Mochi Had The CPV

by Joe Jr Yamut
Posted On November 13, 2020

Mochi is now 7 months old today. I brought her home perhaps when she was around 2 and 1/2 months. At that time lock-down measures because of COVID19 were already being eased. I thought then that it would be a good time to bring home a pup. Staying at home by myself for 3 months was making me all sorts of crazy. With her around, I won’t be alone anymore. I’ll have a companion 24/7 and have my routine changed by becoming the adoptive parent of a cute little Shih Tzu.

The Corona virus was still rampaging throughout Metro Manila, but the quarantine restrictions softening. For the most part staying at home was still the right thing to do. Working from home was still in effect too. Wouldn’t have been possible to be a pet owner had it not been because of this darned pandemic. So perhaps there is a bright side after all from all this chaos that 2020 ushered in.

That also meant Mochi’s access to the outside world was very limited. For most of her still short life, she has only seen the 4 walls of my small-ish home. She hasn’t been to parks or run in empty lots outside my place. Even up to now. Good thing she’s tiny too. Then again, I think the 2nd good thing about being stuck at home is that Mochi has been sheltered from being exposed to other dogs, humans and other things that might not be good for her.

She has not been immunized yet. Not one vaccine. I know, I know. That makes me sort of an irresponsible dog owner. I did plan to take her to a veterinarian as soon as it was safe-ish to go outside. I guess the thought that she doesn’t even go outside made me too confident that she won’t get sick seriously…

…that was until 2 weeks ago.

Due to a series of unfortunate events, she contracted this virus that can be very lethal for dogs. The dreaded Parvo.

CPV – Canine Parvovirus

My girlfriend, who gave me Mochi, had been telling me about CPV a couple times. The funny thing is, their two 1+ year old dogs have not been vaccinated for over a year and they were fine. Those dogs too almost never go out of the house. Hence, I didn’t really make a big deal out of it.

Big mistake!

The Parvovirus can be spread from the feces of contaminated dogs, or though direct contact from dog to dog. I’m pretty sure none of that happened to Mochi. However, the virus can be brought about through other means like through humans who’ve had contact with sick dogs. The virus can still to clothes or shoes. That must have been how Mochi got sick. I brought it in. I’ve only myself to blame for not having her vaccinated soon enough.

She Lost Appetite

It started on a Thursday. She prefers not to eat dog food. Would go a full day without eating until she’s too hungry that she’ll have no other choice. This happens sometimes when I run out of meat or treats, and that was one of those days. At least she had some bread in the morning before she totally started not eating anything. Later that day she also vomited. Once.

Mochi’s favorite food is chicken meat or chicken liver. I bought her some the following day, Friday. She ate some. Not the normal voracious dog I knew but she did nibble a bit. Her nose would wrinkle after taking a bite or 2, even when I tried to feed her more by hand. I knew it was unusual, but I thought it was nothing to be alarmed about. Stupid me. That was day 2. Of course, I was already starting to get worried.

That Friday no vomiting episodes. Most of the time she just slept. But after she pooped, she was almost back to normal. Or that’s what I thought. I mean, she played around by herself but with lesser energy. I played fetch with her too. “Maybe it was nothing?“, I thought.

Day 3 – Saturday

We tried to feed her roasted chicken. No go. She refused to eat. Shortly after she vomited. That morning we took her to a vet clinic immediately. It was high time she got checked. When we got there she was back to her usual normal self. She was even running around the doctor’s office like nothing was going on. She looked happy.

No fever. Good. The vet told us to observe her first. Mochi was given 2 shots as a precaution – one an anti-vomiting medicine and the other a boost of multi-vitamins. No tests were done. The doctor also gave us Black Armour Pet, antacid, a food supplement that was concentrated calories that would be enough for a small dog even with tiny amounts, and some other stuff to replenish her after barely having any food in her stomach the past 2 days.

Back home after the trip to the clinic Mochi was okay. We thought she was just tired. She slept and slept. At night, when it was time to give her medicine and food supplements that’s when the nightmare started. I remember it was around 7PM-ish.

Diarrhea

The 1st sign that something REALLY bad was happening to my Mochi was her spewing out wet, pinkish poop all over the floor all of a sudden.

I started to panic. All sorts of bad ideas were going around in my head. The good thing is that Gem was there with me. She also decided to stay with me for the night to take care of Mochi.

