Poorly Dog - Any Ideas Greatly Welcomed

J

josiesmithuk

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About 6 months ago we took on a 10 year old Springer Spaniel from the local gamekeeper, he had been injured and so of no use to them.

A couple of weeks ago he started to cough, like a clearing the throat type of cough. Over the last two weeks we have had him to the vets and been on two courses of antibiotics, yet the cough has persisted and his glads (under chin, neck and back legs) are swollen. The vets are adamant it is Kennel Cough (our other dog if fine). Rang the vets again this morning they half suggested running test, swabs and x-rays but said it will cost a lot and they don't think it is worth it.

A friend of the said game keeper looked at him and heard the cough etc, and suggested it might be a grass seed lodged somewhere. I mentioned this to the vet and he very quickly discounted the idea and opted for more antibiotics.

I feel like we are going round in circles and the poor dog isn;t getting better. Would another vet do a second opinion in the same way you would for a horse??

thank you for reading this long essay.

jo
 
Thank you your reply, we have done 5 days of Benylin (was horrified when they charged me £15 for a bottle of Benylin, more shocked that it even said Benylin on the label.)

Will ring up the vets I use for the horses in a minute and book him in for an appointment.
 
Just a thought outside of the box!

If it was a GK dog then it may not be a house dog? Don't know if you have it in house or out?
It could then be a house allergy! Carpets, detergents. Anything!

How is he in himself otherwise?
 
In himself he seems fine, this has only flared up within the past 3weeks and we have had him about 6 months or so now.

I took him with me to the yard all day on Sunday, muck picking the usual tidy up day and that didn't change anything. He's booked into the other vets now.

Will keep you all updated, thank you for your comments

x x
 
I would also go for a second opinion, or atleast ask your vet to investigate further, kennel cough is highly contagious, your other dog would most definately have started coughing, and it usually clears within 7 days, unless it's a particurlarly bad bout, but I understand why you vet treated for that first, as it's common and the initial symptoms would have coincided with KC, has he had any x-rays, blood tests? or his heart checked?
 
the vet hasn't started the exploratory stuff yet, he seemed quite reluctant to start really.

Am I right in thinking that X-rays would be the best first option, I would imagine that blood tests will show an increased white blood cell count. Also thought about trying him on an antihistamine, we haven't had him in the warmer weather before so maybe he is reacting to pollen?? You would have thought though that his previous owners would have known and told us.

x x
 
the only thing xrays would show would be if there was something lodged, and it would have to be big enough to identify, it is also possible to see if there is fluid in the lungs or something along those lines......

if you think it is something lodged etc then ye x ray is your best bet, the blood test will indicate if its an infection rather than something stuck........ not sure what he would want from a swab if im honest......
 
Did his old owner smoke? My sister rehomed an older dog and after 7 months it started coughing etc and it turned out he had empahzema - the vet said it was because he had lived with a heavy smoker his whole life. (the old owner was a very heavy smoker though - poor J's white bits were stained yellow and he reeked of smoke instead of dog
crazy.gif
)
 
As far as I am aware before we got him he lived in the GK kennels in a large barn, but then spent a year in a stable while they waited to see if his leg would heal. By the sounds things it would have been a very dusty environment so maybe something in that???

We are in West Yorks, lung worm is a possibility we worm him as per vets worming program, I keep writing these things down so can bring them up with the vet.

x x
 
Hi Josie,

My dog developed kennel cough (about a week after i got her from the rescue kennels). My vet gave her antibiotics, and also a vaccination. She did continue to cough for a couple of weeks, + i was warned that she would be contagious for a while yet (i think i recall 'months' being mentioned?)

Good that you're getting a second opinion, anyway, as it does seem strange that your other dog hasn't picked it up (or is he/she vaccinated?). Good luck, hope all is straightforward, you obviously think a great deal of your lovely dog. All the very best, love BS x
 
BS - Thank you for your response, our other dog is vaccinated but the vet did say that sometimes the vaccination is not enough as there are different strains??

I love dice dearly and want to do the best by him, I am just very aware he is 10 now and his joints are degenerating this is just adding to the list so to speak. Fingers crossed for the second opinion this weekend!

x x
 
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