Urgent!

[MsDani]

My female dog woke me up at 5am this morning making a hocking noise. I thought she was going to hock something up, so took her outside.

But she's still doing it and she's hiding behind my legs, which she only does when something has scared or upset her. She's ok when she's sitting quietly, but you can still see somethings wrong and won't let me out of her sight, but when she starts moving the hocking starts.

Do you think she's got something stuck or do you think it might be kennel cough?? I don't know what would have gotten stuck as she sleeps on my bed. Does kennel cough come on this quick??

in other words, would there have been any other signs before the hocking started at 5am?? She was ok last night, but did notice that she didn't eat very much.

She had a cyst removed last thursday and was at the vets for the day and due to have her stitches out on Saturday.

TIA

Yep the worry-wart Dani

Edited August 24, 2006 by Goosey~Gander

[ellz]

It could quite easily be kennel cough I'd imagine. Incubation period would be about right and dare I say it (flame suit on), vets surgeries really are a hotbed for infection, especially for dogs whose immunity might be supressed due to surgery and other stresses.

Is she coughing anything up, or is it just the coughing?

Personally, given that she has had surgery recently, I'd probably be taking her back to the vet pronto, just to be sure.

Hope she's better soon.

[haven]

I'd be worried too and would be getting her to the Vet ASAP for a check up if he were my dog!

[Quills]

Sounds like Kennel Cough to me, similar thing happen with my dog, just started doing it in the middle of the night, kept her calm and that but it was like she had a coughing fit at least every hour and would sometimes hock up saliva, a trip to the vet and medication and she was fine, apparently there are different forms of Kennel Cough so best to go to the vet.

Cheers,

[MsDani]

Thanks for that, I did look down her mouth this morning and couldn't see anything, well the best I could anyway.

She actually hasn' coughed up anything atm, but the hocking sounds very wet. Does that makes sense??

I'm just waiting for the vets to open so I can ring them!

[Livi]

I'd phone the vet, I wouldn't imagine they would charge you a consult fee to have a quick look at her if you tell them you think she might have caught KC when she was there but just want to make sure it isn't something stuck in her throat.

[MsDani]

Ok spoke to the vet and sounds like Kennel Cough. Have her booked in tonight.

They told me to keep her in the car and they'll call me when they are ready for her. They don't want her around other dogs.

Completely understand that, wouldn't want another dog to catch it. But she was fine until she went in there. Sorry just a bit upset as she's never been sick a day in her life and she is so NOT well.

I thought the annual injections stopped this from happening??

[~Anne~]

Ok spoke to the vet and sounds like Kennel Cough. Have her booked in tonight.

They told me to keep her in the car and they'll call me when they are ready for her. They don't want her around other dogs.

Completely understand that, wouldn't want another dog to catch it. But she was fine until she went in there. Sorry just a bit upset as she's never been sick a day in her life and she is so NOT well.

I thought the annual injections stopped this from happening??

KC is a virus and much like the human influenza virus, there are many strains. The vaccination only covers the most prevelant I believe and even then it depends on which vaccine you get as to which strains it covers.

The other thing it could be is an irritation or inflamation of some sort from the tracheal tube that would have been used during the surgery... but I wuld think she would have shown symptoms before now if this was the case.

Edited August 24, 2006 by Puggles

[MsDani]

Thanks for that Puggles. I didn't realise that it was like the flu, I thought it was something like the measels. You know you get injections to stop from getting it.

[ellz]

Thanks for that Puggles. I didn't realise that it was like the flu, I thought it was something like the measels. You know you get injections to stop from getting it.

No, it's more like the Flu Vaccination. You have it done and then get sick with another strain a week later!

[MsDani]

Just got back from the Vets. Lungs sounded ok, but throat is really red and froffy. She's on Anti-biotics and Cough Medicine.

What else can I do to make it better/easier for her?? I saw someone mention honey. Is that ok to give to her when she's taking cough medicine.

Her coughing seemed to have settled down, then I gave her the cough medicine and she's coughing even more now. Will that settle down??

