A Very Painful Lesson In Human Nature

by Ken
(Escondido, CA)

Cappy 10/20/08 - 9/1/09 Rest In Peace My Dear Friend

Feb. of this year we bought a beautiful 3 1/2 month old male standard poodle from Pat Reynolds in Blythe CA. She provided in writing the shot and worming record of the pup. My wife and I (both disabled) had been looking for a poodle for quite some time and this beautiful boy was an absolute soul match. My wife and I spent the next 6 months loving and training him to become my wifes service dog. Then 2 nights ago he began vomiting over and over again. I took him to the emergency vet and then to his regular vet in the morning. After doing some tests the vet came back with the heart breaking news... Cappy had distemper! But thats impossible I told him, Cappy had his distemper shots from the breeder. He told me that sometimes what happens is that breeders aren't real careful with the vacine. It MUST remain refridgerated to stay viable.
Cappy died at 4 pm the next day.
We called Pat whom swore that she gave him the shots. When asked where she got the vacine she said she got it from her girlfriend, Karen Grogan. We googled Karen Grogan and OMG this woman was running a puppy mill in Arizona and was under investigation for animal abuse and forging vet signatures on puppy health certificates!!!
We lost our beloved Cappy due to our ignorance and to the lack of due diligence from Pat to make sure that the vacine was viable.
Please, please, please, when you get a puppy have your vet give him one more series of puppy shots just to make sure your pup is protected from this awful disease.

Still Crying In California
Ken and Star