Dog Park Woes...

[Robin & Josie]

We found (what I thought was) a great, fairly new dog park. We took Josie there last Saturday and she had a great time. Ran around for about an hour and a half, played with other nice dogs of all sizes and was nice and tired.

It went so well that we went back on Sunday. Sunday night she was licking her all of her paws. We gave her a bath, thinking she might have gotten something on her that was making her itchy (the surface was gravel - like a kids' playground.)

Monday we were at the vet. Turned out that her paw pads were all inflamed and irritated. Vet thought she may have overdone it - or gotten into something, but that would be odd at a dog park. Two days of steroid spray and doggie ibuprofen, and she was healed.

Then on Wednesday night, she started making this bizarre sound - as if she was choking. Back to the vet on Thursday. Diagnosis: "tracheitis" - essentially a mild form of kennel cough, which she has, of course, been vaccinated for. Likely picked it up at the dog park. Amoxicillin and codeine laced cough medicine and "rest". The "rest" part has been a challenge with a 7 month old. Not to mention no contact with other dogs. This could go on for days or weeks and could progress to pneumonia. Cough is better already, and will, hopefully continue to improve. Difficult week...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sorry to hear this. I wouldn't worry about pneumonia, especially since it's mild. I'm sure she'll get better very quickly.

Here's hoping next week will be better!   

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Oh no! Hoping she is back to her bouncy , 7 month old self very soon.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

I am so sorry you are going through this with Josie.  It is so hard when our babies feel bad, but at least you got her to the vet right away and she is on medication!  I have only taken Libby to a Dog Park once and I was not impressed at all.  Plus, I have heard many stories about dogs getting sick or injured.  Sending hugs to Josie for a quick recovery!

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

We had the same paw issue with Meg last month, still unsure about what caused it since I was traveling and she could have reacted to anything along the way.  Hope Josie feels a lot better real soon, no fun watching our babies feel bad.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Hoping Josie is better soon. It sounds like she'll do fine since you got treatment early.  I started out thinking dog parks were great, but I'm not a big fan anymore. 

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Quincy had kennel cough from Doggie Day Care-it's very contagious.  He had gotten the bordatella immunization,so it was only a mild case, but still scary to hear his "seal bark".  but he recuperated quickly, a few days, and all was well.

I hope your pup feels better soon! 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

So glad Quincy recuperated quickly! Thank God for vaccinations! We too, had a Golden contact Kennel Cough while at a boarding facility, and she was able to recover quickly.

[Gail and Bailey]

Sorry to hear little Josie is not well!  Sending her doodle hugs and hoping she gets better fast!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Get well quickly, Josie! Our dogs got kennel cough at a dog park too. They recovered very quickly. I hope you update us.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My dogs got kennel cough from the park also - they stair stepped getting it so in the end 5 dogs got sick - all of whom had been vaccinated.  It made me feel bad, but they recovered quickly.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Little Josie is so cute and I love her toy box! I sure hope she is back to her spunky self soon-it's such a worry when they are not feeling well.

[Robin & Josie]

Thanks all. For those who have been through the tracheitis/kennel cough thing - How long before you felt comfortable (or others having you around...) to return to contact with other dogs? We are scheduled to start an adolescence class this week. I think Josie is up to it, but I don't want to infect anyone else. Vet thought it would be ok, but maybe I'll judge it by her cough - or lack of..

Thanks, Robin