Evening update. Mack is really pretty active, still not normal levels, but close. He has drunk a good amount, but has still not eaten all that much. If he would eat something, I would have no more concern at all.

There has been no diarrhea, only some loose (pudding like) stools, two to be exact. Both were followed later in the day by normal, log like, stools. No vomiting, but some coughing and some sneezing.

His normal diet is kibble only. Taste of The Wild brand. I rotate among the three different varieties at about one month intervals.

I do appreciate everybodies time and suggestions. I have to tell you all that to me it seems like he had a bad cold. I mean with the exception of the prolonged lack of appetite, his behaviour was just like mine when I have a cold. What do you all think?

Tom

 Quote: tom keywork

Evening update. Mack is really pretty active, still not normal levels, but close. He has drunk a good amount, but has still not eaten all that much. If he would eat something, I would have no more concern at all.

There has been no diarrhea, only some loose (pudding like) stools, two to be exact. Both were followed later in the day by normal, log like, stools. No vomiting, but some coughing and some sneezing.

His normal diet is kibble only. Taste of The Wild brand. I rotate among the three different varieties at about one month intervals.

I do appreciate everybodies time and suggestions. I have to tell you all that to me it seems like he had a bad cold. I mean with the exception of the prolonged lack of appetite, his behaviour was just like mine when I have a cold. What do you all think?

Tom

Dogs can catch a dog-cold. That is, it's not a zoonotic virus.

Did the vet hear about/witness the coughing and sneezing? What was the diagnosis or tentative diagnosis that led to the RX for metronidazole?


"There has been no diarrhea, only some loose (pudding like) stools ..."

I call pudding stools diarrhea. Not as bad as water, but still in the diarrhea category.

Drinking is really good. I'm not sure how worried I'd be about the reduced food intake yet. Since there actually is some diarrhea, yeah, I'd probably let him fast the rest of today and maybe tomorrow a.m. (but water a-plenty, baited if necessary) and then offer very small meals of very overcooked soupy white rice.



PS
A dog who is not really eating -- I think the dog could have a blockage and not be vomiting. I'm not saying "vet wrong" or anything like that, particularly with the coughing and sneezing, but I am saying that I'd probably still have that in the back of my mind as I was keeping an eye on him.

The coughing/sneezing -- is that getting worse, or stopped, or what?

All this is nothing more than MHO and some thinking aloud. Also, I'm not a health professional of any kind.

I'm glad he seems to be much more "OK" than he did!

Thanks, Connie. Yes the vet heard the coughing and sneezing, in fact he sneezed often during the visit and less so during the rest of the day/evening. After I got home from work at about 6pm, I put down his normal volume of kibble, which he did not eat. He was drinking. I went to bed early and forgot to pick up his food dish. Between 9:30 and 11, when my son walked him and put him in his crate, he ate a full cup of food. That is not his normal amount, but it was something. He also finished his entire dish of water.

This morning, he is at about 90% of his activity level. He wanted to run this morning, I wouldn't let him. Still no stool, going on 36 hours now. He drank a bunch and ate another cup of food, I think he would have eaten more, but I wouldn't give him more. No sneezing at all. He did cough for about 30 seconds straight when he first got up from his crate. In fact, he coughed up about a tablespoon of what I can best describe as phlegm.

As far as the metro, it was a shotgun approach in case he picked up something at the boarding place. There is something funny about that. When we moved down to Texas, we went to a new pediatrician for the kids and the first few times someone got sick, he was all about giving us antibiotics, which we didn't like, so we switched docs. I feel that antibiotics should be used more conservatively. Yet, when the vet wants to give metro as a shotgun, I didn't say boo. I need to think about that some more.

Last, I understand that all of this is just everybodies opinion, but I like information. I like hearing other experiences and such, then I look into it as well, then I try to make the best decisions for me and my family, so ......
Thank you all

Tom

this dog is vaccinated for puppyhood viral infections?
a dog who has been in a kennel and comes home with a cough often has kennel cough.
that vaccine isn't particularily effective IMO
diarrhea can accompany any viral infection.