I really don’t want to replay what happened that night by immortalizing it here in words. To cut it short, Mochi was all sorts of sick for several long hours. She pooped blood countless times. Her mouth was drooling with saliva uncontrollably. She cried and cried in agony. No vomiting though.

We took care of her as best we can. Perhaps the supplements from the vet helped to sustain her. I even ran to the nearby mall to get honey for her.

We gave her Black Armour Pet in 4-hour intervals. Forced honey into her mouth. I am not sure if we gave her that food supplement (calorie boost). I think so. But the stupid thing forgotten was water. Dehydration for a dog is not good at all.

Fighter Mochi

Whenever Mochi wants food or water, she would go to her empty bowl and scratch it. This is the normal Mochi.

That night she was sick as hell. I think in all our panic and sadness that we might lose Mochi we didn’t even remember letting her drink. But she fought. She braved it.

She stood up, went to her bowl that was still full of water and dipped her paw in it repeatedly. I was shocked. I knew what that sign was. She was asking for water. It was a cry for help. She was too weak to drink water herself perhaps, but she pushed herself to walk several feet away to tell us she was thirsty. That point forward we forced water down her mouth every hour or so.

Out Of Habit?

Despite her being very sick and looking gloomy, there was this other thing that she did that was so remarkable. I don’t even know if remarkable is the right word.

So when we started giving her water naturally she’s gonna have to pee some time soon. You know what she did? She stood up again, even when she was very weak, bleeding. Went to her pee spot and let it go there. Again I was just blown out of my mind by the fighting spirit of my dog. The shout of agony when she peed, because she was hurting inside, was heart-breaking. That is something I don’t ever want to see or hear again.

Rush To The Vet We Did Not!

Guys, if you’re in a big city, the odds of a 24/7 pet clinic for emergencies is quite high. Google it! Call friends if they know one. Rush to a veterinarian the moment your pet is in very critical shape ASAP! NEVER WAIT.

DO NOT be like us where for several hours, sat around like fools and crying all night as if that would miraculously make our dog get better. It won’t! That will not help your pet at all.

I was in panic and in distress mode the whole night that time. By 5AM on Sunday, because of Mochi’s resolve and will to go on, I was enlightened (Because I was being stupid the whole time). It dawned on me that I am going to save her at all cost. That means positive thinking and doing something more productive. Googled for emergency pet clinics right then. Luckily there was one nearby in Makati City at 16 Jupiter Street. Animal House is the name of the clinic. You cannot miss it since it’s right next to Starbucks. Remember this in case one day, dear reader, you might get into the same situation too. I pray you do not. Ever.

Grabbed my car quickly. Gem took care of Mochi while I went to get Ruby at the car park. We placed Mochi in her carrier and she went in willingly, calm, composed. Off we went to the clinic as fast as I could safely drive.

Rescue Is On The Way

Mochi was attended to after some minutes. Tests were taken to determine if it was really Parvo, although it was very obvious, or another illness. Other measures – such as IV fluids – were administered to sustain her, shortly.

My dog was confined for 7 days. That was the only logical way because the chances of a Parvo-afflicted dog given the full care and treatment by professionals dramatically goes way up. Costly as it may have been, I only know that was the right decision. The clinic was well-equipped to handle Parvo cases. In fact they had a number of animal patients that time who also have CPV (I pray they all got well).

In the next day or so, I did not call the clinic or go visit Mochi. I’ll admit that I was terrified of hearing news from them. Waited for the clinic to call me instead. The wait was such an agony. I had trouble sleeping. But when the message came in that Mochi was surviving fine, I breathed a sigh of relief. Not out of the woods yet but her chances of full recovery were getting higher every day that she survives.

On her 4th and 5th day she was beginning to eat chicken that we brought her whenever we’d go visit. She was alert, responsive but rather lethargic still in the days leading up to her release.

Mochi in her first 2 days home was still a bit weak, but her appetite was back to normal. She limped on her hind leg where the needle was stuck during her confinement. Otherwise she was looking rather healthier and smiling.

She survived. My 7.2-pound puppy fought the Parvovirus like a true champ. Didn’t give up. Her recovery back to full strength will still take days. Probably weeks until I can truly not worry anymore.

Oh, and in the next week or so, she’ll be having her first round of vaccines. It’s about time though.

Today on Mochi’s day it would be exactly 1 week after the doctor declared her safe, and cleared her to go home.

Mochi The Cosplay Pup

Here Boy, Go Fetch!

Mochi Had The CPV

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