Help!!! Duke Won't Stop Coughing!

[KittyGurl]

I have a three year old Beagle and we got him last Monday from the ASPCA. Since then, he won't stop coughing. It sounds like he is choking. Then he makes a cough/throwing up sound. He does this whenever he gets excited or tired. What is this and what kind of medicine can I give him to stop the coughing. Thanks for reading this!

[Glacier]

Sounds like kennel cough. Your vet might give antibiotics for it. My vet doesn't unless the dog is very old, very young or otherwise unhealthy. For a healthy dog, kennel cough is basically like a human cold and you can't do much except let it run it's course. Takes about 10 days. It is highly contagious. Don't let him around any other dogs!!! It's an airborne virus and can travel a long way! Keep him as quiet as possible; exercise will make him cough more.

If the coughing is distressing him, you can give a plain cough suppressant. Ask your pharmacist for one that treats nothing but coughing. The multi-symptom formulas are not safe for dogs. Not sure about the doseage anymore; it's been several years since we had kennel cough, but I think I gave my 50 pound dogs 2 teaspoons of medicine at night.

[KittyGurl]

Thanks Glacier for your response.
The vet at the ASPCA gave me pills to give Duke, but he doesn't take them. I put them in the back of his thoat, rubs his neck but then he spits it out! Any ideas how to give him the pill? Thanks

[Glacier]

Any ideas how to give him the pill? Thanks

Cream cheese--the spreadable kind that comes in tubs. Pick up a big gob of it with your finger, enough to cover the pill. Most dogs will just lick it right off your finger and not notice the pill. When I pill Pacer, I stick the gob of cream cheese on the roof of his mouth and he swallows it and the pill. I find cream cheese way more effective than other stuff I've hidden pills in!

[lv4dogs]

Welcome to PT & congrats on the new addition!
I strongly agree with everything Glacier said I just wanted to add something. I personally think it's a good idea to take any new pet to the vet within the first week of getting them. For a general health exam, fecal sample to test for parasites, to make sure vaccines have been given, to make sure the dog has had a heartworm test, etc....

[KittyGurl]

Welcome to PT & congrats on the new addition!
I strongly agree with everything Glacier said I just wanted to add something. I personally think it's a good idea to take any new pet to the vet within the first week of getting them. For a general health exam, fecal sample to test for parasites, to make sure vaccines have been given, to make sure the dog has had a heartworm test, etc....

Last Thursday, we took Duke to the vet to get a check up and get his stiches out since he got nuetered.

Cream cheese--the spreadable kind that comes in tubs. Pick up a big gob of it with your finger, enough to cover the pill. Most dogs will just lick it right off your finger and not notice the pill. When I pill Pacer, I stick the gob of cream cheese on the roof of his mouth and he swallows it and the pill. I find cream cheese way more effective than other stuff I've hidden pills in!

Well, Duke doesn't take pills in food. We tried peanut butter, mash patatoes and even cream cheese and he won't eat it. He just sniffs the food and walks away. We even tried to mash up the pill and put it in food, but he still won't take it!!!

[dragondawg]

Last Thursday, we took Duke to the vet to get a check up and get his stiches out since he got nuetered.



Well, Duke doesn't take pills in food. We tried peanut butter, mash patatoes and even cream cheese and he won't eat it. He just sniffs the food and walks away. We even tried to mash up the pill and put it in food, but he still won't take it!!!

You need to appeal to his nose. Take some cheese (i.e. not that cheapo Kraft American cheese), and place some in a microwave for a few seconds to partially melt it down. Wait for it to cool down enough so you don't burn yourself working with it. Wrap the warm partially melted cheese around the pill. A .25 inch thickness is plenty around the pill. Between the smell, the grease oozing from the cheese ball, puppy will not walk away. Neither is it going to discover there is a pill inside the small cheese ball. Puppy will swallow it whole and will ask for more. The only time I've seen the cheese ball trick not work is if the dog already has a high temperature and is totally anorexic. Antibiotics do help shorten the duration of Kennel Cough.