Francesca is diagnosed with tick fever.

I brought her to the vet 2 days ago to check on her skin problems. The vet said her skin looks to be healing and maybe its due to stress after whelping. He checked on her gums and said they look mightily pale i requested for a blood test for tick fever. Yvonne requested for a test for heartworm. After drawing her blood (she didn't even winch), the vet remarked that her blood is strangly thin and very watery. He did both tests and the heartworm came up negative but tick fever came up positive. He said all her red blood cells are infected and is 'surprised how she managed to last this long'. He even ask the nurse to take a look at her blood cells since they havent seen anything so serious.

He is also surprised that she is showing positive signs like eating well, drinking well.. and no blood loss. etc.. He asked me if the puppies are still drinking milk and i said yes and he asked me to make a decision whether to let her continue nursing them since she cant if he were to prescribe the antibiotics to kill the tick fever virus. I immediatately said yes of cos to prescribe the drug. The puppies have to survive on their own from now. Saving mommy is more important at this time. if the puppies continue nursing, they might have deformed teeth next time.

So he gave me iron pills and the drug called vibrabac 100. A 3 week course and to be reviewed after. She is now on 100% barf which the vet says will help her with her immune system and 'cytolog' courtesy of yvonne. A spray tht boosts the immune system and can be bought at www.best4pets.com.

Her appetite is rather good. She ate a big bowl of beef, chicken liver, chicken heart yesterday and had black coloured poop. Today is mince beef with cabbage and broccoli which she hates. She only ate half and will feed her chicken back at night.

I hope she gets well soon. :(