update on Keylo's CT

[rubymoon2072]

so after research i decided with hesitation to go ahead and get the theophylline for keylo. i was very afraid and yup bad bad move. she coughed more than she did before and this morning (second dose) my dh thought she was going to have a heart attack she would not stop running around. it looked like a baby on crack...so i called the vet and we are not doing another dose. i am going to throughly research other meds...and look into oxygen masks. keylo before last night and starting the med was really not coughing alot only very lil...

im so torn because my insticts said not to give her that med when i read the side effects. i dont want anymore testing of meds until shes settled. she has been through so much in just two weeks never mind the trauma before her arrival here. tonight shes sleeping and relaxing finally.

i emailed the foster mom in hopes of her saying that keylo didnt have this cough prior to her leaving louisiana. shes runs the hs there and she never answered me. i just wish they would have been honest with me. the medical record they sent had three other dogs listed on it also, and had only shot and spay information. i will never do anything but the best for my keylo or any of my babies. im just thankful shes ok, here and i can love her up!

thanks for letting me chat about this. im so thankful to have a place to talk about this and people who understand.

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Poor Keylo. I have no experience with CT at all. But I will add this sweet baby to my prayer list.

[kjc]

I'm so sorry... I meant to post on your other thread.... I wouldn't have given the theophylline to her bc the vet never did any further testing to definitely diagnose the CT, the pup is still so young and stressed, and bc the ABs are helping. If it was CT, ABs would not make it alot better, if at all. Don't agree with medicating dogs/pups until a diagnosis is made with disorders as serious as CT. So glad she didn't give her any sedatives.

Glad she's doing better.

[ladyjane]

I have had a few pups with CT and have never had any specific tests to get a diagnosis. The only one that really will diagnose it is a flouroscopy; but a physical exam usually is all that is needed .... and many times it will show up on xray. Just know that sometimes it does not show on xray. Info on Flouroscopy: Special Procedure: Fluoroscopy - CVM - VetMedCenter AVID, University of Minnesota

There are many different meds that can be used to treat the symptoms....and that is all they do....treat symptoms. It is all trial and error. One may not work. so you scrap that and try another...and on and on. Theophylline does sometimes help, but in my experience, it was not the best. It helps to open the air passage ways in the lungs...but if the trachea is closing up, it does not have any effect on that.

I personally found the drugs that sedate a bit were the most effective....of course the first things are keeping weight down, activity level down, stress down and a cool environment.

[ladyjane]

A dog with CT is more susceptible to URIs. When they have a URI, their symptoms will increase; so yes, they can improve once the URI starts to improve due to the administration of antibiotics.

[rubymoon2072]

thanks everyone. linda i did read all your advice on other threads which is why i didnt do any further testing at this point. are there any other meds you can suggest to me for research? she just finished a round of antibiotics. that is what we will have to do is the trail and error. im not going to subject her to further testing as it is clear that this is what was diagnoised. i only hope i can find something to work med wise and give her just a bit better quality of life. my dh and i watch her like a hawk and pick her up when she gets to crazy. shes only a baby so playing is in her nature. i just want to be able to make her a comfortable as i can for the time she has with us. i love her so much already shes a lil spitfire and i hope we have a lot of years with her but i have to realistic about this which just breaks my freakin heart.

[rubymoon2072]

on here i am finding Temeril-P and Hycodan as meds listed so i am going to start researching these first.

[kjc]

I'd still have to at least have xrays done, before deciding to medicate a 16 week old puppy, especially when it's not uncommon for these very young ones to end up with a bad case of kennel cough/pneumonia and stress from going to a new home. Not to mention this one having just had surgery two weeks ago. Too many variables going on.... IMHO.

[ladyjane]

My George has CT and is on Temeril P .. BUT I don't suggest this as a first med to use for CT. It is a steroid and honestly, I believe in not using that unless other meds will not work.

Just curious: what is your vet suggesting for meds? If you are not happy with him, perhaps another vet? It might even be worthwhile to go to an internal med specialist for an opinion on this. I did that with my last one and she had him on alternating anti tussives which did help a bit. It comes down to trial and error...each pup responds differently.

Hycodan is ok....I have used Torbutrol on a few of them with great success. My Maxwell had CT for many, many years and he was on it and it controlled his symptoms. It all comes down to treating symptoms as I said...and I have found that meds are not usually necessary on a daily basis unless the CT is really bad and/or the pup is going through a bad period with it. Symptoms often wax and wane depending on weather and other conditions.

The one interesting med I used was Lomotil. It is an anti diarrheal and is not to be substituted with another anti diarrheal medication. It contains diphenoxylate hydrochloride and atropine...and it can be given daily. There are mixed opinions on it, but I had great success with it on a severe case that I had here...he was a foster; and a friend of mine used it with her pup with good success. If your vet has not heard of it, he can find information in Kirk's Veterinary manual...I don't know which edition, though.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by kjc

I'd still have to at least have xrays done, before deciding to medicate a 16 week old puppy, especially when it's not uncommon for these very young ones to end up with a bad case of kennel cough/pneumonia and stress from going to a new home. Not to mention this one having just had surgery two weeks ago. Too many variables going on.... IMHO.

Oh there definitely should be xrays done to rule out other issues. I was not saying that...just saying it does not always show CT.

Wow...I did not realize this puppy is that young. My guess is this is not CT. Melanie, you need to get a diagnosis...a firm one... and if your vet is not sure, I would strongly suggest a specialist. You researching meds is a waste of time imho ... you need to have a vet suggest meds and then you can research them!

[rubymoon2072]

ok thank you, i appreciate your opinion Kathy...everyones as i have no experience with this. i am putting the brakes on and only researching. i will do a flurscopy when a. i find a vet i think has the experience needed. mine has never delt with a yorkie this small and young with ct. they suggested the med and i against my insticts did it. b. im giving her a couple of more weeks to settle in with us. but maybe i will call my now vet to get an xray to confirm no pneumonia. just to be safe and ensure we do not need another round of antibiotics.

[rubymoon2072]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Oh there definitely should be xrays done to rule out other issues. I was not saying that...just saying it does not always show CT.

Wow...I did not realize this puppy is that young. My guess is this is not CT. Melanie, you need to get a diagnosis...a firm one... and if your vet is not sure, I would strongly suggest a specialist. You researching meds is a waste of time imho ... you need to have a vet suggest meds and then you can research them!

ok then i will do as kathy and you suggested. i am looking for another vet but in my area its not looking so good. i will need to travel so i am researching that the best i can in between all my other crap going on. its hard to go based on a website or what i read.

[ladyjane]

If I had to tell my vet what tests to do and what meds to give my pups, I would be running dead away from his/her office!
Just my thoughts on this.....
Personally, if you really think this is that severe, just go to a board certified internal med specialist. I have taken other CT pups to specialists and only ONE had extensive tests done. Diagnosing CT is not rocket science.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by rubymoon2072

ok then i will do as kathy and you suggested. i am looking for another vet but in my area its not looking so good. i will need to travel so i am researching that the best i can in between all my other crap going on. its hard to go based on a website or what i read.

www.acvim.org

[rubymoon2072]

my vet diagnosed on the palpitation and cough, she also said that the bowl movement issue is a symptom. she said as you did linda that xray and even the flurscopy will not always be a sure sign to give us a diagnosis. they do not have experience with small yorkies and the age that keylo is as far as CT goes. i have never had any second thoughts with them until now. thanks for that link..they are all just a bit far but i will make some calls and try to get her in. thank you thank you for all your suggestions and help.