Edited by Betty Landercasp (10/30/2010 09:27 AM)
Edit reason: kennel cough

Betty,

Yes he is, although I do not have his records in front of me, I am at work, and I don't remember the different shots he got, I did decide to have all the vaccinations done. I did opt to wait until he was a few weeks older then recommended, though. The breeder did the first set at 8 weeks, I believe that the vet wanted him in four weeks later, but I waited 6 weeks. Then for the last set, whatever time the vet wanted, I waited about two weeks longer again. He was born March 13 and if my recollection is correct, which it may not be, he got the second set of shots mid-June and the last set end of July.

I have no experience with kennel cough, he is not coughing excessively or often, but normally he really doesn't cough at all, so any amount is a lot more then usual. After coughing up that little bit of phlegm, he didn't cough again for the next hour that I was at home.

Betty, if I remember correctly, you are a retired vet, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you.

Tom

My guess (just a guess) is some kennel bug.
Kennel cough is just inflammation of the trachea and the bronchi, airways leading to the lung. It is treated with antibiotics, but leaves a lingering cough (a goose-honk cough is how it is described) that can last a month after the dog is well.
It is great that he has been vaccinated. Lots of things NOT to worry about because of that.

Wow, I am embarrassed at not even taking in the fact that he had been in a kennel.

Also, I don't think I would have thought of diarrhea accompanying kennel cough. I don't even think I knew that.

It's great to have you here, Betty.

And I'm so glad the dog is better.

Okay, here is the latest twist in Macks saga. I came home from work today at about 3 pm, he had been in the crate since my wife went out at about 1 pm. He had a pretty nice nasal discharge, an ugly ylw/grn color. There was a small amount (10 to 12 drops?)that had run out of his nose and was on the floor of the crate, and some was still on his nose. We went for a walk and he pooped normally, and he was very active, jumping at the crickets in the grass, cacthing and eating them. He wanted to run along the fence with the neighbors dog like usual, but I wouldn't let him.

When we came back in, he coughed and sneezed some, and some more snot, for want of a better term, came out his nose. When he is up and walking around, there is little to no discharge. Once he lays down some starts trickling out, and then when he gets up, he coughs and sneezes until it clears out.

I am going to contact the vet, but it seems to me to be a cold. I will post what the vet says, but as usual, I'd love your input. Thanks.

Tom

Sounds like your dog has the canine flu. I know it has gone through some kennels here in NY. Airborne, like KC and therefore basically impossible to control. Could have gotten anywhere but the kennel will get the blame. Again, airborne so not something you can disinfect away. And unless a dog shows active symptoms at the kennel not something they can tell you where it came from. In my experience the dog is home and destressing and like going on vacation and getting sick the show symptoms then.

I would watch for pneumonia, as that is when it gets dangerous. Otherwise, like KC it runs its course.

 Quote: Sonya Gilmore

I would watch for pneumonia, as that is when it gets dangerous. Otherwise, like KC it runs its course.

Yes, I just re-read up on kennel cough and what to watch for .... green phlegm (either as a discharge or swallowed and then puked up), increased coughing, increased lethargy, of course any noise when breathing ....

Any of these starting to happen or not diminishing:

raspy breathing, wheezing

panting (open-mouth breathing)

rapid breathing even resting; labored breathing

deep cough

blue-tinged gums

lethargy

refusal to eat and drink


It seems pretty universal that fluids help keep mucus thin (and more) and that allowing the dog to lie around for hours is a bad idea. Moving around ensures that breathing doesn't settle into a shallow routine (not good) and helps to avoid a lack of air exchange in the lung alveoli (not good). I guess that baited water (not with a salted broth) would be up near the top of my list.

I hope he's better today!