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I personally would not have my dogs near a puppy that has been in a live cargo area. The kennel cough has 187 varieties I believe.

I also would worry that the puppy would be over stressed. I had 7 dogs at one time. We had dogs in and out from fostering dogs and puppies.

I would travel without your older dog. Pick up the puppy, spend some time caring for puppy. You would be able to see if it had signs of anything immediate, instead of having them in the RV together. I realize I am overly cautious, I would introduce the older one to the puppies scent,, if it were a weekday arrange a vet appointment. One of you going to the vet, the other staying with the older dog and exercise as much as you can.
Introducing it to the puppies scent.

The arrangement of our house allowed us to keep our dogs in the big family area behind French doors and a newbee in the front bathroom with a separate air system.

Again I am very cautious! When I had the 7 pupsters, I had a particular order to introduce new dogs into the pack. I would start with my alpha female who ran the show, unless she ticked off my male alpha who was laid back. Then introduce them according to their personalities.

I also give treats by calling their name in the same order every time.

I am curious if anyone has trained there dogs with signs. I unconsciously taught them out using a shooing motion. I will give them raw carrot slices, when I am done I clap my hands and then spread them.

WhatsRight when President Bush passed away, they wrote about his service dog. He had a button to use to signal if the President needed s omething he would sometimes buzz it without needing to so he would get a treat. Be careful, your Bella doesn’t trick you.
Did you think about the litter box?

PricklePatch, thanks for the feedback! I appreciate and share your concern. And your experience with multiple dogs is something I lack. Never had more than 2.

The vet told us the other day not to schedule the puppy's first visit until 2 weeks after he gets here, to allow his immune system time to recover from the stress of the trip (or in case he is sick, maybe?) Not sure, he just didn't want to see him too soon. I agree, because as they say, where do sick dogs go? To the vet's!

The airline regulations mandate a recent health certificate for any animal they carry. Not sure how much that helps limit problems, but I was told by this shipper that in the Istanbul live animal facility - which opened just last year and is 'state of the art' for pet travel - they have separate rooms each animal gets put in to spend the night out of its crate. Still, I hope my puppy has some people to comfort him, because that nevertheless sounds like solitary confinement to me, for a puppy. But of course I'm used to my crazy girl's take on "where's my peeps!?" She is almost 10 and has never been left home alone. We started making sure of that when she was a puppy; we always had the older dog to "babysit," as dogs like her tend to develop bad separation anxiety, so we never put her in that situation. The most she has to do is hang out in a vehicle while we are in church or shopping. And then she is content, knowing she is "with the pack."

It's a 2 1/2 hour ride to the airport and we have nobody to leave her with. I was trying to introduce them somewhere new and then, on the ride home, he would be put back in his crate and she would be next to him. Hmm...will think more on this.

So I did some thinking. I was told there's plenty of truck parking around the cargo facility, even when I informed them we are bringing an RV; " No problem." An aerial map view confirms there is a huge parking lot which looked to be empty, I assume it is for trucks. They are also doing major rail construction, so not 100% sure how it will be that day.

But once we get situated at the airport cargo terminal (and talk to any security folk they may have), we could disconnect the camper from the truck after extending its legs, locking the hitch, and H could then easily drive me down the street to Customs after I get the paperwork. (This cargo office and the Customs office are about a quarter mile apart.) Our Missy would hang out in the air conditioned cab of the pickup with her Daddy while I'd retrieve the puppy and his crate, or maybe the cargo agent would just load the crate right into the bed of our pickup truck. Then H would drop me and puppy off at the camper and H would drive his truck a little ways off so Miss Bizz wouldn't have a ringside seat to all the excitement!

After I clean up the puppy with some help from H and perhaps our camper's outside hot and cold shower wand, we could have H walk over to his truck with something scented from the puppy (maybe just his hand would work). He and Missy would then drive off to visit his old work buddies off airport grounds for an hour or so, while I spend time relaxing quietly with the pup and observing him, even play a little tug with him like I know he is familiar with, from photos. Then I could put him in the camper and just chill out, take puppy photos, read, post to you guys...H worked down there for 4 years and that company still sends him jobs occasionally, so H wouldn't be stressing me with his impatience! I like this aspect!

