Canine Tonsilitis

[edgesmum]

Just wondering how many dogs suffer from Tonsilitis without us even knowing??

I took my poor little man to the vet, for something totally unrelated, and when he looked at the back of his throat, the poor little mans tonsils were almost touching, and very inflamed! The vet said that if the antibiotics don't work, he might have to have a tonsilectomy.........poor little chappie!!

Apart from the occasional cough when drinking cold water, (which I tend to do as well) he had no other symptoms. He has always been a very dainty eater for a boy, nothing like my bitches who are total piggies!

So I guess my question is.........how often does tonsilitis get diagnosed in dogs, and what have been the outcomes if anyone's dogs have had to have their tonsils removed??

Thanks for your responses in advance!

[Miranda]

Tonsillitis is reasonably common in dogs and symptoms vary, picky eating, slight cough, failure to put on condition can all be signs. I have owned three dogs who had to have a tonsillectomy due to recurrent bouts of tonsillitis and they were all much healthier and happier following the surgery, it's a relatively simple procedure and the recovery period is short, the dog is usually back to normal within 48 hours.

Antibiotics can sometimes be successful , but frequently the problem recurs once the course is finished and it is far better to have the tonsils removed than to subject the dog to ongoing antibiotic treatment which is unlikely to be effective in the long term.

[Cavandra]

It is quite common indeed, and often overlooked by Vets.

[edgesmum]

Thanks for that guys! now I think about it, his eating only a small amount of food at any one time, and his coughing when drinking, etc! he's obviously had this problem for a while, and he'd lost his spark when being shown, but if he wasn't feeling well, that would account for that! I thougth he just didn't enjoy showing!

now I feel so horrible thinking he's been unwell for a while and I didn't pick up on it! but there was nothing like a raging temp or anything else to alert me!

he is seeing the vet again on Saturday, to get them checked again which is when we will discuss his tonsilectomy.

again thanks for the information and support/

[piper]

he is seeing the vet again on Saturday, to get them checked again which is when we will discuss his tonsilectomy.

again thanks for the information and support/

Good luck with it Edgesmum. 1 of my oldies used to get Tonsilitis all the time and a slight slowing down in his eating was all we ever noticed.

I know of another dog that was diagnosed with it after he went to the vet due to a seizure - had shown no signs at all and the seizure was likened to a febrile convulsion in people. He had his tonsils removed and has been fine since.

[edgesmum]

he is seeing the vet again on Saturday, to get them checked again which is when we will discuss his tonsilectomy.

again thanks for the information and support/

Good luck with it Edgesmum. 1 of my oldies used to get Tonsilitis all the time and a slight slowing down in his eating was all we ever noticed.

I know of another dog that was diagnosed with it after he went to the vet due to a seizure - had shown no signs at all and the seizure was likened to a febrile convulsion in people. He had his tonsils removed and has been fine since.

Thanks Piper,

Will let you know how he goes when I see you at a show!!!

I haven't had him entered in many shows for a while! I thought he just didn't like the showring!!! but he was feeling good the other week and showed his little fluffy butt off!!!! and came home with a 14 point BOB!!

He was coughing again last night and off his food again!! guess he's not feeling well again, and he finished his antibiotocs this morning!

[edgesmum]

Hi All

Just an update on the boy's tonsill delema!

I took him back to the vet today, (I changed his appointment from tomorrow (sat, to today Fri) and I'm glad that I did!!

After 10 days of antibiotics, the poor lovie's tonsills were only marginally improved, but they were still huge, very inflamed and discussion between the vet and myself went on over the best course of action........another course of antibiotics v tonsillectomy!

the long and short of it was that he had his tonsills succesfully removed this afternoon, so now they can't cause any more hassles!!!

Now he just has to recover from another anaesethetic, and be on a soft diet for a few days as one of them bled a bit, and had to be stitched!!! poor little chappie!

Thats all for now