3 Month Silky Terrier seems to have mystery illness

Madison · 12-02-2006, 10:53 PM

I purchased Madison, a 3 month Silky Terrier from a pet store. 2 days after I brought her home she produced a cough which sounded like kennel cough. I took her to the vet, she was put on antiboditics for 10 days. The cough actually worsened. I took her back to the vet, and the vet pretty much said I don't know. She said it wasn't kennel cough, but gave me another bottle of the same med for another 10 days of meds. The cough is raspy, happens only when she is trying to relax and not when she is up running through the house, it is like a dry cough, she will open her mouth as if she is going to throw up but nothing ever comes out. She has had her first 2 sets of shots, the vet wants to wait until her cough is gone before giving her the 3rd set. She has been dewormed, she does not have diarrahea and is not vomiting, her appetite is good and her spirits are awesome. Please help me, the vet said that the next thing is X-rays. She is not running a temp and her nosy is not running. I have no idea how to help Madison.

Madison · 12-02-2006, 10:59 PM

Oh and the vet checked her lungs and she said that they sounded clear.

cshellenberger · 12-03-2006, 12:09 AM

Have you had her tested for heartworms? Unfortunatly this happens often when getting dogs from pet stores, many of them wind up with health issues due to unhealthy conditions at the puppymills they are bred in or the semi trucks where they are packed like chickens for market

I would take the pup to a respiratory specialist and get a full work up, I would also demand the Petshop pay for it!

Dulce · 12-03-2006, 12:09 AM

That's what you get for buying from a pet shop.

It sounds like asthma, but I can't be sure because I'm not there to observe. There may either be something blocking the airway, or asthma.

If what you're describing is mre like a gagging, then it really does sound like asthma. Have the vet check for that.

The poor thing could havwe caught ANYTHING at a pet shop. UGH!

Dulce · 12-03-2006, 12:10 AM

Nice job Carla!

cshellenberger · 12-03-2006, 12:12 AM

I've made the petshop 'mistake' too and my pug does have asthma, which actually slipped my mind

Dulce · 12-03-2006, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cshellenberger

I've made the petshop 'mistake' too and my pug does have asthma, which actually slipped my mind

Well, you've learned form your mistakes, right?

Asthma is NO fun. My cat has it

cshellenberger · 12-03-2006, 01:14 AM

Of course! I've gotten educated and thank goodness the asthma is minor and mostly under control with benadryl. Other than that he has been healthy. I now do my best to educate others on getting thier dogs from REPUTABLE breeders or rescue.

Dogged · 12-03-2006, 01:50 AM

At this point, with it going on this long, I would get an x-ray to see what is going on in there. Could be bronchitis, or pneumonia, or a collapsing trachea, or ?

Remind them when you get the x-ray that you want them to get the throat in there too.

I hope you will never buy from a petstore again. The animals from petstores are usually twice the price for half the quality. They have been mass produced in deplorable conditions by people that don't give a damn where they end up and what kind of problems they have. Please don't support them by buying their product.

drfong · 12-03-2006, 05:22 PM

Quote:

That's what you get for buying from a pet shop.

No, no one deserves this just because they bought from a pet store. Most people do not know where the pet store pets come from. They go in and see a puppy they really love and buy it. It's only after the fact that there is trouble that they find out it's wrong, so give this person a break.

It sounds like Madison needs a better vet, willing to do more than just give more of the same meds that didn't work. I would also contact the pet store and let them know there is a problem. Was there any health garantee?

Good luck and Have you posted any picts? I would love to see Madison.

Madison · 12-05-2006, 12:06 AM

Thank you for that, that statement did piss me off a little, but I think that she meant it was typical of pet stores to sell puppies that are sick. I know about pet stores, but this puppy was a gift by my husband. I think that puppies can get sick regardless of where you get them. I am strongly considering a second opinion. I can't stand to hear her coughing like this. X-rays are next on the list of what now's. I just wanted to know if anyone has heard of this or been through before I drop hundreds of bucks at the vet to find out it is something as somewhat simple as allergies.

