pvstks
MH
Posts:189
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| 11/18/2009 7:50 AM |
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Last night Wolfgang started having a strange sounding cough. It sounds as if he has something stuck in his throat and is trying to clear it. He coughs pretty infrequently (maybe 1 - 2 times per hour) and it certainly isn't interfering with his daily activity or eating. Any ideas? I plan on giving it 24 hours and see if it resolves on its own -- if not I'll call the vet.
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pixie bee
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Posts:2490
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| 11/18/2009 8:22 AM |
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I'm not sure what it could be. But a dog should not be coughing or clearing their throat that often. I know when my kids act like that I check for pneumonia.
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Be the type of woman that when you wake up each morning and put your feet on the floor the Devil says -
"Oh Crap, She's Up!"
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:4829
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| 11/18/2009 8:42 AM |
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| How old is he? Sometimes in older dogs the cough is indicative of heart problems. I have also seen allergies do something similar. There are a multitude of other things it could be as well. I like you plan to observe for 24 hours and then to the vet if needed. If it gets worse during that time I would take him immediately. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo) and the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." --Plato
"..It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." --Samuel Adams |
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singltrak
Las Cruces, NM
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Posts:875
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| 11/18/2009 8:49 AM |
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Could be allergies or kennel cough also. My guys all have goopy eyes from all the pollen and dust blowing around at the field trials last weekend. I'd get it checked out, definitely, but if you have some children's Robitussin you might give him about 3 cc of that....(vet suggestion to me several years ago)
Phyllis and tribe |
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Look to the Past, Breed for the Future |
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pvstks
MH
Posts:189
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| 11/18/2009 8:58 AM |
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Posted By Texas Belle on 11/18/2009 8:42 AM
How old is he? Sometimes in older dogs the cough is indicative of heart problems. I have also seen allergies do something similar. There are a multitude of other things it could be as well. I like you plan to observe for 24 hours and then to the vet if needed. If it gets worse during that time I would take him immediately.
Wolfgang is almost 8 months old... It just started last evening and hasn't gotten any worse (or any better)... We'll see how he does over the course of the next 24 hours.
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pvstks
MH
Posts:189
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| 11/18/2009 8:59 AM |
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Posted By singltrak on 11/18/2009 8:49 AM
Could be allergies or kennel cough also. My guys all have goopy eyes from all the pollen and dust blowing around at the field trials last weekend. I'd get it checked out, definitely, but if you have some children's Robitussin you might give him about 3 cc of that....(vet suggestion to me several years ago)
Phyllis and tribe
I've noticed that, in the mornings, Wolfgang has some "goopy eyes" -- I fugured allergies -- this could be allergies too, I guess. Not going to medicate just yet -- it really doesn't seem that bad right now.
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dieterthegsp
Cape Breton, NS, Canada
MH
Posts:415
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| 11/18/2009 9:03 AM |
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| how is he on the leash? he could be hurting his neck if he is doing a lot of pulling |
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Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:2490
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| 11/18/2009 9:20 AM |
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Kennel cough will be aggrivated by the collar,it can trigger a cough spasm. Kennel cough goes way on its own,tho,doesn't it? I think the main goal of kennel cough is to control the cough? So, the Robitussin may work.
This is one reason we limit contact with dogs.
(I'm a mean mommy). |
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Be the type of woman that when you wake up each morning and put your feet on the floor the Devil says -
"Oh Crap, She's Up!"
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genedit.php?id=2229
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genedit.php?id=2230
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pvstks
MH
Posts:189
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| 11/18/2009 9:26 AM |
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Posted By dieterthegsp on 11/18/2009 9:03 AM
how is he on the leash? he could be hurting his neck if he is doing a lot of pulling
This was one of my first thoughts --- he is pretty good on the leash, but just yesterday we had an "incident" on our neighbor's property -- he took off after some deer, and I had to reign him in pretty hard. He had a flat collar on and struggled a bit, but I didn't think he got hurt. When I "press" on and around his neck, it doesn't seem to hurt him.
