dry cough - Page 3 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Joysie · 12-30-2005, 08:10 AM

Well, my vet hasn't talked about doing a tracheal wash (I have heard that these are not good for a pup, is this true?) but we are trying another medicine. Now we are trying DiTrim .25cc twice a day. The vet was thinking of doing x-rays possibly to find a trachea problem, but the CBC test came back with a high white blood cell count, which actually I am thankful for, because if the blood cell count was normal, that probably meant that it was a trachea problem. SO...
here we go again. And yes, Straszny may cough a few times during the day, but it is almost all in the night or early morning. Now he seems to be a little better, but he seems to do that at the start of each new medicine.

Deisel · 01-03-2006, 05:58 PM

The vet gave us Clavamox drops on Monday and refilled the Diphenoxylate (for cough) and we started it that night but no change yet. He woke up last night about 5-6 times coughing. It is so horrible that I wait for him to fall over. He is still eating and playing like nothing is wrong. He coughs a little through the day but mostly thru the night and morning. We did the amoxi drops first so we are on our second antibiotic. Has anyone gone thru this and the puppy gotten better? If so what actually helped? It sounds like everyone is going thru the smae thing and that the vets are giving out the same meds. He was due for a shot on 12/28 but the vet wants to wait until he is better. I am not sure how good that is for him either. This is my first puppy - well my first pet ever so it is a little alarming to watch him go thru this. Any help would be appreciated.

Stormy · 01-03-2006, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deisel

The vet gave us Clavamox drops on Monday and refilled the Diphenoxylate (for cough) and we started it that night but no change yet. He woke up last night about 5-6 times coughing. It is so horrible that I wait for him to fall over. He is still eating and playing like nothing is wrong. He coughs a little through the day but mostly thru the night and morning. We did the amoxi drops first so we are on our second antibiotic. Has anyone gone thru this and the puppy gotten better? If so what actually helped? It sounds like everyone is going thru the smae thing and that the vets are giving out the same meds. He was due for a shot on 12/28 but the vet wants to wait until he is better. I am not sure how good that is for him either. This is my first puppy - well my first pet ever so it is a little alarming to watch him go thru this. Any help would be appreciated.

Yes...we went through all the exact same thing last February when we bought a new 12 week old puppy who arrived with kennel cough. Were were getting so upset as it wned and ebbed with each new course of antibiotics. Took about 4 months until she was really ok and she has been fine ever since. Tiny lettle thing who topped out at just 2 pounds but is now fine, so chin up and try to be patient. Hopefully he will be just fine. My vets told us that kennel cough is not really dangerous if it is treated but is dreaded because it is so hard to cure and takes so long.Good luck and try to be patient.

Stormy · 01-03-2006, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deisel

The vet gave us Clavamox drops on Monday and refilled the Diphenoxylate (for cough) and we started it that night but no change yet. He woke up last night about 5-6 times coughing. It is so horrible that I wait for him to fall over. He is still eating and playing like nothing is wrong. He coughs a little through the day but mostly thru the night and morning. We did the amoxi drops first so we are on our second antibiotic. Has anyone gone thru this and the puppy gotten better? If so what actually helped? It sounds like everyone is going thru the smae thing and that the vets are giving out the same meds. He was due for a shot on 12/28 but the vet wants to wait until he is better. I am not sure how good that is for him either. This is my first puppy - well my first pet ever so it is a little alarming to watch him go thru this. Any help would be appreciated.

As long as he he is eating and playing he is not to sick. When they stop eating and become lethargic is the time to worry. Sounds like he has kennel cough which takes a long time and several courses of antibiotics to cure.
Try not to worry to much just keep on treating him as your vet prescribes and he should be fine...Good Luck to you.

Deisel · 01-03-2006, 06:42 PM

I was reading over the threads and saw where someone metioned "Dog Flu" so I googled it and several articles came up. National Geographic ha one saying that back in Sept. and dog flu was going around and that it had all the sounds of kennel cough. However it was a canine influenza and that the vets didn't have a test for it yet. The bordetella vaccine works against kennel cough but not against the flu. Maybe everyone that is having the same problems can mention this to their vets and it may help. It was worth a try for those that didn't know about the flu because I didn't know either.