I did forget to mention that she does not do it after or during eating. It seems to happen to her once she tries to lay down and relax. She will stand up, bend up her back and hack. It lasts only a few seconds. She has also started this thing where she will stand and outstretch her body and take very rapid deep breaths. That does not happen near as much as the coughing whcih happens numerous times throughout the day.

Yes there was a health guarentee on her, but the guarentee states return the dog to them for full refund or for credit towards another dog in the facility. I do not want a full refund, nor do I want to take her back have them put her in a cage and me walk out of there with a new dog, she would feel dumped. I want to help the dog that I have as she is part of my heart already. I will post pics once I figure out how to do it!!

Dulce · 12-05-2006, 12:45 AM

Ok, in case you missed my post about the asthma..I'm 99% positive it's asthma.

Take her to another vet. Preferably and internist, or a respiratory specialist,and ask about asthma.

It can be a very serious thing, and needs to be disgnosed ASAP.

cshellenberger · 12-05-2006, 12:14 PM

That is the same thing my Pug doesand yes, he has asthma. I would get the heartworm test too, it's usually around $25 and heartworm can look alot like asthma.

Dulce · 12-06-2006, 06:27 PM

Carla, we're going to have to chat sometime. My cat has asthma, and I'm glad I'm not alone.

To the OP: It's very important to diagnose this early. Keep up posted!

LoveLilly · 12-08-2006, 03:28 PM

It does sound like collapsing trachea which is prevelant in small breeds and when they do it it looks like they are going to vomit. When I brought Lilly home (from a pet store) she had kennel cough which was tough to get rid of and did the gagging vomit cough thing like collapsing trachea. We to could not figure out what it was & the vet felt she was a little to young for the collapsing. After about 4 weeks it all just stopped. They were not real concerned b/c all her normal daily activities remained the same. A friend of mine has a Chihuhua that does the same thing and after being excited to see someone or playing to hard when she tries to relax its the raspy vomit cough and it goes away. Hers has been diagnosed as the collapsing trachea.

LoveLilly · 12-08-2006, 03:29 PM

also, once it went away it was not prevelant. No if she sometimes gets very very hyper chasing the cats or playing real hard it may happen but its very rare these days.

Madison · 12-09-2006, 10:28 PM

Well I had to take Madison to the vet this AM due to blood in her stool. The vet went ahead and did an x-ray on her trachea for the couch and it looks fine. She also performed a test just in case for parvo, negative. The vet gave me a referral to see a specialist, internal medicine. I was given some meds for her bloody stool that she is on for 5 days. Her stool was running, but has started to return to normal, since coming home from the vet. Still a little bit of blood in the stool though. Her fecal test, which was done last week came back good and clear.

What's weird is now my 4 year cat has started wheezing, 3 days ago, and she had never done this. The vet stated that the wheezing of the cat has nothing to do with the dog as many illnesses are not spreadable between cats and dogs. I am going to go the specialist appt, and then I am going to switch vets, for 2 reasons, first is b/c of Madison, and second b/c when I was leaving and at the front desk paying and mentioned the bill and how high it was and having to leave with pretty much the same knowledge that I already had, besides the x-ray, the receptionist commented "have fun with that", when I mentioned how expensive this was getting and that I wasn't really getting anywhere. Little witch!!!!

But all in all, I am still searching all possible avenues and I am looking into pet insurance for little Madison!!!

Dulce · 12-09-2006, 11:34 PM

Congrats. Hope she's ok. Did you ask about asthma????

Buddy · 12-09-2006, 11:45 PM

if she if coughing like that then i would give a lot of water and sometimes feed ur dog with food like ham and bread
oh and hope she's ok

Dogged · 12-10-2006, 12:34 AM

Your dog should always have access to clean fresh water, but I would not suggest giving your dog ham and bread. Certainly not now with the bloody diarrhea issue, but actually I would never recommend that for any dog.

How would that help a coughing issue? Really, I would love to know.