Cough

Cats get fur balls (aka hair balls) caught in their throats don’t they.
It would appear that Maggie may have a similar problem.
She is fastidious with her cleanliness at the best of times, but when she’s in season, she’s even more so.
Lately, her nose has been going into overdrive on our walks, and she is sniffing everything within range, so it could be something else.

Yesterday, she had a coughing fit as we were about to leave the marina grounds for our walk.
I thought at first she had pulled too hard on the lead, but the usual massage of the throat didn’t seem to improve things, so I went into the ladies and filled a poo bag with water to give her a drink.
As bowls are not usually in my handbag or pocket, bags suffice very nicely (one day a friend and I came out of the ladies with bags of water for our dogs to be asked where the goldfish were).
Yesterday, she would not drink from it and continued to cough, then gagged, but nothing came up.
On our walk though, she didn’t cough very much at all, unless she pulled.

I am familiar with Kennel Cough, and know dogs do not need to have been in kennels to get it.

Courtesy WebMD
Although kennel cough can sound terrible, most of the time it is not a serious condition, and most dogs will recover without treatment.
Dogs “catch” kennel cough when they inhale bacteria or virus particles into their respiratory tract. This tract is normally lined with a coating of mucus that traps infectious particles, but there are a number of factors that can weaken this protection and make dogs prone to kennel cough infection, which results in inflammation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe)
Kennel cough is contagious. If you think your dog might have the condition, you should keep him away from other animals and contact your veterinarian.
Although most cases of kennel cough will resolve without treatment, medications may speed recovery or minimize symptoms during the course of infection.  These include antibiotics that target Bordetella bacteria and cough medicines.

As with our own, we take Maggie’s health very seriously.
However, taking her to the vet at every sneeze or in this case cough, is expensive.
She is eating and drinking well. She is her usual self in every other respect, and this coughing is not all the time.
However, we are monitoring it and won’t be taking any chances.
Hubby purchased some child’s chesty cough mixture today, and like a child, she refuses to take it.

So I am.
Well, dipping my finger in the syrup and having a lick (yummy….. not), then doing it again and putting my finger in her mouth a few times. She has no choice but to lick her lips, so it’s going in!

The internet says that Kennel Cough can take three weeks or so to clear, but if she’s no better in a couple of days, we’ll take her to the vet.
Keeping her away from other dogs isn’t a problem and a matter of course at the moment anyway!

 

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