Deisel · 01-03-2006, 06:54 PM

He has had his bordetella vaccine and the vet said that it is not in his lungs. I am worried that it may be that dog flu that soemone else spoke about in another thread. I have read several articles on it and I did get him from a breeder that had several dogs at her home. It is spread by air - like the flu that we get. It also did say that the symptoms are similar to kennel cough. Thank you for responding to my insert.

Joysie · 01-03-2006, 08:35 PM

Deisel, these sounds EXACTLY like Straszny's symptoms. He wass fine during the day, but throughout the night he would often wake up, have coughing fits, and like you said, lie down in exhaustion.

Some good news (hopefully), the DiTrim seems to be working. I am trying not to get overly hopeful, he had seemed to get a little better with the other meds. before, only to get worse again. But, it has been over a week, and he is still doing well, so maybe this time it worked. Maybe you could give this drug a try if you must try another.

And on a side note, my vet doesn't think that it is kennel cough (and it also is not in his lungs), partly because of his own diagnosis and also because Straszny doesn't cough up any phlegm or white or clear foam. Does your pup do this?

Joysie · 01-04-2006, 09:39 AM

Ok, you can probably forget what I said about the improvement. Last night Straszny had a couple of coughing fits...one pretty bad one. If it is worse again tonight, back to the vet we go. I feel like this will never end.

Deisel · 01-04-2006, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joysie

Ok, you can probably forget what I said about the improvement. Last night Straszny had a couple of coughing fits...one pretty bad one. If it is worse again tonight, back to the vet we go. I feel like this will never end.

I talked to the vet today about the research that I found on the dog flu but she said that they really haven't seen any dog with it and that it took place before he was born. I told them that he came from south of us and that there were other dogs around him at all times so that one of them could've brought it over. They said to keep giving him the meds and if he isn't any better in a couple of days then to call them. The breeder emailed me and said that sometimes this happens when a puppy moves to a new place and changes environments. She said that it should last for a short time and for me to get a nebulizer and that it would help him. I may try this - I am willing to try anything to make him feel better. I hope that Straszny gets to feeling better.

Joysie · 01-05-2006, 11:38 AM

Thank you, I hope that your puppy gets to feeling better too! That is very sweet of you...

I will continue messaging about his condition, and I would love it if you would do the same about your little guy's. Straszny didn't cough worse than tuesday night last night, which I had expected him to, I called the vet and told him this (he wanted me to keep him updated), so we will see...

and a nebulizer...I hadn't even thought of that. Do you think it could make a difference?

Stormy · 01-05-2006, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joysie

Deisel, these sounds EXACTLY like Straszny's symptoms. He wass fine during the day, but throughout the night he would often wake up, have coughing fits, and like you said, lie down in exhaustion.

Some good news (hopefully), the DiTrim seems to be working. I am trying not to get overly hopeful, he had seemed to get a little better with the other meds. before, only to get worse again. But, it has been over a week, and he is still doing well, so maybe this time it worked. Maybe you could give this drug a try if you must try another.

And on a side note, my vet doesn't think that it is kennel cough (and it also is not in his lungs), partly because of his own diagnosis and also because Straszny doesn't cough up any phlegm or white or clear foam. Does your pup do this?

Ugh....my vet s, and I went to 3 different ones when I was having all this difficulty

with Candi and each diagnosed kennel cough. But, her lungs were clear (the rules out pnuemonia complication) and she did not cough up any froth or liquid either. Kennel cough is like a human cold so it should not be in the lungs unless it moves on in severity.Be patient...I know how frustrating it all is but it does take a lot of time to cure, the sickness is very persistant.
Good luck and keep us posted.

Miikka's Dad · 01-05-2006, 12:07 PM

Just a quick background as this is my first post. Yorkie4Me is my wife and our 17 week old yorkie is Miikka.

