*Coughing*

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Postby amazincc » February 23rd, 2010, 2:04 pm

Sepp has been - the best way to describe it - trying to "clear his throat" 3-5 times a day for the past five days or so. It's a cross between that and something like trying to hack up a hairball... no vomiting at all, no discharge... just this really weird goose-honking noise. Those episodes don't last long, but they happen often enough for me to notice.
He's acting/eating/pooping/peeing normal. No fever, no weight loss, normal activity. The only other thing he's been doing is pacing a lot at night, but he will eventually settle down and go to sleep.
I've checked his mouth and teeth... no foreign objects, as far as I can see. No lumps and no swelling visible on the outside of his throat and neck.

So, I googled the symptoms and came up w/three possibilities, kennel cough being one of them. Since this is very contagious - wouldn't the other two dogs show those symptoms as well?
Sepp was vaccinated for bordatella last March, and we don't hang out w/strange dogs - is it possible that he caught it anyway? And how?

We have an appointment at the end of next week... should I bring him in earlier?

Thoughts? Ideas?
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Postby Malli » February 23rd, 2010, 2:19 pm

Like reverse sneezing?

It is possible he got it anyway, though I'd think its pretty unlikely. He might have been able to get it from the environment outdoors, one dog coughs in one spot and then he sniffed there, etc. Could also be he got a foreign object caught up his nose or in his throat...

I assume if there's heartworm in your area he's treated?

I'm not sure if I were in your place I'd rush in just yet, maybe if it were happening a bit more often, though the pacing is weird.
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Postby BigDogBuford » February 23rd, 2010, 2:22 pm

Sounds like kennel cough to me. The 'honking' is a pretty good description of it. It sounds like whooping cough in kids.....

I wonder where he would have picked it up, though? :|

Edited because I wanted to add that not all dogs will get it if exposed. Like the flu in people, some just seem to get sick and some don't even when exposed.
Last edited by BigDogBuford on February 23rd, 2010, 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby amazincc » February 23rd, 2010, 2:23 pm

No, not like reverse sneezing... more like gagging and honking. He hunches over like he's going to throw up, and then he gulps for air.
All my dogs are on heartworm preventative.

I just rescheduled his appointment for this Thursday afternoon. If I wait another week it's going to drive me crazy. :oops:
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Postby amazincc » February 23rd, 2010, 2:24 pm

BigDogBuford wrote:Sounds like kennel cough to me. The 'honking' is a pretty good description of it. It sounds like whooping cough in kids.....

I wonder where he would have picked it up, though? :|



Wouldn't Faust and Daisy have the same symptoms though?

Never mind... just saw your edited version. lol
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Postby Malli » February 23rd, 2010, 2:29 pm

amazincc wrote:No, not like reverse sneezing... more like gagging and honking. He hunches over like he's going to throw up, and then he gulps for air.
All my dogs are on heartworm preventative.

I just rescheduled his appointment for this Thursday afternoon. If I wait another week it's going to drive me crazy. :oops:



well there ya go :wink: Make sure to let them know that you think he may or may not have KC
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » February 23rd, 2010, 2:29 pm

I also think the KC vaccine is only good for 6 months and covers only a few strains. So it's possible. Maybe the poor kid just has an upper respiratory infection. Is the pacing a new development for him? And is the coughing more frequent at certain times of day or night?
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Postby amazincc » February 23rd, 2010, 2:38 pm

Yeah, the pacing is new... he is very restless, especially at night.
The coughing mostly happens when he's just being quiet/resting... not while playing or during major activities.
I already washed all the beds, and I vacuum every day.
His snoring has increased a LOT, and his bark sounds hoarser/deeper than usual.

I already told the vet about the "cough", so we will wait in a separate area when we get there.

I actually hope it's *only* kennel cough, and not some other weird thing... google is scary. :shock:
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Postby kera09 » February 23rd, 2010, 2:59 pm

My little foster baby has Kennel cough, probably picked up from a pet store, she has had the vacc. for some strange reason my dogs dont have it and they have never had the vacc for it. Very strange! Fiona's started in the middle of the night, i thought she was choking :( neways i hope sepp feels all better very very soon!!!
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Postby TheRedQueen » February 23rd, 2010, 5:19 pm

Rip had a mild form of KC a while back, I think...he coughed for a few days, but no one else in the house picked it up. My neighbors dogs got KC back in the fall (they came over to tell us... :D )...and though they share a fence (and fence fight :rolleyes2: ), none of mine got it then either.

