hortfurball Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 (edited) Ella seems to quite often snort grass while snuffling for dropped treats at obedience and snort kitty litter while snuffling for dropped cat biscuits. On Wednesday I took her to the vet because her reactive 'gasping' went on all morning off and on, and developed into coughing up small amounts of white foam. The vet couldn't get her to let him look down her throat, said it was probably just an inflammation, gave her a cortisone shot and told me to get back in touch if she was still doing it after 24 hours. This morning she woke me with her 'gasping' followed by coughing that went on for about an hour. I tried to book her back in this am but they were too busy so we're going in tomorrow. My concern is I've never encountered kennel cough and wouldn't know it if I tripped over it, could it be that? Do they cough up white foam when they have kennel cough? Does the 'gasping' rule it out? Is there some other symptom of kennel cough that she isn't showing? Kennel cough is prevalent in Perth at the moment. Edited November 17, 2007 by hortfurball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Could be kennel cough..what is her temp ? It may also be an allergic reaction, tonsilitis..... the vet needs maybe to check her a bit more thoroughly, methinks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Found this HFB, it might help: YMPTOMSNormally, symptoms of kennel cough will develop within a week after a dog has been exposed. The most common symptoms are a dry, hacking cough followed by retching, and coughing up a white foamy discharge. The cough is brought on by an inflammation of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (the air passages to the lungs). Some dogs also develop conjunctivitis ("pink eye"), rhinitis (inflamed nasal mucous membrane), and a nasal discharge. In mild cases, dogs will be alert and continue to eat normally. In more severe cases, a dog can become feverish, depressed, lethargic, expel a thick yellow or green nasal discharge, and possibly even develop pneumonia. Some very severe cases are fatal. If you suspect your dog has kennel cough, isolate the affected animal from all other dogs, and contact your veterinarian immediately! Kennel cough spreads easily and quickly from dog-to-dog through the air. Keep all food and water bowls, and toys separated. Additionally, some pathogens that cause kennel cough can be transmitted from dog to dog via fomites (clothes, shoes, etc.). If you think one of your dogs has kennel cough, wash yourself and your clothes, and disinfect your shoes before you come into contact with your healthy dogs. More info HERE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 If you suspect your dog has kennel cough, isolate the affected animal from all other dogs, and contact your veterinarian immediately! Kennel cough spreads easily and quickly from dog-to-dog through the air. Keep all food and water bowls, and toys separated. Additionally, some pathogens that cause kennel cough can be transmitted from dog to dog via fomites (clothes, shoes, etc.). If you think one of your dogs has kennel cough, wash yourself and your clothes, and disinfect your shoes before you come into contact with your healthy dogs. Damn, too late if it is. If she has it, I'm going to have to treat all three. I woosed out of a couple of puppy playdates with both my first foster and early on with Ebony because I'd heard it was around and I didn't want to risk Kuges getting it at nearly 13 and on heart pills. What an irony if Ella's brought it in. I'll suggest it to the vet tomorrow seeing as he didn't even mention it. He had grass seeds in his mind and nothing else, a bit like Crysti lee's ear mite situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I read somewhere on the forum tonight that some dogs were getting a virus (not KC) which had the hacking and white froth, but I'v looked at so many pages that I can' remember where So it could be that? Although, KC is going around Perth ATM. Do they do a test for KC or something? Not sure, never really had anything to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 I read somewhere on the forum tonight that some dogs were getting a virus (not KC) which had the hacking and white froth, but I'v looked at so many pages that I can' remember where So it could be that? Although, KC is going around Perth ATM. Do they do a test for KC or something? Not sure, never really had anything to do with it. No idea, nor have I. Been lucky up til now I guess. What I can't figure out though, is Ella hadn't been anywhere but my house and yard the week before she started coughing because her back was playing up after our wrestling match to bath her and clip her claws. She started gasping and coughing AT obedience, on Monday night. I just thought she'd snorted some grass. Then she had the odd gasp on Tuesday, and Wednesday morning was full on so I postponed a consult I was supposed to do and ran her to the vet. The previous week I'd taken Ebony to obedience, not Ella. Ebony had a teensy bit of a cough over the weekend but I thought that was because she'd been intubated for her spey on Friday last week, and it stopped after a couple of days. So if Ella hadn't been anywhere, and Ebony surely couldn't have passed it on without showing symptoms herself, how did Ella get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaz Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 (edited) Horty - It doesn't sound like classic kennel cough to me. I;ve probably had around thirty dogs come through here with kc. They usually cough up a more liquid mucousy type discharge and it will be green and slimy if it has turned into an infection. It looks very similar to a human flu. I'm not saying it definately isn't kennel cough but I would recommend taking her straight to a different vet for another opinion. I did have one dog come through who had some sort of virus where she was snorting for several days. I though kennel cough though when symptoms didn't appear, I though she might have damaged her wind pipe, A few days later she vomited and had diarreah and was rushed to the vet. She was put on a drip and it was touch and go for a while. If she had been left any longer, the vet said she might not have made it. There was talk of a virus in one of the rescue threads started by Trisven It could be something totally different but please keep an eye on her. ETA -here's the link http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=118440 Edited November 16, 2007 by Kaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 