She is now on her 3rd set of antibiotics. We did not want to do the bronchial flush as she had started to get better. We ended up going to a different vet and got the latest medication. I think that it is Betryl or something like that. She has only been on it a few days and seems to continue to get better.

I am really hoping that this has started to pass now. She has only coughed maybe one or twice in the last three days. Her breathing does not seem to be rough any more when she wakes up in the morning and she has not been coughing in the mornings.

We start puppy classes on Saturday, so hopefully she is good for the next few days.

Deisel · 01-05-2006, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormy

Ugh....my vet s, and I went to 3 different ones when I was having all this difficulty

with Candi and each diagnosed kennel cough. But, her lungs were clear (the rules out pnuemonia complication) and she did not cough up any froth or liquid either. Kennel cough is like a human cold so it should not be in the lungs unless it moves on in severity.Be patient...I know how frustrating it all is but it does take a lot of time to cure, the sickness is very persistant.
Good luck and keep us posted.

I am just confused by it all and since this is my first puppy it is hard for me to understand why it the vet takes a few minutes with you and gives a prescription and thinks that it will work. I can either let the breeder take him to her house for a week and use the nebulizer on him or I can go for a second opinion. However, I bought the puppy for my fiance and I am not sure tha his heart will let him part with him for a week. I think we are going to watch him and try to write down his coughs and how often and how long and see if maybe we can get a second opinion on Monday. The puppy was up at 1:00 and 4:00AM coughing and no he has some small coughs also. Nothing comes out - he had clear saliva once but I haven't seen anything else. He is still eating great and playing hard and everyone says that this is good but his cough is not. I guess it is a waiting game. I hope that everyone who is expierencing this gets well soon..

Stormy · 01-05-2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deisel

I am just confused by it all and since this is my first puppy it is hard for me to understand why it the vet takes a few minutes with you and gives a prescription and thinks that it will work. I can either let the breeder take him to her house for a week and use the nebulizer on him or I can go for a second opinion. However, I bought the puppy for my fiance and I am not sure tha his heart will let him part with him for a week. I think we are going to watch him and try to write down his coughs and how often and how long and see if maybe we can get a second opinion on Monday. The puppy was up at 1:00 and 4:00AM coughing and no he has some small coughs also. Nothing comes out - he had clear saliva once but I haven't seen anything else. He is still eating great and playing hard and everyone says that this is good but his cough is not. I guess it is a waiting game. I hope that everyone who is expierencing this gets well soon..

Well if it were my puppy I sure would not take him back to the breeder for a week.....sheesh he might get terribly traumatized.I would definitely try to see another vet for a second opinion.
I took Candi to 3 different vets for opinions, which incidently were all the same, finally the last doses of antibiotics and cough suppressant worked. I don't know if it was the treatment or the time but anyway she has been fine ever since. All she has was coughs...no mucus or anything else.Be gladhe is eating and playing....Sickpups lose their appetite and become lethargic soit sounds encouraging.

Joysie · 01-07-2006, 08:57 PM

Straszny seems to be doing better. Like I said, I am a little careful to say that, but it has been about a week since he had a coughing fit. I told the vet this, and instead of doing another apt, he just refilled Straszny's DiTrim.

I find it interesting that almost everyone that is having these syptoms with their pup says that the 3rd prescription is when the pup got better. (I hope that this stays true with Straszny)

we will see...

01-03-2006, 05:58 PM	#32
Deisel Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 14	Had a bad night - still coughing The vet gave us Clavamox drops on Monday and refilled the Diphenoxylate (for cough) and we started it that night but no change yet. He woke up last night about 5-6 times coughing. It is so horrible that I wait for him to fall over. He is still eating and playing like nothing is wrong. He coughs a little through the day but mostly thru the night and morning. We did the amoxi drops first so we are on our second antibiotic. Has anyone gone thru this and the puppy gotten better? If so what actually helped? It sounds like everyone is going thru the smae thing and that the vets are giving out the same meds. He was due for a shot on 12/28 but the vet wants to wait until he is better. I am not sure how good that is for him either. This is my first puppy - well my first pet ever so it is a little alarming to watch him go thru this. Any help would be appreciated.