It's a fickle thing, that kennel cough... :dance:
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Postby AngieJ3 » February 23rd, 2010, 8:53 pm

Is he still doing it? Do you think something could be stuck in his throat but not totally obstructing?
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Postby amazincc » February 23rd, 2010, 9:30 pm

I had all the windows open today, and fresh air definitely seemed to help a little bit. He's still doing it, but not as often.
I also only smoked outside, away from him... since he almost sounds like he has bronchitis. I don't know if dogs even get bronchitis, but the cigarette smoke must be very irritating.

I might have to quit.
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Postby madremissy » February 23rd, 2010, 9:31 pm

Christine, My mom just took Tassie in today because she has been coughing ever since she came home from the groomer. A couple of weeks ago. She is coughing up foamy stuff with it sometimes. The doctor looked in her throat and said that it is very irritated and inflamed. (her tonsils) She said that she has something like bronchitis. Not kennel cough. She has her on antibiotics for 10 days.
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » February 23rd, 2010, 9:32 pm

Cigarette smoke is very bad for dogs. Especially because a lot of the bad stuff drops down to floor level, right where dogs are. So you should quit - for your health AND theirs! :wink:
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Postby hugapitbull » February 23rd, 2010, 9:44 pm

Trouble had some coughing after being boarded one time. They put her on meds, after the second day they weren't doing any good, I called to tell them we needed to change to something else. I was ready to take her in for chest x-rays, thought she had lung mets. Dr F told me to go get some Robatusin DM, I'm not remembering the exact dosage, but two doses later there was a huge difference and in a couple of days it was gone completely.

It may be worth calling and asking if you can give him some.
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Postby amazincc » February 23rd, 2010, 10:22 pm

Thanks, all... :)

Shanna, I will call first thing in the morning and ask about giving some cough syrup until we get in for our appointment.

Wow, Missy... who knew? I hope Tassie gets feeling better soon.

Liz... :neener:
Yup, I'm more likely to quit when it comes to the dogs' health than I would for myself. :|
Smoking outside in 30 degree weather isn't as bad as I thought... but if it's really bothering Sepp in the future I'm probably gonna give it up. :smokin: :nono:
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Postby TheRedQueen » February 23rd, 2010, 10:37 pm

pitbullmamaliz wrote:Cigarette smoke is very bad for dogs. Especially because a lot of the bad stuff drops down to floor level, right where dogs are. So you should quit - for your health AND theirs! :wink:


Yup, it's bad for everyone that can breath it in...
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Postby Jenn » February 23rd, 2010, 11:26 pm

Is it possible something may have happened to irritate his throat or trachea on the mill? :|
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Postby amazincc » February 24th, 2010, 12:21 am

Jenn wrote:Is it possible something may have happened to irritate his throat or trachea on the mill? :|


No. Sepp hasn't been on it... and when he does get on it, he walks at a very slow pace.
There are no barriers he can get caught up in, or bump into.

Faust is the maniac who "gallops", but I got them a harness to avoid those types of injuries.
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Postby Ino » February 24th, 2010, 12:37 am

Poor Sepp. :( Ino was doing the same thing a week ago and had me scared to death after I searched the "gag" cough without vomiting and pacing (and he was also drooling a bit- which he also does when he is stressed, so wasnt sure if that was an actual symptom)- bloat (my big fear) came up so I decided to sleep on the futon mattress with him and hardly slept that night so I could watch over him. It didnt seem like nausea because he wanted to eat, so I gave him a little peanut butter and youghurt to try to see if I could help him clear whatever was bothering him. About 24 hours after it started, it ended. I think he had something in his throat (probably a wood chip because he is obsessed with finding and chewing sticks). Now, I started bringing a toy that he loves on our walk so if he grabs a stick, the toy is more valuable and he will drop the stick. I hope whatever it ends up being, they can clear it up fast and your boy feels better!
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