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:4829
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| 11/18/2009 10:43 AM |
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| My guess is more likely allergies. My 1.5 YO boy went through a couple of days with a slight cough. About the time I was ready to drag him to the vet it went away. Coincidentally, it was right after a rain and all the dust and pollen was settled. Didn't come back. My oldest girl has a couple of times a year (spring and fall) when her eyes get really goopy and she sneezes allot. I give her benadryl if it gets really bad. Good luck with your pup. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo) and the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." --Plato
"..It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." --Samuel Adams |
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pvstks
MH
Posts:189
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| 11/18/2009 10:54 AM |
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Thanks, Bev. This is my guess too, especially since, as I mentioned earlier, he has had some eye discharge mostly in the mornings... I just made an appointment to get him checked out by the vet on Friday just in case. Probably $45 down the drain, but better safe than sorry. |
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singltrak
Las Cruces, NM
MH
Posts:875
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| 11/18/2009 5:40 PM |
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Yes, I'd far rather spend money at the vet than on anecdotal evidence, too. Allergies may depend on where you live. Right now, we are having delayed Indian summer with lo's in the 30's and hi's up to 70, so those weeds and pollen are having a blast. If you are where you have already gotten precip for the Fall or even snow...then its not so likely. Good luck with that $45.
Phyllis and the Singltrak furtribe |
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Look to the Past, Breed for the Future |
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pvstks
MH
Posts:189
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| 11/20/2009 5:39 AM |
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| Update - went to the vet last night and he wasn't real concerned but Wolfgang had a very slight temp (102.5). Because of the temp and the fact that Wolfie is almost always around other dogs, the vet put him on 10 days of Amox. Better safe than sorry!!! |
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TessaGA
Georgia
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Posts:2079
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| 11/22/2009 8:12 AM |
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This may not have anything to do with anything, but I am throwing it out here. If he does not get better and all the tests come back inconclusive, have the vet run a fecal and check for a horse parasite.
A friend of mine's 12 year old setter has been coughing off and on all summer, they feared heart failure, ran all kinds of tests, nothing showing, vague diagnosis of slowly collapsing trachea, possibly allergies, cough getting progressively worse. Dog had a routine check-up last week and they ran a fecal and the vet came running up all excited saying it's showing a "horse parasite" (not sure what exactly) and it's treatable. Shane had his first treatment this week and he's a changed dog - ran like a 2-year old today (he's got two more treatments to go).
Not saying this is what's wrong but if all else fails to diagnose him, have the vet check for not so common parasites. BTW Shane is never around horses but they tracked it down to horse manure they used to fertilize their vegetables earlier this summer. |
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:4829
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| 11/22/2009 10:23 AM |
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| Tessa - That is good to know. You know we think going natural is better, but then you find stuff like this. I guess you just can't win. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo) and the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." --Plato
"..It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." --Samuel Adams |
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2079
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| 11/22/2009 2:45 PM |
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It may have been a fluke, certainly rare enough for the vet to not check for it, but with all the horse droppings Tessa was eating lately, that'll be the first thing I will be testing for if she starts coughing LOL!
I can't even describe how relieved my friend was that Shane is going to be alright - for months we've been preparing for the worst. |
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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pvstks
MH
Posts:189
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| 11/23/2009 6:15 AM |
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Tessa, Thanks for the "heads up". When I took Wolfgang in, the vet asked for a fecal sample. I dropped one off on Saturday morning -- I should hear the results today. |
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pvstks
MH
Posts:189
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| 11/23/2009 7:29 AM |
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UNEXPECTED DIAGNOSIS: GIARDIA.
Glad we did the fecal sample!!! |
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unowhoandwhy
Middleofnowhere, NH
MH
Posts:1401
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| 11/23/2009 7:35 AM |
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| I'm glad you had that fecal test done! Good luck & let us know how he is doing. |
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Daniel Yankee Flyer - 8/2002
Lady Layla - 1/2006 |
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2079
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| 11/23/2009 11:13 AM |
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| Giardia! Does that cause a cough or was it an accidental finding? Well, I guess you are on Flagyl then? Fun! |
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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