Thomas is so sick with Kennel cough...does anyone have any home remedies? Any help would be appreciated!!

[Debbie and Thomas]

Last week I posted here about my GD Thomas having a tick. After a trip to the vet it was removed and he was put on antibiotics just in case this gross thing was carrying anything.  Then on Thursday morning he woke up with this weird honking noise.  It continued all day so back to the vet.  He has "kennel cough".  The vet prescribed "clavamox"  which is a comination of amoxicillin and clavulate.  He said the kennel cough as a virus but that this drug would prevent any kind of secondary infection.  Last night he coughed(more like a gagging honking noise) most of the night and today has been doing the same thing and spitting up all kinds of mucous which is clear. I was told to watch out if it was greenish in colour. Has anyones dog had this nasty virus and is there anything I can do to help this poor doodle?  I gave him chicken broth with a bit of canned stew for dinner tonight as I thought his regular dry kibble would hurt his throat.  Any ideas would be appreciated!!  I am so worried.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm so sorry Thomas is sick. I would watch him carefully; after Jane's scare with Murphy getting Rocky Mountain Spotteed Fever from a tick, it seems like there are all kinds of strange tick-borne diseases out there. I wish I had some better advice. I hope Thomas feels better very soon.

[Debbie and Thomas]

Do you think think this germ could have come from the tick???

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have no idea. It does sound like kennel cough, and hopefully the vet would know if something is going on. But lately we hear so much about all these weird tick-borne illnesses. I didn't mean to worry you more, I would just watch him, and if he isn't better soon or he gets worse, I'd go back to the vet. Hopefully it's just a bad case of kennel cough and the antibiotics will kick in soon. I agree with Suzann, try to make sure he gets lots of fluids, that will help.

[Debbie and Thomas]

Thanks Karen!...I always look for your advice on this site. I am watching him like a hawk...they tell me this is just like humans getting a cold and I personally have had some doozies in that dept. where i am up all night coughing and almost gagging from it. Somehow it seems worse though when I watch him do this and I feel helpless. For the last hour though he has settled down and has not had one of his coughing fits.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Give it a couple days. Both of mine have had it, try maybe ice cubes. Make sure you give low sodium broth and soup you don't want him dehydrated. You can try rice chicken for dinner so he has some softer food too.

[BG and Gavin]

No advice Debbie, but sending best wishes and hugs to you and Thomas from me and Gavin.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am so sorry Thomas is so sick. One of my dogs had Kennel cough and it was hard to hear them hack and cough. He did bounce back quickly.

[cheryl & oliver]

I don't have any advice to give you, but I am sending good doodle vibes and comforting hugs from your friends here in fl, that Thomas will soon be well, and be rid of this nasty thing....I Know you are watching him like a hawk, and lets hope if he has been ok for an hour, maybe it is easing off...and tomorrow he will show a big change. Please keep us informed....

[Camilla and Darwin]

I don't have any advice but I hope he feels better soon!

[Sue]

From what I've heard, it has to run it's course. It shouldn't last more than 2-3 days. Sorry, not much help.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Something similar happened when my daughter brought her 4 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy down to visit us. She had just been cleared with all her puppy shots and one of the puppy shots was the "spray in the nose" one for Bordetella (sp) which is Kennel Cough!!!! From the time they sprayed it in her nose she started the sneezing and eventually some coughing. While she was here for that week we went to the vet and they said it was possibly a reaction to the Bordetella spray...she started going down hill and coughing clear mucus so and we took her back, they did chest x-rays and she had full blown pneumonia...all while under the care of our vet. They first saw her on a Tuesday and by Friday she was receiving fluids under the skin and was one really sick puppy. On Saturday she had another treatment of fluids before they headed out on an 8 hour drive back home. Luna was put on I think tetracycline because there was a discussion as to it might making her new adult teeth yellow but it was the price we would have to pay to cure/save the puppy. Bottom line...she got well and her teeth are beautiful and white. What a SCARE! You just have to wonder how this all happened when she was never at dog parks or playing with other dogs. Also, why the vet didn't catch anything on Tuesday and by Friday she was one very sick puppy. I would take Thomas in to the vet immediately and ask for a chest x-ray and maybe suggest they look for pneumonia. I do remember at the time the Swine Flu was at it's peak and there was talk on our news that there was also a form that canines could contract. I Googled it and Luna had all the symptoms. I took the printout in to the vet and they sort of blew it off. Whatever she had it turned into a serious case of pneumonia. Keep us informed as to what the vet says and about his improvement. Good Luck!

[Lesley, Wellington & Bingley]

A teaspoon of honey may help his throat. Just let him lick it off the spoon. Poor Thomas - I hope he's better soon.