This is Little Pinch Poke. Her breeder named her Pinch and it just grew from there. Her mom was pushing her away from the litter, so at about 3 days old I brought her home and started her on a bottle. I wanted to start a web page for her because a lot of people from everywhere now know about her story. So I thought this would be the best way for them to see her grow and keep up with her. Hope you like pictures!
She never did much other than drink, potty and sleep. I thought that seemed about right for her age. After a couple of weeks of this I also notice she was not growing much. This started the trips to the vet. She was put on antibiotics for aspirating on milk and it gave her a snotty nose. Then back to the vet as she seemed to be really constipated.
Pinch did start to grow some but so did her head. So back to the vet for a sonogram of her head. Dr. said a little fluid but not much. I think she was up to 12 oz at that point.
The next vet trip came from our wrong doing. By 5 weeks old she is able to waddle around and she follows me everywhere during the day while everyone is gone. She can not go very fast and keep in mind she is a the size of a hamster. Well my daughter was stepping off from the couch and stepped right on Pinch. She cried and cried ( my daughter and Pinch). Emergency trip to the vet and she said nothing was broken. Late that evening she was right back to her old self.
At three weeks old Pinch met my French Bulldog Vada. It was love at first site! Vada who is almost a year and has never seen a FB puppy and for sure not had one decided she was the mom and this baby was hers to protect. It was really good for Pinch because I think she was more stimulated by another dog.
Ok the last three pictures I took with my phone so they are really bad quality. I will get some with my camera this weekend. This is Pinch at 6 weeks old and almost as tall as a soda can. The next one is her standing on my legs. She either wants to stand on my feet if I am standing or in my lap if I am sitting.
And of course on the couch she sits on my shoulder like a bird.
The latest update as of May 14, 2010:
Dr did some test and says it looks to be a liver shunt. She is 6 weeks old and only 14 oz. So surgery does not seem to be an option. We are changing her diet and I am doing as much research as I can. So of course any help would be great. My vet said she is not equipped to even do the surgery if she could have it. So I will ask around and get some other opinions even about diet.
What we do know is we love her so much. She is a happy little girl and I know she loves us too. Thank you all for all of your help and suggestions. Keep them coming!
This page was last updated: June 7, 2010
May 16th
Pinch had a good weekend. She has decided she is a mountain goat. I took her off the case of water several times and she would climb back up just to sit there. She is eating the Recovery food I have from the vet. I still do not know if that is the best thing for her. I have read some that a no meat diet is what a lot of vets put a liver shunt puppy on. I wish my vet knew more about it. I am going to take her back in the morning because she has a white spot on her left eye. I am also going to call several holistic vets tomorrow. I have been so thrilled with the love that has come her way. I sure wish everyone could meet her. She did have a visitor today. Susanne heard about Pinch through her breeder and was so awesome in offering to take her and have the surgery done on her, If she is ever anywhere but here it will be with Susanne. She has a very pure love of animals!
She just got this white spot on her eye. I am not sure what it could be any ideas? I am going to take her to the vet and see.
May 18th. Yesterday we had our weekly vet appoinment. Although it seems to be picking up to two visits a week. Oh but if you could spend 5 minutes with this little girl you would see her spirit and how worth it she is. Her eye looks horrible but I am putting two different drops in it every two hours. She has to back for a recheck tomorrow.
Pinch got to meet another French Bulldog puppy. This puppy is about 6 weeks old. Pinch is about a week older. She is just learning to play. Everyone just seems to take if from her. Vada for sure. Vada is my first small dog and a 24/7 house dog. I have had her since Thanksgiving. She is my heart and soul. Although I am thinking I might have been replaced in her heart by Pinch. LOL.
As far as medical goes. There are a few things I am going to talk with my vet (who by the way laughed at Pinch having her own web page). I have read that prednisone can help with the fluid in her head. I also saw another medicine for the liver I want to check out. She is ONE POUND now!!! It is still day to day. Seems like every time I think we are past one thing there is something else. I just don't think she knows or cares. She lets you know she is a tough girl. BTW anyone have any ideas for an E collar for her. She keeps rubbing that eye,
Well she has been doing great. Did not grow at all but was happy and super playful. At 11 weeks she has had a few times of her food coming back up and then she would get congested. Then that would make her not want to eat for a day. But she would always bounce back and be just fine. That happened again this weekend. She just lost too much too fast and got really weak. We went to the vet on Sunday at 9 PM. We decided not to put her down. She was not in pain just weak. This was me and my three girls, 13, 11 and 8. We cried there and thought it was best to take her home as she was still looking at us like she was really conerned on what we were all crying about. We made it home and in the house. I laid in the bed with her and with a noticable last breath I watched her go. So we have had tears a flowing in our house tonight. It has broken my heart and I talked to her breeder and she said that never again will she try to save one that the mom knows there is something wrong with. She feels really bad for us and how sad we are. I am not so sure. I had her for 11 weeks and bottle fed her and had so many ups and downs. Those little bites on my chin when she thinks she a big mean dog just seem so worth it right now. My husband said he thinks more like the breeder and just could not put himself there in the heart ache. But God me and my girls loved her and enjoyed her. I know she did the same with us. I wish everyone could have seen her inch tall legs tip tap across the floor as fast as they could. And the fact that she could beat up any dog around our house even though she was only a pound. They just knew and laid there and took it. A few timse a little push of the paw would knock her over. But she would tear them up lol. Thank you all for the wonderful support and help. Also for my way to vent. My Labrador mentor told me the other day that I spend more time on the sick or helpless dogs lol. I do and always will. I also cry over them all. So thats what I am going to do, cry myself to sleep with a wonderful husband who has put up with this all knowing that it would end with me crying.
Hugs and kisses to you pinch. We sure will miss you!