I'm off to the vet in 5 mins, Kaz, they are going to knock her out to have a proper look. Thanks for the link, will read it now before I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I read somewhere on the forum tonight that some dogs were getting a virus (not KC) which had the hacking and white froth, but I'v looked at so many pages that I can' remember where So it could be that? Although, KC is going around Perth ATM. Do they do a test for KC or something? Not sure, never really had anything to do with it. We had a contagious chest infection that two vets said wasn't kennel cough go through the kennels two years ago. It had symptoms like you describe for Ella, but the vet said the cough was too shallow (throaty not from the belly) for KC and it wasn't highly contageous. Only one dog in 10 got it, the gestation period was quite long (probably two weeks) and there didn't seem to be any relationship to C5 vaccination. If you've got that one . . . it will probably pass with no treatment and it's likely that only Ella will be infection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILFC Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Hortie- sounds like Grover's CC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlitznBear Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Hort I hope every things ok, if it is KC, youll need to give them plenty of rest and keep them cool, both my boys got it but Blitz was really bad, he got a secondry infection but he was half way through it when we brought him home, poor little bugger was so sick, but Bear just got a cough here and there, he wasnt too bad. They can pick up KC from anywhere, it is so highly contageous its not funny, hope everythings alright and give them a big squeeze for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted November 17, 2007 Author Share Posted November 17, 2007 I'm having a good run, aren't I! To top it all off my wrist has decided to play up this week and I'm wearing my wrist brace again. We're a sorry lot! Oh, I didn't mention it but Ebony also has demedex at the moment which we can't treat until after she's healed from the spey, and her op site has become inflamed so she's now on antibiotics. Not only that, but because I'd rescheduled my consult from Wednesday to Friday because of Ella, I couldn't get her to the vet who did the op, so had to pay a consultation fee that I wouldn't have otherwise! What a week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted November 17, 2007 Author Share Posted November 17, 2007 Ok, so an anaesthetic, scope of throat and trachea, a chest x-ray and $330.00 later , Ella is on one of the antibiotics they would give for Canine Cough, Doxycycline. I called ILFC to see if it cost her $330 to find out Grover had CC (already guessing the answer!) and she suggested I call the vet and find out exactly why they thought it necessary to do all these tests. The answer: She did not present as typical CC, but with the gasping and the white foam, it appeared to suggest an obstruction. When they did the scope and did not find what they expected (an obstruction), nor any typical inflammation that would present with CC, they were gobsmacked and decided to do the X-ray to see if they could find a reason for her symptoms. Basically I have a healthy dog with no signs of the sort of inflammation CC would create in the trachea or throat, who for some bizarre reason was coughing her lungs up. X-ray also showed nothing! There was some mild inflammation in the pharyngial (?) region (if I have that right) so the vets are still absolutely astounded that an apparently healthy dog with a teeny bit of inflammation is coughing the way she is. It's either a weird strain of CC or a different virus but the antibiotics should fix it, and they also have a mild anti-inflammatory effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILFC Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 What a strange situation Hortie! What do you think about the vets explanation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted November 17, 2007 Author Share Posted November 17, 2007 I think it's weird that she doesn't have the typical inflammation and pus and infection they would have expected to find if it was CC, I guess. I walked into the vet and the vet nurse organised payment before I went in to see the vet and collect Ella, so when I did go in I said "For that price, it would wanna be something serious!" Should have seen the expression on his face when he tried to explain that they had found nothing, and that's why it cost so much! I can understand why they felt they had to go further, and from the sounds of it, he's as confused as I am that she appears healthy in tests (bar the tiny bit of inflammation) but is presenting as sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILFC Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 hmmm- well I guess it is peace of mind. What do you think about shopping around for vets now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted November 17, 2007 Author Share Posted November 17, 2007 Inclined to stick with them, I think. I think I'd rather they look for things that aren't there than miss something that is. Ok, the money side of things was a bit of a shock, but all other things considered... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILFC Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 mmmhmm- i hear your pain! also you just had ebony there getting her hips checked well- i think your vet sounds good from what you told me- just that a big bill to find nothing is a shock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hortfurball Posted November 17, 2007 Author Share Posted November 17, 2007 If I look at it the other way - if they had found something I wouldn't be complaining, would I! I would be pleased that they'd found the cause, so I can hardly complain that they tried, not their fault she's an aberration! I think it was just shock talking before when I questioned it. Ebony was done at a different vet not my regular one because her spey is included in the adoption fee, so I had the x-rays done at the same time and just paid separately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILFC Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Yes- i would be a tad shocked too- but I think you're right for looking at the other side of it. Now- we are both going to go to bed early tonight aren't we? no staying up reading DOL past 10.30- to get that sleep cycle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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