Will the medicine still get absorbed? He’s very hungry but nothing is staying down – it’s been like this since Friday and today is Monday . He definately has that hacking cough with phlem (that sometimes contains his hair) could this be something other than Kennel cough? What about his hunger will food be absorbed even though he has been throwing up?
KC should not produce phlem only a dry hacking cough. Sounds like he may be developing a secondary bacterial infection or pnumonia. KC does not make a dog throw up, (violent coughing can) act listless or go off feed. He needs to go back to the vet for another visit. A bland diet of boiled/drained hamburger or chicken (1pt) to 3pts boiled rice will be easier on his tummy but it is vital that he stay hydrated. Remove his water and give him pedialyte instead. You may have to syringe feed him pedialyte in small amounts every few minutes so he can keep it down. Your vet can give you something for nausea but may also want to change to a broader spectrum antibiotic like cipro. Is he running a fever? Thick nasal discharge? KC should have neither. The meds will not help the KC but will prevent or treat the secondary bacterial infections one of which is pnumonia which can be fatal. I just lost a 80lb 2.5yr old dog this way.
Also KC can be carried on your clothes, shoes, hands, your dog can still spread it for months after he is over it as a carrier, the nasal vaccine will not prevent it but will reduce severity, shot is not as effective as nasal drops, dogs at high risk should get the nasal every 4-6mths (dog parks, boarding, shows, frequently exposed to other dogs). Having KC does not create an immunity to future exposures since there are a wide variety of virus’s and mutations lump summed under the term KC.
best to call the vet and explain what is going on. They can give him a med that will stop the vomiting before he dehydrates, etc.
Call the vet back and ask for a cough suppressant – I am surprized that they did not give you one. Since the dog is going to have an unhappy tummy from vomiting so much, give it a bland diet of boiled chicken breast and potatoe (potatoe is aborbed better than rice).
I would call the vet and tell them he is still throwing up constantly and isn’t keeping food or the medicine down. If he is throwing up within 30-45 minutes of taking the medicine, it most likely isn’t getting absorbed. Call the vet and tell them because he may be severly dehydrated by now and this will only make the vomitting worse and can cause diarrhea.
Kennel Cough is a virus and the antibiotic is given to keep your dog from going into an bacterial infection. It cannot cure the kennel cough, it needs to run it’s course. More important is the vomiting and the chance of your dog getting dehydrated. I would call your vet and let him know that the dog has been unable to hold anything on it’s stomach. Your vet may want you to bring him in for fluids or maybe a shot to stop the upset stomach. He can go days without food but he can’t live without fluids.
First off I am not a vet, however, I would think if the food stays down for a few hours it will be absorbed to a point, however, if thrown up right away probably not. The antibiotics might increase nausea too or just from coughing so darn hard. It could be something other than kennel cough but if that is what the vet said I would go with that and if you are still worried I would take him back to the vet especially if he cannot keep any liquids down. Hydration is much more important right now even if your pup is hungry.
Always when in doubt jet to the vet :O) hope this helps.
It sounds like he may have another issue other than the kennel cough if he can’t keep food down and he needs to go to the vet as soon as possible, you also should keep and eye on how much water he is taking in because if he is vomiting he could become dehydrated and that would make a bad situation worse. Try feeding him small amounts at a time and giving him a teaspoon of water every 10 minutes. Use a small medicine dropper and slowly squirt the water into his mouth against his cheek. Do not just squirt it down his throat that will make him gag and throw up. I hope he gets better.
Oh and the vet should prescribe cough syrup you can use Robitussin but you need to know the weight of your dog and call the vet to find out the exact amount to give.
I agree with "Kiki". If he is vomiting and cannot keep any food down, then he will dehydrate. As to whether or not he in fact has Kennel cough – you can always get a 2nd opinion from another Vet. But he does need medical attention asap.
call the vet….it is free.
Sometimes the cough is so bad that yes, it will trigger occasional vomiting.
When did you take him to the vet for diagnosis? Have you asked the vet about the vomiting? I would call your vet and ask them this question — I don’t know the absorption rate of antibiotics, but I would assume if he’s vomiting this frequently he’s not getting the amount of antibiotics he needs to prevent an infection and pneumonia.
Perhaps your vet can give him a booster of antibiotics via a shot to get him going? Just an idea. Definitely see if you can get an Rx of cough suppressants.
For sure, take him back to the vet to be re-examined.
Kennel Cough in dogs will stimulate a coarse, dry, hacking cough about three to seven days after the dog is initially infected. It sounds as if the dog needs to "clear it’s throat" and the cough will be triggered by any extra activity or exercise. Generally, dogs that have this do not throw up phlegm because the cough is usually a dry one. In fact, their general state of health and alertness will be unaffected, they usually have no rise in temperature, and do not lose their appetite. Seems your dog is still hungry, so that’s a good thing.
Many dogs that contract Kennel Cough will display only minor signs of coughing that may last seven to ten days and will not require any medication at all. The majority of dogs with the disease continue to eat, sleep, play and act normally… except for that annoying, dry, non-productive coughing that seems so persistent. Kennel cough should not cause your dog to throw up his food.