Anyway, not sure whether that's a real improvement, but it would be a way to stretch out the introduction of the dogs for an hour or two, while still letting them meet off site rather than here. On the ride back, though, the puppy's crate would be in the truck cab, with her. Unless we drove 2 trucks - but that is a lot of extra gasoline! (But not impossible...)

How's that for a puppy pick up plan?! 😅

My favorite part is " post to you guys."

I'm so excited for you. I keep checking for updates!!

Soooo…the plot thickens.

Yesterday my H started feeling bad. BP was 104/28. 😳. Dizzy, vision issues, fuzzy brain, felt like he was going to pass out. So, back to the hospital. They are treating another UTI. He feels better today.

Anyway - not to trump my H’s health, but BELLA REFUSES TO EAT! I think it is because he is not home. She is upset. She hasn’t eaten since he went to the ER yesterday afternoon.

I have tried 2 different foods, mixed it with soft food, and then with milk. Nothing. I’m at the hospital with H, so my sister is watching her. I keep waiting for word that she has eaten something.

I’m really worried…about both of them.

(H says he needs to get home soon cuz she is missing him. I actually think he may be right.)

WR, wow that is some scary low bp, 28?? Good thing your H is in the hospital. Now about that puppy, my first suggestion would be, pack her a lunch, get the biggest purse you've got, and you two go see Daddy!!? 😉 I'm sure that wouldn't fly. But it would work, I bet. So sorry!

Our Missy is back in the veterinary hospital. Sure enough she pulled out the last stitch nearest her rump, and we never saw her do it. She had been so calm and content, until Sunday, Day 3. I guess it started to itch. When you wash these cotton medical shirts by hand like I did, they tend to stretch out and sag. But they say not to machine dry, either, so I used a sweater rack in the dryer but the shirt was already an XL, we see today. It gapped open like old underwear does, and she must have gotten to nosing around....

My H's first reaction was that she cannot stand hearing another thing about this puppy coming! My first reaction was to kick myself for ever scheduling this 'cosmetic'surgery this close to P Day!! Going to get a smaller size shirt so we can alternate and properly wash them for the next couple weeks....she's back to wearing the cone....my doctor visit today was almost cancelled for having the vet say "bring her back in." My bp was up, of course...

By now, the little guy has left his home kennel for the shipper's custody, whatever that entails. I have heard nothing. Sheesh. Not even a suggestion about what feed to give him. It still doesn't truly seem like we are actually going to HAVE a new family member; maybe this is all a giant joke on me. But I have to act like I'm expecting him! Dug out baby stuff from the attic last night, need more puppy pads. Maybe I can stitch one inside the new and smaller medical shirt for Patient Number 1!

WR I just connected the dots, that you did end up using the puppy things you bought for the first puppy that never materialized! Keep everything humming along as you do. She won't starve herself.

WR, I'm so sorry you H is back in the hospital. I bet he did feel like passing out. Yikes!! That puppy seems to have done wonders for his mental health. I hope he is doing better and can come home soon.

Superese, my DD's dog just had surgery and they sent him home in a Thundershirt. It is a little loose around his shoulder where his stiches are and I was wondering if he would eventually get at them like your dog did without the cone on. He had to have his leg amputated due to a cancerous tumor. He is doing amazingly well. We just have our fingers crossed that the lymph node biopsy comes back clean.

Seems like your breeder should have told you what food he was on. Maybe the language barrier makes that difficult? Ours told us if we were changing food to do it gradually and to give him bottled water for a while and change that gradually. I don't know how necessary that is but we did it just in case.

It won't be long now!!

Superesse,

I think you came up with a much better plan! Also before you take the crate in the trailer sanitize it, the outside as well. I told you I am really overly cautious. We never sought out to have 7 dogs! Somehow it was our core 4, really old dogs or special needs. I think I was afraid of the vet bill if all 7 got sick at once.

