Just a cold?

[EmrldShdwQueen]

For about 4 days now Ryder has been having this horrible "reaching" cough...almost sounds like he's hoarse when he does it. I figured a cold or a touch of bronchitis, because the weather has been changing here so much lately. He's on Clavamox, baby Robitussin, and nose drops. He's been on these ever since I noticed it 4 days ago. He seemed to be getting better yesterday but today he's been coughing more frequently. Anyone else have any idea what else could it be? Has he not been on the meds long enough? I would think by 4 days he'd be improving. I hate to go to z-pac but I guess that's the next step...he's so little I'm afraid if I don't move on this he'll get a lot worse.

[kalina82]

Is the clavamox, robitussin, and nose drops from your vet? did he think it was kennel cough or just a URI?

sometimes coughing is a good thing because it means he's coughing up the infection thats in his lungs/chest.

[EmrldShdwQueen]

Originally Posted by kalina82

Is the clavamox, robitussin, and nose drops from your vet? did he think it was kennel cough or just a URI?

sometimes coughing is a good thing because it means he's coughing up the infection thats in his lungs/chest.

No, I don't vet mine unless they absolutely HAVE to go for an emergency. I work for his breeder, and I'm a breeder myself...so we have most everything we would need as far as health supplies go. I know it's not kennel cough...nobody else has it and he plays with all the pups at her kennel all the time. We're going to try zpac mixed in the clavamox and a vaporizer...hopefully this will knock it out.

[kalina82]

Originally Posted by EmrldShdwQueen

No, I don't vet mine unless they absolutely HAVE to go for an emergency. I work for his breeder, and I'm a breeder myself...so we have most everything we would need as far as health supplies go. I know it's not kennel cough...nobody else has it and he plays with all the pups at her kennel all the time. We're going to try zpac mixed in the clavamox and a vaporizer...hopefully this will knock it out.

i don't agree with that but if that's what your going to do then all i can do is wish you good luck.

i don't think meds should be given to such a young dog without seeing a vet first. You don't know exactly what is wrong and you can get the dosage wrong and do more damage then good. What is zpac? is that zithromax for people?

[Ellie May]

I wouldn't give antibiotics without seeing a vet first. How do you know if your dog even needs them or what kind or how much for how long?

[Ladymom]

I agree. Self medicating him with antibiotics, especially since there isn't any improvement, isn't a good idea. I certainly wouldn't mix two antibiotics like you are suggesting.

I think he needs to see a vet.

[EmrldShdwQueen]

I understand your position, but my friend has been doing this for many many years. She knows all the doses by heart for size, etc. She uses the same vet she has for years, who comes out to her home whenever needed, and gives her advice on the phone whenever he's needed. He's known in the community for being an expert. I'm not randomly dosing him or medicating him...he has a cold and I feel sure that if I HAD gone to a vet they would have given me the same thing, based on previous experience. And I know it was the right dose as well. I consider my friend an expert because she's "been there, done that" for years and years. Most breeders medicate their dogs. In fact, I have never known a breeder who has rushed all their dogs and puppies up to the vet whenever they had a simple cold.

Clavamox is just a simple antibiotic that she always starts with if they have a cold. Yes the zpac is half a zithromax given to humans...mixed up in the Clavamox and given in the appropriate dose twice a day. (That's only the half for the ENTIRE bottle.) That's a very common regimen for a small dog with a cold. I started him yesterday and he's doing much better today.