The Greatest Dane Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Hello I only joined the forum today, and this is my first post. I just got my dog back from boarding a few days ago. He came down with a very bad cough the night he came home. He is 7 months old and fully vaccinated. I suspected a form of kennel cough which the vet confirmed. He is on ALOT of medication. I'm staying home all week to nurse him. He was so ill the first night I thought I was going to loose him. I would like to know about anything extra I can do for him to help get him back in condition ASAP. He has lost a few kilos. He is very weak. He has refused food and water for two days. I have to inject lectide water down his throat every few hours. He is bait trained so will only eat food from his own bowl, which makes coaxing him a little more difficult. I have a steam vapouriser, which unfortunately seems to be broken. If anyone can offer advice ideas or even just their kind wishes for my big sick boy please reply. You can also send me an email. He is a massive boy at 7 months he is over 30" tall, 41kg (underweight at the moment) which makes it a bigger challenge to get him well than a smaller dog. I love him dearly and want him to get well as quickly as possible. Also if anyone here knows where I can buy cheap but warm very large dog jumpers in a hurry I would really appreciate it. He is currently wearing one of my old baggy jumpers, the only one that wasn't too small for him. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collielover Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 (edited) I'm really sorry to hear about your dog That must be very distressing for him and you. Is the vet aware that he's refusing food and water? Maybe a couple of days on a drip might help flush some of this virus and infection out and definately will keep him hydrated...I know only from my own experience when I had a 4 month old pup that came down with a virus, and staying at the vets on a drip really improved his condition. A vapouriser is available at most chemists, should only set you back $25-$30 if that helps. Best wishes to your little fella for the best recovery! Edited July 24, 2006 by collielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfgirl Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Sorry to hear your boy is not well, his throat would also be sore from the coughing so let him lick some honey off a spoon which may help his throat to feel a little better this could be the reason he won't eat, hurts to swallow. I would speak to the vet again and explain that he is refusing food and water the drip would help him get over the worst of it and rehydrate him as well. Keep us updated as to how he is going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillbear Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 There are certainly some nasty strains of Kc going around at the moment. I agree with another check at the vets. Nutrigel and other vitamin/ electrolyte substitutes like Recharge can also help with his recovery. Goodluck with a speedy recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Greatest Dane Posted July 24, 2006 Author Share Posted July 24, 2006 Hello Yes the vet is aware he isn't eating. Basically if he will not eat or drink by tomorrow morning he will go on the drip. I'm in a bit of an isolated spot where I live and his vet is about 30 minutes away. I don't have a car, but one of my parents is going to come down tomorrow and drive him up to the vet if I can't get him eating and drinking. He is on antibiotics, anti inflamitories and something like doggy panadol for his fever and pain. His cough is a little better but I'm sure his throat is still very sore. I am having success getting the lectide water into him with the squirty syringe. I also have a liquid food supplement I am feeding him the same way. He is just sleeping mostly today, so I will try with some soft food later and some water. I might try adding honey to the water. I think too that because his nose is blocked his sense of smell is highly impared which isn't helping. I will post updates as they come Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Hi there and welcome to DOL. Really sorry to hear about your puppy (please may we have a name). The lectide water and food supplement will help. A herbal remedy which may help ease the soreness is Slippery Elm, which your parents could get for you, should be avavilabe at the Chemist. Dose using the syringes which you have. Good luck and hope to hear abour an improvement soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Greatest Dane Posted July 24, 2006 Author Share Posted July 24, 2006 Hi there and welcome to DOL. Really sorry to hear about your puppy (please may we have a name).The lectide water and food supplement will help. A herbal remedy which may help ease the soreness is Slippery Elm, which your parents could get for you, should be avavilabe at the Chemist. Dose using the syringes which you have. Good luck and hope to hear abour an improvement soon. Thankyou. His name is 'King' I might get them to pick up some slippery elm on their way down tomorrow. I can walk to the chemist, but I hate leaving him alone right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Thanks for the photo. Hey, King, get well for your mummy soon and then we can have bouncy Dane puppy photos. Tell Mum we want an update tomorrow please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peigirl Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 King is a beautiful boy, what a gorgeous face he has I'm so sorry to hear of his illness. I can't offer you any words of advice but am sending you both positive thoughts for a speedy recovery :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sivvy Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Agree with hesapandabear, the lactade is great stuff and nutrigel will give him energy. Put some on your finger and then just put it on his tongue. Slippery Elm is also fantastic. I had a sick bitch here the other week and in no time she was up and running again. If you cant find it at the chemist, I got mine at the health food shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShesaLikeableBiBear Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Hi there How is King today?. Hope things are on the improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANES R US Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Sorry to hear about King. I have 2 great danes, Hercules and Saxon and I would hate to have them so sick!!! Hope King gets better soon, he looks absolutely gorogeous (but aren't all great danes!) Keep us up to date.... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Greatest Dane Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 Here is the update. Late last night he crashed really bad, he was like a zombie, I noticed his chest sort of bouncing under the blanket and I ran over to check him. He was breathing heavier and his heart beat was going a bit funny. He was laying with his eyes open but I could get no response from him for ages. I called the vet at 3am ( I stayed up nearly all night) and he said he dosn't do house calls late at night, and I couldn't get him there myself. So I kept watch on him for another couple of hours until I couldn't stay awake anymore. I did manage to finally shift him to his night bed in my room (the old couch next to my bed). He woke up a few times vomiting and couphing up gunk. He seemed really scared, I had on Lord of the rings for us to watch in an effort to create a cherrier mood. He does actually watch tv often... and I stayed awake watching that. He kept getting up after that and wandering about dazed and I would have to get up and put him back to bed. His breathing got really bad around 6am. It sounded like he was blowing in a milkshake and he panicked. I got him to cough up more gunk and we finally slept till around 9am. My mum drove down from Sydney early and we took him to the vet. He has rediagnosed him with pneumonia. It is resistant to the antibiotic he was on so he is on a new one. He was dehydrated despite my efforts with the lectide and has been in hospital on the Iv drip all day. They have put 4 litres into him, and he is still dehydrated a bit but improving. The vet called me around 6pm tonight to let me know he has improved slightly. His breathing is a bit better, but he is still very sick and he cannot say one way or the other if he is going to make it. However if he gets a bit better tomorrow his chances will get better. He did eat a bit of food this morning and drank a bit on his own. I will report back tomorrow with another update. Thankyou everyone so much for caring, and for you're support it is helping me cope better ( He is my baby and I have been lost all day and crying) Keep those good thoughts heading his way. I have him with the best vet in the region and he is comefortable and has a radio on and reverse cycle air con all night. I never want to see a dog this sick again. I lost a dog to parvo once many years ago and that was horrid. This is almost as bad I am remaining positive though, he is a big strong boy and a lot of people love him dearly. This a pic of him when he was 9 weeks old, having a snooze on a hot afternoon with my rotty Kali. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skipy Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Poor little baby. . Given that he was eating a bit more seems promisimg. Let us know how he is going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullmastiff Addict Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 hi there, ive only just seen this message, and have just finished reading it... So sorry to hear about your dane baby being sick, i dont know what i would do if my dane boys were sick... we here are sending you both huge hugs and hope he improves heaps everyday.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Greatest Dane Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 hi there, ive only just seen this message, and have just finished reading it...So sorry to hear about your dane baby being sick, i dont know what i would do if my dane boys were sick... we here are sending you both huge hugs and hope he improves heaps everyday.... He can be so very human like...... it's hard too because I know I feel as bad right now as anyone with a sick child in hospital and so many people don't understand that. So I really apreciate all the support from fellow furkid owners here! He had just been through an obedience course at the boarding place too and when I picked him up the trainers worked with me for hours before I took him home. We didn't know he would be so sick a few hours later, it only started taking hold toward the end of the day and I said I think he is tired and wants to get home. He coughed a little bit and I thought he may have picked up a cold. It didn't seem like much there. All the trainers loved him and hugged him goodbye. He aced his class and everyone was proud of him. He had been very hard to control before that and he had done so well, not perfect but I was so proud of how much he had learned. I was looking forward to taking him home, giving him a good nights sleep and a feed and then taking him out in the paddock the next day to go over his lessons. He is such a pleasure to walk now, and he has so much focus. Then all that exitement and joy just falls away as it dawns on you that you're dog won't even be getting out of bed without help. I called them the next day to let them know he was sick and they were all worried. I will ring them with an update tomorrow. I am guessing that a dog came in and coughed. Maybe next to King, maybe he got a bit stressed and run down. However he caught it dosn't matter now, all that matters is him getting well and comming home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfgirl Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Sending lots of healing wishes to your boy, try to stay positive I know it's hard when something like this happens, please keep the updates coming we are all praying for a speedy recovery for your boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordelia Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Hi there, Glad to hear your boy is a little better today. Danes (in general) become very stressed when they are left without their owners.... stress reduces immunity to disease, not to mention that KC vaccines are useless at the best of times. When you get him back home, please don't allow him just to lay around. Force him to get up and move about even if it is only for 5 minutes at a time. Being a deep chested breed, you've seen how quickly a usually mild infection can develop into life-threatening pneumonia. In case your vet hasn't told you about it.... do chest percussion on him at least 4 times per day on both sides. Using your palms (cupped) tap him (quite hard... but obviously not painfully so) on the brisket area (chest just above his elbow) for 2 mins to help shift the gunk in there. It will make him cough a bit but it's a good way to help him clear some of the congestion in his lungs. Hope he makes a quick recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jed Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Got my fingers crossed for King and you, and sending good vibes your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Chick Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Oh my gawd, Ive only just seen this thread. I have a puppy here with a broken leg at the moment, and that tore me up enough. Big hugs to you and King. Oh and welcome to DOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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