In rescue and my 3 dogs current dogs, the contract read see the vet within 72 hours. One was a puppy we traveled 12 hours to pick up, they have a proven line of service dogs. He is actually my daughter’s. We took a tarp to set on the ground with a pee pad. The puppy’s feet never touched the ground, stopping at service area’s.

My other 2 are standard poodles aka SPOO’s from a breeder who retires her Mama’s after an ethical amount of litter’s. We were not anywhere as cautious when we drove down from NYC to NC. They were adults and had their shots both were 4. So we didn’t need to be cautious with them.

I forgot to mention Gingersnaps in case he gets car sick or ask your vet what to do. I would take old towels for his crate for the ride home in case of car sickness. All of our regular transporters had, a transport bag, paper towels, spray cleaner, doggy first aid kit Gingersnaps and Benadryl.

Please keep us updated!

Fun fact if we are watching tv we do not say we are going poddy or to the bathroom, my dogs think it means going for a walk. So we tell each other we need to go for a meeting. They don’t get excited that way….lol. We are a little nuts. The first trainer we had told us to leash walk our dog and tell her to get busy to housetrain her and have one spot for her to go in the yard. We didn’t listen and said go poddy. We now live in a 55 plus home and have to leash walk them. It keeps us active.

Dug out baby stuff from the attic last night…

We can say the silliest things about our fur babies! (First world problems.)

Tell that girl to behave herself…that it’s time to focus on getting her brother? mate? home.

Zebra…I’m soooo sorry about your DD’s dog. Is she getting around OK? I had a dapple dachshund once who went blind. But she did very well, considering.

Prayers for good news regarding the biopsy.

My sister called to tell me Bella still hadn’t eaten. I suggested a doggie treat…anything. Then she called back and said she got a chicken sandwich at Bojangles with gravy, and asked about mixing some white gravy with her food. I SAID YES!!! Oh, God, I pray it doesn’t kill her! I NEVER give my dogs people food - not even peanut butter. (The other day at our vet check up, the vet let each of my dogs take a lick out of a peanut butter jar and I gasped!)

Anyway, she is so tiny…she can’t afford to lose weight.

My H feels better today. He is getting IV antibiotics and basically waiting around till the lab results show what specific UTI he has, and which antibiotic he needs. So after I help him with lunch, I’m going to run home for a couple of hours to see Bella.

Thank God we live only 10-15 minutes from the hospital.

This time in three days you will have your new baby, Superesse!

I’m so excited to hear all about it.

And see pictures? I would love to post some of Bella if someone can tell me how!

zebra, get out your sewing kit, like I did! Take a dart up now, so there isn't that gap for when the itching starts to get severe - on day 3 or so. Also the anesthesia may have kept our girl quiet for more than 1 day. She weighs 60 lbs, and was given 150 mg of Rimadyl a day, pretty hefty dose just for pain, don't you all think?

Also zebra, PP gave a super tip about using those panty liners, because when you think about it, all surgical incisions are going to ooze, and we can't just be swapping these shirts out all the time! (Wish the vet tech had discussed this at pick up time...) Keeping the wound dry and clean was our instructions! (Missy never was big on following instructions...)

Well, we just got the call to come get her. I am home now from my doctor's visit so I'll go with H. Even with a list of questions, he usually can't imagine all the stuff she will put us through...big blind spot for the little black dog! Or he thinks I'm a nurse!! I just think we need to have a better plan. We ought to be asking these questions as we're paying the bill, right? But we often don't anticipate what we're in for!

PP, when I wash him up I was planning to have H do the crate with the Natures Promise spray we just got. That stuff is great, although probably not germicidal. We will pack rolls of towels, wipes, soap and water, old towels for his crate, and I guess a half a truckload of other goodies, including a few tug toys. My X pen is the tallest type and makes up a 4 foot by 4 foot pen, or a larger octagon. H already mentioned putting a carpet down for our play interlude, due to the pavement being HOT. I am telling you, the Logistics for this importing are amazingly complex!

And thanks again PP for the ginger snaps tip, and of course, the Benedryl! I want to give some to Missy too, after the other drugs are out of her system! I'm assuming they had to sedate her again this morning. Oh well, she didn't know....