01-03-2006, 06:42 PM	#35
Deisel Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 14	Coughing - looked up dog flu I was reading over the threads and saw where someone metioned "Dog Flu" so I googled it and several articles came up. National Geographic ha one saying that back in Sept. and dog flu was going around and that it had all the sounds of kennel cough. However it was a canine influenza and that the vets didn't have a test for it yet. The bordetella vaccine works against kennel cough but not against the flu. Maybe everyone that is having the same problems can mention this to their vets and it may help. It was worth a try for those that didn't know about the flu because I didn't know either.

12-30-2005, 08:10 AM	#31
Joysie Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 101	Well, my vet hasn't talked about doing a tracheal wash (I have heard that these are not good for a pup, is this true?) but we are trying another medicine. Now we are trying DiTrim .25cc twice a day. The vet was thinking of doing x-rays possibly to find a trachea problem, but the CBC test came back with a high white blood cell count, which actually I am thankful for, because if the blood cell count was normal, that probably meant that it was a trachea problem. SO... here we go again. And yes, Straszny may cough a few times during the day, but it is almost all in the night or early morning. Now he seems to be a little better, but he seems to do that at the start of each new medicine.

01-03-2006, 06:54 PM	#36
Deisel Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 14	He has had his bordetella vaccine and the vet said that it is not in his lungs. I am worried that it may be that dog flu that soemone else spoke about in another thread. I have read several articles on it and I did get him from a breeder that had several dogs at her home. It is spread by air - like the flu that we get. It also did say that the symptoms are similar to kennel cough. Thank you for responding to my insert.

01-03-2006, 08:35 PM	#37
Joysie Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 101	Deisel, these sounds EXACTLY like Straszny's symptoms. He wass fine during the day, but throughout the night he would often wake up, have coughing fits, and like you said, lie down in exhaustion. Some good news (hopefully), the DiTrim seems to be working. I am trying not to get overly hopeful, he had seemed to get a little better with the other meds. before, only to get worse again. But, it has been over a week, and he is still doing well, so maybe this time it worked. Maybe you could give this drug a try if you must try another. And on a side note, my vet doesn't think that it is kennel cough (and it also is not in his lungs), partly because of his own diagnosis and also because Straszny doesn't cough up any phlegm or white or clear foam. Does your pup do this?

01-04-2006, 09:39 AM	#38
Joysie Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 101	Ok, you can probably forget what I said about the improvement. Last night Straszny had a couple of coughing fits...one pretty bad one. If it is worse again tonight, back to the vet we go. I feel like this will never end.

01-05-2006, 11:38 AM	#40
Joysie Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 101	Thank you, I hope that your puppy gets to feeling better too! That is very sweet of you... I will continue messaging about his condition, and I would love it if you would do the same about your little guy's. Straszny didn't cough worse than tuesday night last night, which I had expected him to, I called the vet and told him this (he wanted me to keep him updated), so we will see... and a nebulizer...I hadn't even thought of that. Do you think it could make a difference?

01-05-2006, 12:07 PM	#42
Miikka's Dad YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 1	Just a quick background as this is my first post. Yorkie4Me is my wife and our 17 week old yorkie is Miikka. She is now on her 3rd set of antibiotics. We did not want to do the bronchial flush as she had started to get better. We ended up going to a different vet and got the latest medication. I think that it is Betryl or something like that. She has only been on it a few days and seems to continue to get better. I am really hoping that this has started to pass now. She has only coughed maybe one or twice in the last three days. Her breathing does not seem to be rough any more when she wakes up in the morning and she has not been coughing in the mornings. We start puppy classes on Saturday, so hopefully she is good for the next few days.

01-07-2006, 08:57 PM	#45
Joysie Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 101	Straszny seems to be doing better. Like I said, I am a little careful to say that, but it has been about a week since he had a coughing fit. I told the vet this, and instead of doing another apt, he just refilled Straszny's DiTrim. I find it interesting that almost everyone that is having these syptoms with their pup says that the 3rd prescription is when the pup got better. (I hope that this stays true with Straszny) we will see...