Having hijacked the 'Not Right' thread I thought I would start a new one as I need some advice on Maisy's condition. Having been checked by the vet for a throat obstruction a week and a half ago, and now recovered from the anaesthetic etc. she is still having a few worrying episodes. Nothing was found by the vet and all her airways were checked, there was some inflammation which may have been caused by something in her throat initially though. She has been fine for about a week now but yesterday she got up quickly to bark at someone and started a hoarse type of reaching cough, not a cough exactly but as if she was trying to clear her throat. Then this morning first thing she got up out of bed and did it again. Then a few hours later as we set off for a walk she did it again. None of these times involved any food or throat restriction, except the last one she may have pulled on her lead. Could this be kennel cough with episodes so far apart, or something to do with pulling on her lead (which she did yesterday when she saw a squirrel and leapt off jerking the lead round her neck). I use the harness on long walks or where other dogs will be but not round town. Has anyone else had this experience?
Sometimes , the throat tube used in GA can leave a sore throat , so maybe this is the case and then pulling on the lead has made it worse ? Try offering a teaspoon of honey , mine always took it straight off the spoon , it can really help .
I'd never heard of this and just youtubed it, quite horrible and some cases are really scary. But Maisy's 'coughs' come more from her throat, not her nose, like us if we were trying to clear a phlegmy throat. (Sorry - yuk!)
I've looked up kennel cough symptoms and on youtube and it certainly seems similar, especially with the hacking in the throat. Before the vet did the exam, he suggested it might be but did not seem concerned about it or offer any treatment. On reading about it, it seems the cough is persistent but Maisy is not coughing very often at the moment (last week, once yesterday, twice today). Also it can clear on it's own within a few weeks apparently. I would appreciate anyones advice or experience with kennel cough, should I get a vaccination or leave it for a few weeks to clear?
I would definitely wait for the cough to clear first; vaccinations should only be administered to a healthy patient. It could of course be kennel cough... Or she might have hurt her throat... Or she might even have inhaled something - were her lungs checked? I remember reading about a dog that coughed for ages, and eventually they found a piece of wheat in his lung, he must have inhaled it while running through a wheat field in the summer/autumn...
It might be worth trying to record the actual event on your phone and have a word your vet and let them see what you have recorded. it could be so many different things.
Pop her along to the vet, as @Karen suggests there may be some bronchial involvment due to inhalation, this takes a bit of time to develop so might not have been picked up earlier. Of course, could be something else entirely. As symptoms persisting from the first consultation, the vet would be the best person to advise. Hope she feels better soon, coughing/ retching are worrying symptoms.
Where was the inflammation found? Throat or airways? My eldest lab has suffered with a hacking cough and retching since he was about 18mths old. The vets investigated doing an endoscopy into his throat and lungs and found lots of inflammation, unfortunately the laboratory results came back inconclusive as to a cause. He's been treated ever since with a steroid inhaler which does keep the cough under control. If it's throat involved, perhaps acid reflux could be the cause.....just a thought.
The inflammation was in the throat. Prior to the vet inspection, Maisy had choked on something she was playing with. I think it was a thorny twig but don't know as I never saw it or what became of it. After this she had several more choking episodes and I put it down to something still in her throat, that is why she went for a check at the vets. They found nothing except the inflammation so I assumed whatever it was had gone. I am still worried though as it keeps happening, although not as often, maybe her throat is still sore from the tubes etc. Acid reflux is a possiblity and was mentioned in the previous post, I am leaning toward this as second most likely. A good thought - thanks.
