Need some advice or a good vet to go to at this time. He was diagnosed with kennel cough 2 days ago and is on antibiotics...he was doing great yesterday and i played with him in the fields for a little but woke up today lethargic and with nasal discharge. He's been like this all day today and when i took him to Banfield they were all booked until my appt tomorrow. I just don't know if I could wait that long. I put some cold towels on him to see if i could get his temp down. I'm not even sure if he has a fever but just by touch is he pretty warm. Read something online that if his nose is warm then he might have a fever and his nose is pretty warm. Anything I could do? I would love to be able to make it till my appt tomorrow but I just would feel absolutely horrible if something went wrong before then that I could've prevented. He's 4 months old so still a puppy.

4/25/2009 9:45:56 PM

what antibiotic is he on?

4/25/2009 10:06:53 PM

amoxycillin...well after about an hour of those cool towels on him he kinda got up and ate a bit. gotta be a good sign right? was able to give him another dosage of amoxycillin since he wouldnt eat this morning.

4/25/2009 10:17:13 PM

Kennel cough is basically a really bad cold. It's caused by a bacteria. Your puppy probably isn't running a fever, and if he is it's likely not as high as you think. Typically puppy temperature, when healthy, is anywhere from 100.5-102. He's only been on medications for 2 days...that really isn't long enough for his body or the meds to really kick in and begin working for him. It's likely running him today was a bad idea and he's feeling the effects now. The best thing to do is let him sleep. His body needs to "hibernate" so to speak and mount a response against this infection. Part of that will include a mild temperature (maybe) to help combat the bacteria. Putting cool towels on him is only hindering his ability to recuperate. Make sure he's got nice comfy blankets in with him, put him in a quiet place, check on him periodically and let him sleep. He will be fine until the appointment tomorrow. Offer him water, but I wouldn't worry if he doesn't feel like eating (do you ever really feel like eating when you're sick?)

4/25/2009 10:48:47 PM

thx for the advice. he doesn't look like he's doing much better but i'm glad he's made it through the night without many more complications. i'm just hoping it's not pneumonia or anything serious. we'll see when we get to the vet later today.

4/26/2009 11:51:46 AM

Didnt know where to put this.................


I am considering adopting a female German Shepard from the local animal shelter. She seemed sweet enough, but I noticed she kept walking in circles the whole time I was there.

I heard this can mean she might have an inner ear problem? The people at the shelter said that she will receive vaccines and such before she is released, but do they check to see if she had an inner ear problem, or maybe ear mites?

I can afford a dog, but maybe not a dog that will have chronic disease issues.

6/26/2009 4:43:28 PM

it's a possibility...but another thing since she's in a shelter is alot of those dogs (especially if they've been there a long time) get stereotyped behaviors like walking in a circle. or...chasing their tail.

did you take her into an open area? If you did and she was still doing it...she could have something in her ears which before they release her should be checked out.

6/26/2009 7:05:18 PM

does the dog have a head tilt or scratch the ear?
the poster above can be correct. It can be a total environment thing, like a pacing.

6/26/2009 8:04:53 PM

this was too much of a coincidence to pass up.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8118257.stm

6/26/2009 10:51:55 PM

Isn't it possible for inbred dogs to have issues like this as well? I could have sworn that I saw something about that once. More likely to develop erratic behaviors, etc.

Everybody else already suggest what is reasonable, though. Maybe the dog was just nervous and pacing because she was excited.

6/26/2009 11:12:50 PM

I havnt taken her into an open area yet, Im going back on Monday.

Also, there was no ear scratching, or head tilting. A good sign?

[Edited on June 27, 2009 at 11:23 AM. Reason : '']

6/27/2009 11:22:18 AM

Head tilt would be very bad: something inner ear or even neurological. Sounds like it probably is a pacing thing (you see it all the time at the zoo). Definitely get the dog into an open play area and watch it some more.

6/28/2009 2:01:18 AM