Persistent cough-i am very worried

[bosley-mcfly]

hello everyone. i am a new and first-time dog owner. bosley is now 10 weeks old and weighs 2.9 lbs. i bought him from a breeder in texas ans he was flown to nyc where i picked him up on 12/23. on 12/25 he developed a cough. it was very dry and it sounded like he had something lodged in his throat. i got very scared and took him to the emergency room that night. the miserable overnight doctor tried to convince me to sedate the pup, give him x-rays, and keep him overnight because he has a slight infenction in his lung and possibly pneumonia. i opted to take the antibiotics he offered and took him home. drug info: 48mg/ml sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim 10ml---twice daily 0.4 ml every 12 hours. i then took him to his first vet appointment 6 hours later. his doctor was alot more relaxed and told us to be concerned but not worried. he said it would take up to 15 days for the cough to clear up. he went against x-rays and sedation because Bosley is still too young. bosley is eating normally, very energetic, sleeps normally and is in high spirits. his attitude and behavior has not changed a bit. he took 2 days to get accustomed to his new home and now has fit in nicely. i called the breeder and he told me that he shipped out 73 puppies this holiday and i was the first complaint. i really dont trust him now but its a business for him. he didnt even remember my puppy so i really cant take his word for anything at this point. anyway, Bosley is acting normally, but he has that annoying cough mostly when he wakes up and when he is tired of running around. our vet now told us to add robitussin dm every 12 hours 0.2ml. i really feel very bad for him and my wife is going crazy when he coughs. i havent gotten a definitive label of his condition by anyone and that is what worries us. if i knew he has pneumonia or kennel cough or whatever then it would be easier to combat. his cough has begun to sound more liquidy than dry now. i also put him in the bathroom with alot of steam and i also bought him a humidifier that is on all day. has anyone encountered this with their yorkie? can anyone give me some advice? i am worried and need to know what else i can do and what to expect. thanks for giving Bosley and us your time and thoughts.

[kosoma]

Poor baby! I have dealt with kennel cough, but nothing more severe than that. If it is kennel cough, it will likely resolve itself, but it can take even several weeks. Robitussin is standard treatment, as you can only treat the symptoms. A couple of our babies had this once--it was a really hacking cough that I would have sworn was something more serious, but wasn't. The vaccine, like any other, cannnot prevent 100%, but it is supposed to make it less severe if they do get it.

I find it a little odd that the vet cannot give you a more definitive diagnosis. Although perhaps the only way to be sure about pneumonia is an x-ray? The medical aspect is not my area of expertise....but I'm sure someone with more knowledge will post.

73 puppies--that is a lot! I'm sorry he wasn't more concerned. Although not conclusive, it would be interesting to know if he administered the vaccine.

[Ladymom]

The breeder shipped out seventy-three puppies?

It sounds like you either dealt with a broker or a puppy mill. No wonder the little guy is sick. I hope you get reimbursed for your vet bills.

If both vets didn't seem to think there was anything to worry about and he's eating and playing, I'd just wait out the three weeks and see if he stops coughing. I know it's stressful being a new mom, but it sounds like your vet has it under control.

[littlewhip]

Wow thats alot of babies, I hope your little one is ok and gets well soon.

[MyFairLacy]

73 puppies Holy cow..that's a lot of puppies to have at once...definitely a puppymill or broker. Poor baby...I hope he gets better

[Amy81]

Just wanted to say Hello.. Welcome to YT... Congrats on your first baby and I hope he is feeling better soon!!!

[bosley-mcfly]

Bosley is still not feeling well. He has this horrible cough and I feel just awful for him. I feel helpless! The first round of antibiotics did nothing for him. Now he is on Clavamox. He is also taking Nemex to clear up his worms. He hasnt lost his appetite. Infact he eats more than ever. He is in good spirits.
The vet said his culture came back showing he had 2 different types of bacteria and he doesnt believe it is kennel cough. The vet was pretty vague about what was going on so I'm at a loss. Can anyone help?

[TLC]

Holy Moly - 73 puppies shipped out for the Holidays

Oh man, I won't forget that one...

Where did you get him from?

Now to the baby. I am so sorry this is happening to him, it's not your fault, he came from a horrible place that is obviously run by the power of greed $$$ - to even have 73 puppies to ship mean this place is bad news.

Please keep a constant eye on him. Being so young and tiny they can slip quickly. It's good to be in contact with your Vet and make sure to get all the details. I would make sure to have the following on hand at all times: 1)Pedalite 2) Nutrical

Best of Luck and keep us posted - we are here to help you

[MorkieAZ]

Wow, I'm in shock over that number!
Poor baby, Hope he gets better soon.
$%#@@! puppy mills!!!

[TLC]

What Vet are you bringing him to?

Maybe to ease your mind and hearts you should seek another opinion?

There is an excellent specialist hospital in Westbury NY

Here is the Website:

http://vetspecialist.com/index.php

I have been there and I highly recommend the place.

[bosley-mcfly]

my breeder contacted me and told me to use tylan 50 once a day. i researched it and it turns out to be some kind of swine medication which is also good for dogs and respiratory problems. he swore by this product and told me that he has been using it for over 30 years. has anyone ever used this product for this type of problem? i havent used it yet because the vet didnt reccommend it. Bosley is the same. high spirits and annoying cough.

[Marina]

Im not too familiar with coughs but I hope hes feeling better soon. I had a really tough time when i first got my baby. I blame it all on the puppy mills. I wish i would have known about them before getting my baby but you have to stay strong, keep trying dif meds and most important give him lots of love!

[LilyOfTheValley]

I would not believe one word that comes out of the breeder's mouth, and I would never take his advice on how to treat a sick puppy. He's the one who sent you the puppy in this condition.

Listen to your vet. If you're unsure about his diagnosis (or lack thereof), get a second opinion. And a third.

This little guy is going to need you to keep a sharp eye on him, even after you get a diagnosis and treatment plan you feel comfortable with and that produces results.

Sending good thoughts your way.

[chattiesmom]

Welcome to YorkieTalk. I am so very sorry that your puppy is sick. That is the pits -- getting a new pup is such an exciting event I hate that it had the shadow of sickness.

I believe in finding a vet that you are 100% comfortable with and then listening to him/her. Since you are a guy -- listen to your "gut feeling" -- the same feeling that we ladies call instinct. Find a vet that is experienced with and likes Yorkies and you will some piece of mind that your vet is treating your little furbutt appropriately.

I am no expert but it does sound like your baby might have kennel cough. I it is a nasty condition that can take a very long time to completely cure.....I was told that even after all symptoms are cleared up that a dog with kennel cough can still be contagious for up to 6 months.

[Ladymom]

I wouldn't believe one word that breeder said. He is either a puppy mill or a broker for the mills.

I'd find another vet if I were you. I'd also demand to be reimbursed for your vet bills.

Where in the world did you find the person who sold you such a sick puppy? The internet?