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Originally Posted by LittleRalphie Our 4 month puppy has been coughing for about 2 weeks. He is on antibiotics but it doesn't seem to be getting better. The vet seems to think it is kennel cough. How many weeks is normal for this to run its course? |
I ran a search for this on the internet and this is a little something I came across.
Yorkies are prone to tonsilitis, especially if they go outside to make and get a chill, or if someone in the family has a "strep" sore throat -- They will "get it"...to be sure. A tonsilectomy is called for ONLY IF THE TONSILITIS BECOMES CHRONIC, but in the meantime treating the tonsilitis with Amoxicillin 50 mg 2 x day and temaril p (antihistimine with prednisilone) keeps down the inflammation and the mucous. Be sure to use the Amoxicillin for 10 days.
If the dog has tonsilitis regularly like every other two weeks or once a month, then I would consider doing a tonsilectomy.
Kennel cough (traceobronchitis) is a cough with congestion usually and lasts about 30 days. Treatment is pretty much the same except an expectorant (childs cough syrup) might be called for, if the congestion is bad. Kennel Cough is usually the case where dogs congregate and are in a closed area -- Like a benched indoor kennel club show where no fresh air is circulating.
A "clearing of the throat" sounds like tonsilitis. Another way to tell if the tonsils are swollen is because you can feel little lumps swollen also when tonsils get infected. The lumps are just at the angle of the jaw bone.
Another thing that you might want to check if the cough is persistent is the trachea. An x ray will show if there is trachea damage or an inherited trachea problem. Some small dogs that are anethesized to have teeth pulled, etc. need very small tubes to be inserted and if the technician forces a tube in the trachea that is too big, it can cause tracheal damage and this is something I've heard of many times before. Always insist that your VET intubates your toy dog with a small as possible tube so that the trachea is not damaged. I put this on my bill of sale for the client to take to the vet because I feel it is so important.
If you like, you can discuss this letter and the attachments about tonsilitis, tracheobronchitis, and collapsing trachea and damage with our vet. It may help and if your vet thinks I'm nuts for suggesting it after 30 years of raising these little dogs, then you need to find another vet.
Hope this helps a bit.
