YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - Wet cough in my yorkie puppy

kaynkay · 08-23-2012, 03:02 PM

Hi there everyone,

I am so thankful for this site...I have been reading for years, and today is the first time I have posted! I've had vorkies for 20 years, and currently have a puppy Sazzy who is 8 months old and my 4 year old yorkie Dixie.

I brought Sazzy home from the breeder when he was 6 months old, he came home June 10th. He is a big boy, and weighted 5 lbs when we brought him home. He seemed healthy and was in good spirits. All shots, well known breeder, gorgeous boy. He went to the vet within 48 hours, and set the date for getting fixed the following week. His 3rd day home (1 day after the vet) I took him to be groomed.

2 days later he began coughing. It kept getting worse and I became concerned about kennel cough. According to his chart, he had his inoculation when he was young - so I was not terribly worried about that. But sure enough, I took him to go see my vet (for 5 years) and he was diagnosed with Kennel Cough. We gave him an updated inoculation, and he was put on antibiotics (doxy I think). 2 more weeks and it was sounding worse. I took him in again and we took some X-rays - bronchitis. OK, change to amoxycillian and now on prednisolone and hycodin. That was 6 weeks ago. He recently finished his cycle of prednisolone after stepping off for a long time, on his 2nd bottle of amoxycillian, and he still has this wet, productive cough in the morning.

He has energy, he eats, and loves to run around. However, he clearly has distress in the morning with his coughing fits and occasionally has coughing during the day. I am just beside myself wanting this to be over after 2+ months of antibiotics and sickness for him!

He is currently off the prednisolone and I have been giving him Delsym (kids cough meds per the vet) since I was concerned the hycodyn was suppressing the cough when clearly the phlegm needed to get out...along with his antibiotics...and it is still active!

Anyway, I am thinking I need to take him to the vet (again!) and see about what is going on, what the prognosis is for this cough, and how we can accelerate his recovery! I am concerned about continuing with the prednisolone given it is making his toilet training really hard and increasing his hunger and he is now 6+ lbs! Im concerned and am not sure what course to take at the vet tomorrow. Another antibiotic for the bronchitis? More x-rays? I'm so concerned for this poor little guy and just want him to be well so that he is happier (though he is a happy guy to be sure).

Any suggestions or experience with this would be so helpful. I have considered homeopathics, alternative treatment - I'm willing to try what will work. My vet has briefly mentioned a trachea wash though he does not like it because it is invasive...I think I read somewhere that yorkies cannot get the phlegm out of their lungs so that makes coughs hard to treat. Please advise.

Thanks to all of you yorkie mums out there...we do love our babies don't we.
Thank yo, thank you, thank you.

08-23-2012, 03:02 PM	#1
kaynkay Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 11	Wet cough in my yorkie puppy - 2 months of treatment and counting... Hi there everyone, I am so thankful for this site...I have been reading for years, and today is the first time I have posted! I've had vorkies for 20 years, and currently have a puppy Sazzy who is 8 months old and my 4 year old yorkie Dixie. I brought Sazzy home from the breeder when he was 6 months old, he came home June 10th. He is a big boy, and weighted 5 lbs when we brought him home. He seemed healthy and was in good spirits. All shots, well known breeder, gorgeous boy. He went to the vet within 48 hours, and set the date for getting fixed the following week. His 3rd day home (1 day after the vet) I took him to be groomed. 2 days later he began coughing. It kept getting worse and I became concerned about kennel cough. According to his chart, he had his inoculation when he was young - so I was not terribly worried about that. But sure enough, I took him to go see my vet (for 5 years) and he was diagnosed with Kennel Cough. We gave him an updated inoculation, and he was put on antibiotics (doxy I think). 2 more weeks and it was sounding worse. I took him in again and we took some X-rays - bronchitis. OK, change to amoxycillian and now on prednisolone and hycodin. That was 6 weeks ago. He recently finished his cycle of prednisolone after stepping off for a long time, on his 2nd bottle of amoxycillian, and he still has this wet, productive cough in the morning. He has energy, he eats, and loves to run around. However, he clearly has distress in the morning with his coughing fits and occasionally has coughing during the day. I am just beside myself wanting this to be over after 2+ months of antibiotics and sickness for him! He is currently off the prednisolone and I have been giving him Delsym (kids cough meds per the vet) since I was concerned the hycodyn was suppressing the cough when clearly the phlegm needed to get out...along with his antibiotics...and it is still active! Anyway, I am thinking I need to take him to the vet (again!) and see about what is going on, what the prognosis is for this cough, and how we can accelerate his recovery! I am concerned about continuing with the prednisolone given it is making his toilet training really hard and increasing his hunger and he is now 6+ lbs! Im concerned and am not sure what course to take at the vet tomorrow. Another antibiotic for the bronchitis? More x-rays? I'm so concerned for this poor little guy and just want him to be well so that he is happier (though he is a happy guy to be sure). Any suggestions or experience with this would be so helpful. I have considered homeopathics, alternative treatment - I'm willing to try what will work. My vet has briefly mentioned a trachea wash though he does not like it because it is invasive...I think I read somewhere that yorkies cannot get the phlegm out of their lungs so that makes coughs hard to treat. Please advise. Thanks to all of you yorkie mums out there...we do love our babies don't we. Thank yo, thank you, thank you.