brain-injured puppy

[andrea1970]

We have friends that recently had 2 chi pups.  I don't know the details of how it happened, but 1 had a 12-pack of soda fall on her at about 1-2 weeks old.  They took her to the vet, but the vet said there wasn't much he could do besides order an MRI.  That's just not an option.  So they brought her home and have been caring for her, waiting to see how things would turn.  She can't nurse, so they are feeding her with a dropper (she does swallow).  She had started to do better, but now she's losing ground.  She does not really open her eyes or move around or anything.  She'll wiggle around a little, but not much.  The movements look more seizure-like to me than intentional - legs stick out straight, back arching, then all goes limp.  This also happens in response to touch.

There are no clear signs of pain, but I'm not sure how you'd tell in such a young puppy that is obviously neurologically compromised.

She is obviously smaller than her brother now.  And I guess she had a serious apnea episode a couple nights ago where she stopped breathing and went limp for a couple minutes.  Her owner stimulated her and she started breathing again.  I would never say this to her, but in my mind I was thinking she should have just let her alone and let her go.  If nothing else, the hypoxia for a couple minutes certainly didn't help anything.

The owner is starting to consider taking her in to be PTS.  I have no idea if there is any reasonable hope that this puppy will ever be any better than she is today, or if she's just going to progress on a slower timeline than normal?  Obviously if the puppy is clearly suffering, she should be PTS.  But if it's just a matter of providing  nursing care for a few weeks to give her time to recover, I think they are willing to do that. 

[critterchic]

I have a friend who is a long time breeder/exhibitor of apricot mini poodles, well she had a litter of six week old pups running and playing in her back yard and one of the girls ran straight into a tree. This once healthy and happy puppy started to seizure on a regular basis, had a head tilt and before she was six months old was PTS ( my friend who has the knowledge and resources tried everything to save her). A total tragedy and unfortunately head trauma in dogs don't usually end well. Best of luck to your friends.

[star2]

Ohh that gave me goosebumps.  The poor little puppy. 
I think she'll know if it's the pup's time to go. 
That is so sad. 
It doesn't help that chihuahuas can have such big moleras. 

[Breakthenight]

My neighbours, when I was a kid, had a cat with a batch of 3 kittens. Their little boy (6 at the time, maybe?) built a "house" for the kittens in the garage out of old shelving units, matresses, ect. He put the kittens in it, and it collapsed. One kitten got hit by a shelf and sustained brain damage. He never grew any bigger, was slow, seized, had to be warmed and cared for seperately. Eventually he seized and was jsut so damaged the family had to have him PTS. He suffered for several months like this, before they made the decision. It was selfish of them to keep him alive all that time because they felt guilty for what happened to him, and wanted to "save him".

From the sounds of the condition, it is likely that the pup should be humanely PTS    Such a sad situation.

[andrea1970]

I talked to them for the first time in a week and found out the pup died on her own last weekend.  Probably a blessing for all involved.