It is now 7 pm over there in puppyland, and still no forwarded papers from breeder or shipper, even after I have asked twice, and in two languages! Sigh. I guess it's just a business to her. I'm used to American breeders like our girl's, whom we still contact and call Momma R. She still emails Missy her hugs and kisses after 9 years! I doubt this Euro gal is going to care like that.

The breeders here in the States do usually say 48-72 hours to see a vet if they are offering a health guarantee, to minimize their risk the puppy contracts something after it leaves home. These dog breeders aren't offering a "guarantee" and they take the position that the dog may pick up foreign diseases if exposed too soon (I got this from another breeder's forum). I will ask the vet today if he has any concerns. He shows his own horses internationally and he just shipped some to and from UK.

Thanks for the prayers WR.

He just had the surgery on Thursday but is able to get around some already. He is small, I think about nine pounds so that might make it easier. He has been a trooper and is such a cuddly sweet boy.I have looked after him and spent a lot of time with him so I am quite attached.

I hope Bella eats for you!!!

zebra, I sort of sped on by the news about your dog's surgery, that's tough! I am sorry he had to lose a leg. At those times, we owners don't think about all the nursing details. I will say a prayer for a good result on the biopsy.

Thank you so much!!!

Reading this thread has been a good distraction for me.

Prayers that everything goes smoothly for you with both your pups!!

Well, another half a day spent at the vet for poor Miss Bitz.

Apparently she developed a skin infection licking her IV-shaved leg before we caught her and slid the vet wrap back up on her leg loosely, as an emergency deterrent to her sandpaper tongue on raw skin. (They never told us how long to leave it on, so since she seemed content with her fancy leg wrap, we left it for 2 days and maybe that was the start of the infection.) But not being a vet tech, I left it since I knew since she was 4 that she's a bleeder; her spay surgery incision started steadily dripping red blood at 8 pm on a Friday night, and her entire abdomen had turned purple! Again, a vet had not instructed my H to get a cone for her; so he didn't know, just put her in the crate, drove the 100 miles home and I'm sure she got busy licking her tummy in the car crate! Local vet took my panic 9 pm call that night and said "give her Benedryl." Benedryl sedated her enough she stopped freaking out and gave the bleeding time to stop as she lay down and fell asleep. Whew, close call!

But today, the rump incision hadn't yet become infected, the other mid-back cut looked good, and they said her eyelid stitch is good, although it must itch and has a lot of discharge. So we're hoping with 2 medical shirts, a stock of self-stick panty liners I still need to buy, gentimicin spray they sold us and a new cone we're going to keep on for the next few days, we may have it under control? Until her next trick. Wednesday is supposed to be "puppy day"....don't tell this drama gal! 🤫

Did you all know the most accident-prone dog breed on earth is a German Shepherd?

I wonder if your-all's experiences with vets are similar to ours: as though the techs are so used to their clinical operation they assume we dog parents are up to speed on a LOT of things we actually have no clue about? Send us home with a short list of generic instructions, then just "call if this or that happens." And always with our luck, they're guaranteed be closed when we need to know what to do? I was stressin' at the vets with my little list, as Missy was whining, barking and squirming to get out! We had to close the door so she would wait for the tech to instruct us. They said she got mouthy after lunch. Well, DUH, girl GSDs need to go OUT to potty! She was just due and soon as we put her in the truck she went frantic, so I knew. She had loose bowels...been holding it for hours, I bet!

Bless you all for sharing and commiserating with me, you've really helped reduce my stress level.

Hope WR's H and Bella are improving, and also zebra's little trooper!

Later: she has smelly gas and still loose bowel movement tonight (whined in her crate about a half hour after her normal last trip outdoors, then I smelled something funky, so we undid her onesie with the panty liner, took her out again, and she did have a tummyache.) I'd looked up the new sedative drug they gave her today, and between 5-10% of dogs get diarrhea from it, so I just HOPE she didn't pick up a bug with the puppy coming Wednesday. (More guilt on me for having put her through this just now!) I gave her some of the vet's Calming Probiotic powder to lick, and hope she sleeps through the night with just 50 mg. of Rimadyl. We will give her the last of it Wednesday. Guess I need to get tougher....this is TOO much. 😥

[This message edited by Superesse at 4:58 AM, Tuesday, May 23rd]

Whatsright, get a large purse and take that baby in to see your H -- and take some puppy food. The worst thing that could happen would be they'd tell you to take her home.

