kennel cough

[msucowboy97]

Ok, I never had to deal with this. My dogs are healthy. But my wife took in a dog with Kennel Cough today. The dog is house broken and seems to be very well behaved. The first owners died, Then he went to SPCA where he got sick then they cut off his man hood. Then got taken in by a family but they didnt know about the cough. So they were taken him back to the SPCA. Who said they would put him down the moment he walked in. So we took him.

Guess what I am asking is help from Realtorchick and other rescue people on the board. What should I do and what types of meds should I be giving them. Also what about our other dogs. We want what is best for all of them.

Thanks

[Realtorchick]

make sure he is drinking and eating ok. Not much can be done about it just like not much can be done about the common cold in humans. Keep in mind that even thought your current dogs may have been vaxed for KC, they still could get it as there are different strains.

You can give the dog

one baby aspirin in AM and PM (fever and aches)
Benadryl ( 1mg per lb) twice a day (helps them sleep)
and childrens cough syrup (1tsp, every 4 hours as needed) make sure it contains to pain meds in it.

If dog is not drinking, try following:

float vanilla ice cream in water bowl
try giving chicken broth (low fat/sodium)

If clear discharge from nose and eyes becomes yellow or green, take to vet as a secondary infection may have set in and can cause pneumonia.

In most cased, the KC lasts 3 weeks and requires no vet visit.

Note: vomitting white or foamy substance is normal, not need to panic.

[Realtorchick]

oops almost forgot....start everyone on vitamin C, preferable Ester C as it's easier on tummies.

[msucowboy97]

Thanks for your help. from what i understand. The last set of owners didnt like having to deal with the giving the meds the vet gave and him sneezing all the time. The dog just wants to be loved on.

Right now we are keeping the dog in the spare bedroom. We are taking turns going in there and playing with him every hour or so. But we hate having to keep our dogs pinned in our bedroom unable to roam the house. But it shouldnt be more than a few more weeks.

[msucowboy97]

I also have some amoxicillin that our vet gave us a few months ago for one of my dogs. would it be safe to give him some to help fight anything. He does have yellow discharges when he wakes up from a nap. but it turns clear after while then he doesnt get much discharge just like a dry sneeze

[11Linda11]

Last year my dog got kennel cough and was on antibiotics for 10 days. I don't recall which one.

I wrapped the pills in a little bit of cheese and it was down in a second.

[msucowboy97]

I have some kinda meds that start with a C that the Vet gave the owners before us. He has been doing really good today. He is hanging out in the office...he only starts to cough when he gets excited. The Cough meds made him woosy.

[Realtorchick]

I think they can take amox or keflex but I would just double check w/ vet.

[msucowboy97]

Well Bebe is the dogs name. Yall can see a pic of him at this link http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=8987779

He is doing much better. We walk him about 4 times a day. He loves the outside world. We just have to becareful dont want to get the other dogs in the area sick. He is only sneezing and coughing when he gets up from a nap or in the mornings. He gets all his drugs in the AM and PM. We also give him his cough meds during lunch and as soon as i get home. This boy is very good. I am hoping some of that rubs off on my Yorkie. I have contacted the local rescue group and she is going to help us find him a good home. So if yall know anyone please let us know.

[Realtorchick]

awww how cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Bless you for saving this baby!

[msucowboy97]

Well after one week with us. BeBe aka Moco, is doing alot better with the kennel cough. He only coughs and sneezes in the mornings and when he gets excited. But we didnt know until friday the new problem. TAPEWORMS. So we went to the store and bought the stuff for it. They say only one treatment.

[Realtorchick]

what did you buy? some of the over the counter stuff doesn't work and you need to get it from vet.

[Realtorchick]

http://www.ehow.com/how_3031_treat-tapeworms.html

[msucowboy97]

what did you buy? some of the over the counter stuff doesn't work and you need to get it from vet.

We got something called Praziquantel.

We are in the process of changing vets again. Our current vet said it will be two weeks before she can see the dog.