My Shih Tsu Has Been Coughing Badly For 3 Days

[Mobi]

Last Sunday one of my Shihtsus started coughing badly. At first I though he was choking on something, abut after a while I realised it was a loud rasping cough.

I took him to the vet and they said he didn't have any fever and gave me a bunch of medicine to feed to him. It is all in Thai so I don't know what they have prescribed.

Now, 3 days later, he is no better - if anything worse. He hardly stops coughing at all. He won't eat anything except bannanas.

Should I take him to another vet, or just wait it out?

It is quite worrying.

Thanks for any advice.

PS I am also worried that what ever he has may be passed onto my other dogs

[Sheryl]

Get him to a GOOD vet ASAP. Which probably means Bangkok. There is a pinned thread on this sub-forum with some recommendations. You want a proper place that can do Xrays. lab work etc.

If you're driving in from Pattaya the Animal Hospital on Ramkamheng near the Riong Road (route 9) exit is a good choice and very reasonably priced. I don't know the exact address but if you come off the Ramkamhaeng exit iof the ring road, heading into Bangkok it will be on your right next to a Lemon farm shop.

Good luck

[bina]

get to a vet,

if u cant:

how old is he? has he had his shots? did it include 'kennel cough"? (bordetello)

fever? (39 cent. is normal for a dog, use a thermometer in his rectum same as for a baby)

drinking water?

coughing gagging? coughing upon exertion?

why dont u ask the vet what the meds are??? chemical/pharmaceutical name preferable

nasal discharge? u know, details...

bina

israel

[Mobi]

get to a vet,

if u cant:

how old is he? has he had his shots? did it include 'kennel cough"? (bordetello)

fever? (39 cent. is normal for a dog, use a thermometer in his rectum same as for a baby)

drinking water?

coughing gagging? coughing upon exertion?

why dont u ask the vet what the meds are??? chemical/pharmaceutical name preferable

nasal discharge? u know, details...

bina

israel

He's 20 months old.

Yes he's had all his shots including Kennel cough.

He is coughing and sometimes gagging. He coughs upon exertion. Even just getting up and moving a few feet is enough to set him off.

He is drinking water and eating sporadically. No dog food this morning but ate a small banana.

He is very lethargic and tires easily.

No nasal discharge as far as I can tell.

I have just found English on the vet's bill. She prescribed:

Bromhexine 60 ml /Syl

CPM 60 ml/syl

Amoxycilline 250/Syl/Amox T

Bezt-tinic/Syl

All to be given twice a day.

Sheryl there are dozens of vets in Pattaya, some very well equipped with x-rays, operating theatres etc. It is really down to the vet who examines the animal. The trouble is that the place I usually go to has a different vet every time. Some are good and some are not.

What I really need to know is whether you think the illness will takes it's course or I should seek a second opinion. There is another vet that is highly recommended and I could take him there, if you think I should.

Thanks

[Nienke]

Hi Mobi,

It's the time of the year again for (kennel) cough and fungi; hot and humid alternating with huge rain showers and a sudden drop in humidity and temperature. I'm on full alert with the first the best cough I hear.

It sounds your dog suffers from KC. KC can go over in chronic Bronchitis or pneumonia.

Therefore, just like the others, I suggest to take your dog back to the vet or another one and tell him/her that the dog does not react on the treatment. I would not just wait and see if the illness runs its course.

Supporting methods are: keep your dog seperated from the other dogs, preferable in a room with a home vaporizer. Eliminate pollutants such as cigarette smoke and dust. Minimize stress and excitement. But daily moderate exercise is advisable. In case you use a choke chain when taking your dogs out on a lead, I suggest to change this to a harnass, leaving the throat and neck free.

I've been told that the disease can run a course of up to three weeks.

I wish your dog a fast recovery and you and your wife an even so fast peace of mind.

Nienke

[Mobi]

Hi Mobi,

It's the time of the year again for (kennel) cough and fungi; hot and humid alternating with huge rain showers and a sudden drop in humidity and temperature. I'm on full alert with the first the best cough I hear.

It sounds your dog suffers from KC. KC can go over in chronic Bronchitis or pneumonia.

Therefore, just like the others, I suggest to take your dog back to the vet or another one and tell him/her that the dog does not react on the treatment. I would not just wait and see if the illness runs its course.