WhatsRight,

Maybe get that nutrition supplement if she has a tendency toward hypoglycemia.

Sorry to hear about your husband. My Dad was admitted today, for UTI and a prostrate blockage. They will probably put his Cather back in. He said well I gucess when the antibiotics stop working I will be dead. Dad is 93.

Zebra,

our first mini schnauzer got cancer in this paw. It was a back leg. Two days later he was putting weight on it to lift his leg on a tree. He did great!

He lived for 3 more years. Paws crossed.

PricklePatch… i’m so sorry to hear about your dad… And at that age! And if he has had repeated UTIs, I’m sure you have probably experienced the fact that in older people, a UTI can make them a bit "crazy". (I don’t mean that in a pejorative way, just couldn’t think of another term to fit.)

My mother had a really bad UTI when she was about 90, and she literally attacked my sister and ripped hair out of her head. They took her to the hospital and we had to admit her to a psych unit for one week. it was HORRIBLE. Because my mother was the sweetest individual that I’ve ever known. But once her UTI was taken care of she was back to this dear, sweet lady that she had always been.

I hope it’s the same with your dad. ❤️

On the dog front, I can excitedly report that Bella has Peed on her puppy pad repeatedly in the last 2 days. (I have given up with the outside attempts while I am in and out of the house so much going to the hospital.) And she has pooped outside as well.

FINALLY I think we are well on our way with the housebreaking. 😊

Supersede… how is your baby this morning? And how are you holding up? You hit the road tomorrow! I am so excited for you!

WhatRight,

My Dad is on the West coast and I am on the East Coast. He has health care aids paTt time. He cooks himself spaghetti sauce and freezes it. My sister lives about 4 blocks from him. He is in a senior community. He has been hospitalized 4;or 5; times in the last 3 years, with uti and then Covid hit him hard. I check on him by phone pretty much daily. I talked to him Sunday and he wasn’t feeling very good. He really didn’t want to call my sister as she was at her niece’s graduation. We found he will tell me stuff about what is going on, her stuff that is part of what happened. So we talk to each other so we know how he really is doing.

I hope your husband is on the mend. Keeping you in my prayers.

Ok I have been off a few days, and it took me a while to get caught up.

1. UTI's are a giant PIA, and really do knock the elderly down, and cause significant health issues.
There are products that really work to help keep them at bay. A company called Uquora makes a daily supplement, a powder to drink every 3 days, and a probiotic. All are scientifically proven to minimize UTI's, and it is kind of pricey, but let me tell you it is absolutely worth trying. They are now selling at CVS and Walgreens I believe, but you can also order on line, and get set up for monthly deliveries. IT WORKS!!!! Try it.

2. The body suits are awesome for surgical recovery. My 4.5 yo Choco had his neuter in Feb, and we used one for the 2 weeks it took to heal up. He is a big boy, and he had a large sack, so they had to remove skin, and sew it together, so it was essential to keep him quiet for that time frame to heal. So he got low dose daily trazadone, it was sad to see him sleepy all the time but worth no complications for healing. So ask for the shhhsh pills. We always do, since our dane popped her staples out from her spay and her intestines were falling out, on a friday evening, the day before my son's 8th bday party. She had an repeat surgery, abd washout, antibiotics.

3. Supresse I'm so excited for you getting your GSD this week.

4. WR - gravy will not hurt your girl. You can also try adding milk to her kibble to entice her. I don't give my dogs people food either, until my 14.5 yo girl developed bad allergies, and then renal failure. So I make her food from scratch and it looks delicious. LOL She gets lean ground beef, rice, spinach, broccoli, green beans, and shredded carrots in it. I make it in a 5 gal bucket, every 2 weeks. But doing this has kept her alive and feeling good for over a year now.