It was after the grooming. I just brought her back from the vet from the rescue. Should I wait a bit?Did the sores develop before or after the grooming? If after, I would suspect a reaction to some product they used on her.
You might need to bite the bullet, and pay out of pocket to get a second opinion from another vet.
Thank you! It's tough. I decided to foster because I don't really have the means to own a dog right now for reasons such as this (taking them to vets and stuff). I was told before I decided to foster that all medical needs would be met at the rescue and they'd provide medication if necessary. I've brought up this issue to them 5 times now (plus the time I brought her back and left the puppy in their care) and its just getting worse and worse each day. The tech says it's nothing serious, but the puppy looks very diseased and I don't think I can find someone to adopt her the way she's looking now. The rescue basically told me I could just return the puppy to them, but it's obvious they won't do anything more. I was also told that after I dropped the puppy back to them for a few days for monitoring, the puppy was extremely depressed, crying all day, and not eating. She's so happy when she's at my home though. I don't know what to do. I feel like the rescue just dropped this puppy off on me.I know it's hard when you're just fostering for a rescue, and it's not really your dog. I did rescue and fostered for over 10 years. You might try calling whoever is responsible at the rescue and really laying it on them - the puppy is covered in sores, she's miserable, you're miserable, and no one's going to adopt her unless something is done. Tell them their vet has blown you off and you didn't even see a vet but a tech. Vets who do rescue work are angels in many ways, but some also don't give the same standard of care that they do to customers who pay full rates. Agitate for support to take her to a different vet, and a vet specializing in dermatology would be best. My own experience is that specialists don't cost any more for an initial visit and assessment (although they'd cost more than a vet who has contracted with a rescue for reduced cost services), and they almost always save you money in the long run.
I basically pressed the rescue and told them the puppy already lost a very interested adopter and if she continues to look even worse, she's never going to get adopted. They finally told me to they'd take her to the vet, but then there was some miscommunication on their part, and they messed the vet appointment. They then gave me a bottle of antibiotics to give her (without diagnosing her). I don't know what to do.I'm so sorry the rescue's put you in this position. It's awful and inexcusable, imo. There's no point in taking in dogs from kill shelters if they're not willing to put in the effort and expense to make sure they're happy, healthy, and have good quality of life while waiting for a permanent home.
If you're still considering calling around to other vets, I'd be totally up-front with the situation and your financial limitations. Ask if they can provide you cost estimates ahead of time, and/or if they can recommend any reduced cost veterinary services or financial aid options in your area. You absolutely shouldn't have to be pulling from out of pocket for this, and it's totally understandable if you just can't make that work. That's not what you signed up for as a foster, I just wanted to offer some suggestions so you can make whatever choice is best for this crummy situation.
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