterinarian. All puppies get their first parvo vaccination at 4 weeks and again at 7 weeks.  When they go to their new homes they will have at least two vaccinations.

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