Sorry haven't had to give my dogs medicine before

Sorry had to edit that it's Linctol which I'm assuming it's cough medicine!!

Edited August 24, 2006 by Goosey~Gander

[ellz]

Do you have skinkids? If so, treat it like a skinkid with a cold and you can't go wrong.

[MsDani]

skinkids

Sorry have no idea what that is

Edited to say: OMG I can't believe I just asked that LOL no i don't have 'skinkids'

*slinking off totally embarrassed*

Edited August 24, 2006 by Goosey~Gander

[haven]

skinkids

Sorry have no idea what that is

Edited to say: OMG I can't believe I just asked that LOL no i don't have 'skinkids'

*slinking off totally embarrassed*

Now that's what I like to see, furkids first! Welcome to the forums GG

[~Anne~]

skinkids

Sorry have no idea what that is

Edited to say: OMG I can't believe I just asked that LOL no i don't have 'skinkids'

*slinking off totally embarrassed*

How cute!

[MsDani]

Guess I'm not gonna live that one down hey LOL

Nikki had a rough night last night. Everytime she coughs she panics. She keeps on looking at me as if to say "Mum stop the Ouchies!" Even my male dog, AJ, knows somethings up with her and tries to snuggle right up next to her.

Gave her a little bit of honey in between the cough medicine, which seemed to work a little.

How long will this last??

Edited August 25, 2006 by Goosey~Gander

[TigerJack]

How long will this last??

Similar to when you get a cold. A week or so. Important thing to remember is that all dogs in the household should be quarantined until a week to ten days after the last symptom in the sick dog. This is becasue your other dogs may get it from the first dog and be incubating it but not yet showing symptoms. If they go out, they could be infecting other dogs. Your first dog may get well just as the second one comes down with it and if so, then you keep the quarantine going for all dogs until the week to 10 days after that dog's last symptoms.

A few months back I had one dog come home with it and I ended up quarantined for about 3 weeks as one by one my other dogs got it. I ended up with 6 that caught it. They had varying symptoms from the hacking cough (and nothing else) that lasted a single day to spitting up gunky saliva and being quite ill for three or four days through to a very miserable little chihuahua who looked like he had a raging head cold for the better part of a week, runny nose and all. All got the cough linctus and only two required antibiotics for the secondary chest infection. (Antibiotics do nothing for KC itself as that is a virus, they are only affective against the secondary infections that the sick dog might come down with.)

Best of luck and here's hoping the other dogs don't get it. Don't panic, though unpleasant, it is only the doggy equivalent of the common cold. Please do pay attention to the quarantine issue though as that's the only way to restrict infection.

Jo

[MsDani]

Thanks for that Jo

I haven't had them around other dogs for a good couple of weeks, the only contact that they have had is at the Vets, which is where I'm thinking Nikki got it from.

I've also called all my friends with Dogs and told them not to come over and that I won't be over for awhile. I'm worried about it being on my clothing and stuff like that. Wouldn't wish it on anybodies dog.

Sorry about panicking. They've never been sick before and I haven't even seen a dog with KC. I think the problem is that I'm thinking the worst case scenario, but I think it's because that cough is shocking.

I just managed to get a little handle full of water and a couple of bits of meat into her. But not much.

I have no idea if I'm doing the right thing for her IYKWIM. She just looks so sad and won't let me out of her sight.

Edited August 25, 2006 by Goosey~Gander

[MsDani]

Sorry it's me again

Her coughing has changed. It's not so much a hacking noise now, it's like when they sniff something and they've got something stuck. If that makes sense!!

She's trying to throw up - but nothings coming. She threw up some gunk this morning, but nothing since. It's been going on since 10.30 last night the only break she's had from it was at around 3am this morning for about 1 1/2.

Is this the next stage of it??

[SueM]

sounds like normal kennel cough to me i had one a few months ago that was the same unfortunately its just got to run its course,afraid you may have a few sleepless nights if your dog is anything like Buddy his coughing and choking was worse at night and all night but it does get better....