My Pup Has A Sore Throat

[Guest belgian.blue]

Woke up this morning to the bedroom floor covered in foamy spew. Ivy sounded as if she was trying to cough up phlem like a human, then every few coughs she'd spew foamy stuff.

Went to the vets mid morning and she seems to think she's scratched her esophagus from a bone fragment, which has then been irrated from walking on the leash [which the last two days we've been on big walks, where Ivy has been pulling on the leash] with a collar and eating dry food. Couldn't feel anything in her throat, like a piece of bone stuck there.

She's been put on strict soft foods only and medication to help the infection for ten days. Have to take her back tomorrow if she changes from her normal happy self, which she's been very normal today, just pissed off she has to stay outside.

We can also take a look down her throat monday if things don't seem to have settled down, to make sure there is no bone lodged. She doesn't seem to think it's kennel cough but the meds she's been put on are also used to treat kennel cough.

So what other soft foods can she eat, except her normal raw lamb? Is it safe to soak her dry food and feed that? Is there anything else I can do to soothe her throat? All of this was spoken to with the vet, but I'd like some of the great DoL input

I've found her harness, so no more collar walking for awhile.

Ivy and I seem to get sick at the same time, I've started meds for a tooth infection this weekend .. which I'm having pulled next week

[puggy_puggy]

Im really not sure that you would be able to feel anything stuck in the esophogas. A puggy that I was looking after had several bits of lamb ribs about 5cm long stuck at the distal end of her esophogas and it took xrays to show that there was something there. And then an endascope and emergency surgery confirmed what the xrays showed.

After the pugs surgery to remove the bone fragments she was on antibiotics and small amounts of boiled chicken mince for a few days.

I wouldn't be feeding soaked dry food unless it's very small and she chews it up before she swallows.

Why does she have to stay outside? If I had a dog with either suspected KC or irritated esophogas I would have it inside under observation.

[BigDaz]

One of my girls was doing exactly the same thing when I got home from work one day last week, there were three or four white puddles of quite dense liquid mucus.

I took her striaght to the vet and they said the same thing, possibly a scratched esophogus and gave her an Anti-inflammatory injection. They were worried it could be something worse like Kennel Cough, but said to keep an eye on her, and our other dog to be sure.

The next day both were fine.

[Erny]

Dose her up on some Active Manuka Honey (UMF 20+) - purchase from a health food store (yep, it is exxy) - don't bother with the supermarket quality.

It won't do her any harm whatsoever and will assist regardless of whether this is Canine Cough or an irritated esophagus.

[Guest belgian.blue]

Dose her up on some Active Manuka Honey (UMF 20+) - purchase from a health food store (yep, it is exxy) - don't bother with the supermarket quality.

It won't do her any harm whatsoever and will assist regardless of whether this is Canine Cough or an irritated esophagus.

Thanks Erny. Does Manuka honey have less sugar than everyday normal honey?

Went past a health food store today but didn't think to get any, damn! Will try and find some tomorrow. Give her about a small tablespoon full?

[Guest belgian.blue]

One of my girls was doing exactly the same thing when I got home from work one day last week, there were three or four white puddles of quite dense liquid mucus.

I took her striaght to the vet and they said the same thing, possibly a scratched esophogus and gave her an Anti-inflammatory injection. They were worried it could be something worse like Kennel Cough, but said to keep an eye on her, and our other dog to be sure.

The next day both were fine.

She's defiantly improving a lot since this morning, so fingered crossed she'll be much better in the morning.

And puggy_puggy - she was outside as I'm in a rental and you can only have so much spew on the carpets. She's my life, ofcourse I'm not going to dump her outside and let her fend for herself.

Just so you know, she's currently inside as I've re-arranged the house so she isn't near any carpet.

[Erny]

Thanks Erny. Does Manuka honey have less sugar than everyday normal honey? Give her about a small tablespoon full?

Sugar content I'm not sure of - but it would at least be a 'good' sugar (if you know what I mean) and as it won't be forming a major part of your dog's diet, I don't think nor have I heard of it being any problem.

I have RR's and during times of illness (eg. Canine Cough) I dosed up 3 x a big teaspoon for the first day or two, then down to 2 x daily and then when symptoms ceased reduced it to 1 x teaspoon daily for the next 5 - 7 days. I don't think there's a hard and fast rule for dosage - I just gave it dependent on the severity of symptoms. If the symptoms weren't severe, the dosage isn't quite so frequent and I don't necessarily continue it for the full 5 - 7 days beyond the symptoms disappearing.

If I suspect CC but the symptoms are vague and not persistent, I might only give 1 x teaspoon for a couple of days. If the symptoms go away then I might give one more teaspoon the day after symptoms have disappeared.

So, dosage is pretty 'loose' if that makes sense.

If I feel my dog/s needed to drink more than they were, I put one or two of the daily dosages in a small amount of water - this encourages them to drink as well. But don't over do it. Some can guzzle the water to the point of saturation and that's not desired.

It's good stuff to have in the pantry - an excellent stand-by that you can give immediately you suspect illness or general 'off-colour'. I think the earlier you give it (eg. I give it if I just notice my boy being a bit 'flat' .... just in case it is a sign of the onset of something) the better it will work.

Edited August 8, 2009 by Erny

[Scales of Justice]

Sounds like symptoms of kennel cough to me. Have you ruled out kennel cough?

[Guest belgian.blue]

Ivy update - Today, 24 hours later she's majorly better!!

Coughing only when excited, normally when my housemate comes home. Only a few little foamy spews today.

Such a stressful time when they're sick as a dog