Supporting methods are: keep your dog seperated from the other dogs, preferable in a room with a home vaporizer. Eliminate pollutants such as cigarette smoke and dust. Minimize stress and excitement. But daily moderate exercise is advisable. In case you use a choke chain when taking your dogs out on a lead, I suggest to change this to a harnass, leaving the throat and neck free.

I've been told that the disease can run a course of up to three weeks.

I wish your dog a fast recovery and you and your wife an even so fast peace of mind.

Nienke

Thanks Nienke,

Yes we've been having a lot of rain lately. Just had a monster storm which blew out the power for an hour.

Fortunately no cigarette smoke and they never wear any leads as my extended garden is large enough for them to take good exercise without going outside. The two shihtsus chase the golden all over the place.

He had "PNEUMODOG" kennel cough vaccination in Feb last year. Should he have it annually? And would he still contract the illness after having been vaccinated?

He's resting quietly and seems to have settled down a bit, so I think I'll see how he is tomorrow morning. (He gets quite stressed out when I take him in the car and it's a good half hour to the vet.)

If no better I'll take him in.

[Nienke]

Despite the pnuemodog vaccination, many dogs still get KC. One reason is because KC can consist of a variety of bac's and viruses, which pneumodog does not cover all, and the other reason seems to be (as I've read) that the KC vaccine may give protection not longer than half a year. However, the latter I have to double check.

Personally, I do not vax my own dogs for KC. I 'treat' them by giving them a species appropriate diet, and when more than one cough may pop up, I treat that with a herbal mix. So far so good, over the last 10 years.

Does your dog likes to lie in a crate, bed or your wife's lap? In that case it may be an option to put that (or her :D) in the car and the dog in or on it.

Nienke

[Richard-BKK]

You got the standard response to a serious cough, help the cough by easing the symptoms, help built immune system, and give antibiotics. With this set of medicines I can tell you that your veterinarian has no idea what your dog is suffering from.

Look for other symptoms, try to find red or irritated spots on the skin, of the dog, allergies like flee or ticks allergies can create a serious problem of the immune system...

[bina]

nienke u are correct: about half a year. actually, here we only give kc vaccine to dog sthat are going to shows or going to be travelling or boarding kennels..

yep, standard treatment for cough/pneumonia, sounds like bases covered but no improvemnt then back for chest x ray...

also, i found that giving only chicken soup (its the jewish mother in me i guess) at a mild temperature seems to cause less coughing (like the banana, soft and slimey)...

we actually also often give cortisone shot once off, to relieve swelling in repsiratory tract areas... especially if the dog is young and airways are small...

bina

but usually if one dog gets ill, others do also... but not always...

[Nienke]

You got the standard response to a serious cough, help the cough by easing the symptoms, help built immune system, and give antibiotics. With this set of medicines I can tell you that your veterinarian has no idea what your dog is suffering from.

Look for other symptoms, try to find red or irritated spots on the skin, of the dog, allergies like flee or ticks allergies can create a serious problem of the immune system...

That's absolutely correct, Richard. But unless Mobi finds an excellent classical homeopath, who is capable of understanding the totality of symptoms (i.e. seeing all the other than the cough symptoms this dog is giving), doing a proper repping, and giving the proper remedy in the proper dose and medical solution plus providing a proper management, this is the answer he will receive time after time after time.

And, flee or ticks allergies are symptoms of a (serious) problem of the immune system; they don't create a problem of the immune system, they exist BECAUSE there's something wrong with the immune system.

Nienke

[elfe]

yes it's the immune system. i have a dog here who had this cough for over one month. first gave the meds from the vet, same as you got. nothing improved over one month. then i gave augmentin in high dose (for a dog of 12 kg 500mg in morning and 500 mg in evening) as the dogs have a high metabolism. then improvement after two days and it was gone...

have very good experience with augmentin, helped already many of my dogs out of longlasting diseases (also once for persisting diarrhea) in two days after starting to give it. maybe give it a try. it's a bit expensive but worth it (the original brand version of augmentin)

[Mobi]

He's actually a little better today. Eating a bit, and not coughing anywhere near as much. And the cough is much less rasping. Still quite subdued, but that's understandable.

Should I let the meds do their work or get a second opinion? (It's rhetorical question.)

I'll make up my mind shortly.

[Mossfinn]

Any news Mobi?

[Mobi]

Any news Mobi?

