How many days on antibiotic? Canine Influenza it is not

Cobalt · 03-09-2008, 11:19 PM

My puppy is sick for the second time so I think it's time to find a less crowded doggy daycare. She goes 3 mornings a week to play.

She has a runny nose but no cough. She is just about back to normal now. The vet put her on Clavamox right away so she wouldn't get a secondary infection. I don't mind this but I think 14 days is excessive. They thought it might be Canine Influenza but it isn't, there is no cough. They said it's a respiratory virus.

I know I am not a vet but I really think that 7 days is enough. She is much better and I think the meds have stopped any infection that might have occurred.

Any thoughts? Thanks

Willowy · 03-10-2008, 12:47 AM

You should always finish a round of antibiotics, or it can lead to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Of course, if it was a virus, antibiotics didn't do any good anyway

, but you still need to finish the entire course of medication.

Cobalt · 03-10-2008, 08:44 AM

I read that some vets only prescribe this for 7 days, that's why I thoght 14 days was too long. We lived in Europe and they don't give as long of a course as we get here so that is what I was thinking.

Love your name, wanted to name Mia Willow but lost that vote.

lovemygreys · 03-10-2008, 09:39 AM

Our vet generally prescribes 7 days of clavamox. However, perhaps the age of your dog and the fact that it's a second occurance of illness, your vet is being ultra cautious. Either way, I'd finish the full 14 days if that's what your vet prescribed.

Sugar Daddy Otis · 03-10-2008, 11:08 AM

When Otis was smaller he had the same thing- runny nose but no cough. I thought he was fine and stopped after 10 days when he was to get it for 14-bad mommy- it came right back and he ended up on another round. Yes, finish it all. I learned my lesson-and felt very bad about it.

cshellenberger · 03-10-2008, 11:58 AM

Give until all are gone! otherwise it will make the infection harder to clear as it will become resistant to the antibiotic.

Cobalt · 03-10-2008, 11:14 PM

Okay, okay!

Sugar daddy, did they ever say what Otis had? Dogs can't get colds so it's not that. It's a vague respiratory infection but the vet doesn't see much of it.

Thanks!

Sugar Daddy Otis · 03-10-2008, 11:18 PM

I don't think he had an actual term for it-He had a very snotty nose and had a hard time breathing. Vet actually said that it a lot of times takes two rounds of antibiotics to get rid of it. Sorry I couldn't help you out more- Let us know how she does!!

Cobalt · 03-10-2008, 11:37 PM

Thanks.
In October it got really nasty, not clear and she was tired. Went on for 3 weeks. They put her on an antibiotic after a week and I think she got a secondary bacterial infection.

This time they put her on as soon as she started the runny nose again and it stayed clear. She blows her little puppy nose on us. She's getting better much quicker.

I am glad to know that someone else knows what am talking about! Never heard of anyone else who had a dog with just a runny nose.

Misery loves company!

I am afraid to take her back to doggy daycare but it is so good for her.

Sugar Daddy Otis · 03-10-2008, 11:47 PM

Oh It was like being up all night with my daughter when she has a runny nose- He slept on my chest while I sat up, I wiped his nose constantly- It was terrible. He was only about 12 weeks old, too! I got him when he was 8 weeks and perfectly healthy and never took him out or had him around other dogs so I have no idea where he got it from. My vet told me to keep him away from other dogs until he was all cleared up, did your vet say anything about that??

briteday · 03-11-2008, 12:06 AM

If your dog was at the same doggy daycare previous to both occurences, I'd be avoiding that place like the plague.

Otherwise, finish the entire 14 days and try to figure out where she's picking it up from.

Cobalt · 03-11-2008, 08:47 AM

Yes, she was in doggy daycare and it's a really great and thus crowded place. We are not taking her back, very sad about that. No other dogs including her cousins got sick.

Mia was 16 weeks when she got it the first time and it was just as you described. Our comforter had a green spot everywhere she slept and we had her out of the kennel and with us. Now, I regret that because it's hard to get them back to sleeping in a kennel but I was really worried about her. We kept her away from dogs for 3 weeks. It took at least a month to stop.

I believe we both dealt with a virus and then a secondary bacterial infection. That is when it turned from clear to a nasty green mess! Sorry but no other way to say it. Clavamox worked, she was on other meds before that last time that didn't work.

gotta go to work!