My week-old puppy died. Should I give antibiotics to the litter?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From the picture you have provided I would suspect that Lolo and the other pups have an upper respiratory infection with that eye discharge being present. I would recommend having them seen by a veterinarian as I would not recommend giving a human product without the consent of your veterinarian due to appropriate dosing. I would recommend starting them on Clavamox, which has a different concentration for animals. This will need to be prescribed by your veterinarian once the puppies are examined. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Many different antibiotics are used for both humans and dogs, the only difference is the dose given. Antibiotics should not be given without the advice of your veterinarian. Inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to resistant bacteria and may complicate any underlying condition which could delay diagnosis.

Unfortunately, in the forum there is no continuing thread of questions from user, so I may have missed a previous post from you. I would not recommend self treating your pet with antibiotics, as you may accidentally do harm to him. In addition, if it's the wrong antibiotic for his condition, you will be promoting antibiotic resistance. If your pet is sick and needs antibiotics, he will need to see a vet. I can give you some resources to help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ I would have your pet seen by a vet today.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Frany. If you suspect that she has the parvovirus, then you need to seek veterinary care for her immediately. This disease can be fatal without proper treatment. While antibiotics can be a part of a treatment plan, there are other components as well that are necessary to increase chances of survival. Furthermore, the dose of your tablets is way too high given the weight in her profile. I hope this information helps.

This would depend on the type of antibiotic being treated. Do not medicate your pet without the advice of your veterinarian. Inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to resistant bacteria and may complicate any underlying condition.

Antibiotics are usually indicated if there is obvious signs of a skin infection, GI infection (if pet has loose stool and parasites are not the cause), upper airway infection, or a UTI. I am not sure of any vets that I know personally who would just give antibiotics if there isn't just cause. Bloodwork is not always needed to justify the use of antibiotics, unless we are suspicious of bacteremia (bacteria in the bloodstream). Besides bloodwork, there are some specialized tests available, which are usually cultures, however they are often not cost effective for most clients to afford, ranging anywhere from $100-$300. In those cases, we treat based on symptoms and the history of the pet, as we narrow down the possibilities of an infection vs something else. Also not to mention that some of these specialized tests (i.e. cultures) have an incubation period of anywhere from 7-14 days before results are available. If we don't treat for what we highly suspect, the pet will end up just getting sicker while awaiting results, if the owner can afford the test to begin with. The same thing is done in human medicine. If the doctor highly suspects an infection based on the physical exam and vitals, then antibiotics will be prescribed. On another note, we have to make sure we do our part and ask all the right questions about the pets history and rule out other causes before issuing antibiotics, so that we used them judiciously and not increase the risk of creating superbugs in the environment. I hope that this helps answer your question. It is a valid one and I am glad that you brought up the subject. Take care now.

Antibiotics are used very commonly to treat infections and infectious diseases in dogs, just like in people. There should be no problem with using them when they are needed, even if she has needed antibiotics before multiple times in the past - most antibiotics are very safe and pose little risk, even with long-term use.