Yes, Somchai is on the mend but still not 100%, but the other two - Cookie the golden and Yoghurt the other Shih tsu - have also caught the disease.

Yesterday I took all 3 to the vet, and Yoghurt was found to be very ill with pneumonia.

They are all back home now, coughing and gagging and looking very sorry for themselves. I am with them all the time to provide love and comfort.

[Mobi]

My dogs are well on the mend. Somchai is fine and the other two seem almost there. Cookie is still a bit subdued and there is still a hint of coughing when she exerts herself.

I have a question.

Every week I take the two little ones to a pet shop for washing and grooming. They do a good job, but the dogs are at the shop for at least 3 hours. I am wondering if it is there that Somchai picked up the illness, as they also sell puppies, and of course other dogs are brought in for grooming at the same time.

Should I stop taking them there and do the washing and grooming at home? Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[bina]

big yes to that: most likely a kennel cough type thing (several respiroatory diseases just like with us) since u say puppies are sold there, probably unvaccinated... i know its not easy to groom shi tzus have u thought of keeping them in 'summer clip'.. that is short body hair, fringe on tail and fringe on face and ears???.... save money and expense. OR u wait with the dogs somewhere else until their appointment actually comes up, or do they get groomed after being sedated and therefor need time to wake up??? vet clinics and pet stores w/animals are like hospitals, its the worst place to be if u are healthy and a good way to get sick...

learn to groom them, so what if they have less then perfect coats, unless u are showing them... i brush foofoo every day for about 15 minutes and once a week, he gets a real grooming from me... his coat is not fit for show, but he still has a nice lhasa coat, few mats, and he is used to laying on his side and having his eyes and whiskers cleaned too... he actually enjoys it as he is a spoiled little fellow and likes the attention.

[Mossfinn]

My dogs are well on the mend. Somchai is fine and the other two seem almost there. Cookie is still a bit subdued and there is still a hint of coughing when she exerts herself.

Good to hear Mobi, good to hear.

learn to groom them, so what if they have less then perfect coats, unless u are showing them... i brush foofoo every day for about 15 minutes and once a week, he gets a real grooming from me... his coat is not fit for show, but he still has a nice lhasa coat, few mats, and he is used to laying on his side and having his eyes and whiskers cleaned too... he actually enjoys it as he is a spoiled little fellow and likes the attention.

Any tips on how to groom them successfully? My two Chi's particularly the male is driven to distraction by brushing and can often lead to the loss of a couple of fingers when I attempt to, what generally falls into the category of complete failure.

[Mobi]

I have to confess laziness - but for a purpose,

My shih tsus are brushed every day (as is my golden) by my two maids. They have been brushed since they were puppies and love it. There is lots of stuff on the net about grooming - suggest you do a google. They should be encouraged to sit down on the floor and you sit or lay beside them and groom them.

Washing and drying them could be a problem. I have watched them in the shop and they dry them with a hair dryer and it takes ages. They are not sedated. I will think about doing it at home.

I actually wash the golden myself

My maids are trained to feed and brush my dogs and generally take care of them, so that when I am away there are no problems and they are well looked after. If the maids don't love dogs they don't get the job.

[bina]

te trick with grooming is like any other training session; we had a dog in the clinic that had to have his ears deep cleaned everyday... he sat like a gentleman for each session, the secret was that the owner always finished with something pleasant immediately after: a yummy treat and then a play session.... cleaning ears, even painful ones = yummy in my tummy and fun too...

so for grooming: two to five minute sessions, on areas that are not problematic, with slight pressure . dogs hate delicate. it bugs them. start on areas that they dont mind getting touched. for foofoo actually i equated his brushes with food (lhasas work for food, they dont really care about pleasing their owner, the owner is to please the dog.). a few brush strokes while he lay quiet, a small dinky dinky piece of cheese or chicken. an other small area brushed, a treat. little by little i increased the time and area i brushed. also, on areas that are matted or involve some hair yanking or pulling, i do very little, and i always quit while ahead.i.e. i quit by brushing an area that isnt problematic. dogs remember the last thing that happened to them, so stop while pleasant not problematic.

alos, i always do his side and back which he loves, but hates his face, so i do a little of facial grooming, then some side, more facial, more side... i can even have him sit quietly while i wash his face under the kitchen faucet after eating thai food... that took some persuasion but it works now...