Need advice asap. Dog poorly

Mince Pie

Hi everyone, my little terrier x is coughing up phlegm. Now she seems alright in herself but just seems to be constantly coughing stuff up.
Nothing in it, just foamy.
Is she ok to take out for walk? Is there anything I can give her?
I know this sounds awful but I really can't afford to take her to the vets today cos I have literally zero cash in my account till I get paid on thursday.

ps, I know we can't give medical advice here but i'm sure someone else must have had the same problem?

SillyMangoX

Is it actual coughing she's doing or more like retching up the foamy stuff? If it's retching then it's probably just a little tummy bug which would settle with a bland diet for a few days but if it is actual coughing then it's possible that it is kennel cough (it's just the name, they can pick it up anywhere not necessarily kennels!) if that's the case then I would recommend not going for walks just because it's highly contagious and can be spread easy. If you can't afford to go to the vet then a spoon of manuka honey can ease the cough for them but if she's still the same when you can afford it I would get her checked out just to be safe. There are more things than just kennel cough that can cause coughing so just keep an eye on things!

Mince Pie

Its not coughing, more retching up the foam. It seems to have eased off now but will keep an eye on her.

snoman

Mince Pie wrote: »

Its not coughing, more retching up the foam. It seems to have eased off now but will keep an eye on her.

At the end of this thread are some suggestions for kennel cough relief.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057167192/1

Mince Pie

snoman wrote: »

At the end of this thread are some suggestions for kennel cough relief.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057167192/1

I don't think its kennel cough. Its more like shes got something caught and retching it up. If it was kennel cough I'm pretty sure both dogs would be showing signs considering how contagious it is.
She's coughing up white foam but it seems to have eased now.

SillyMangoX

Mince Pie wrote: »

Its not coughing, more retching up the foam. It seems to have eased off now but will keep an eye on her.

It's probably just a bit of a bug, there seems to be one doing the rounds with dogs at the moment!

Mince Pie

Ok, took them out for a walk. Running round not a bother. Got home, I nipped to the shop for milk. Gone about 2 mins cos its across the road from me and have gotten back and shes been sick again. She obviously tried eating some of her food and it came straight back up. Cos it was foamy and the dry food solid in it. Gonna take up her bowl and clean it now. Should I just not let her eat for 24 hours?

borderlinemeath

Mince Pie wrote: »

Ok, took them out for a walk. Running round not a bother. Got home, I nipped to the shop for milk. Gone about 2 mins cos its across the road from me and have gotten back and shes been sick again. She obviously tried eating some of her food and it came straight back up. Cos it was foamy and the dry food solid in it. Gonna take up her bowl and clean it now. Should I just not let her eat for 24 hours?

Fast for 24 hours, make sure she's keeping water down though. You can assess her again then. If her form is fine today then I wouldn't be too worried, you'll know yourself when her form changes and she's still getting sick then it's time for the vets for sure.

Jezek

Rice with chicken and a bit of carrot should be better than dry food .

Mince Pie

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Fast for 24 hours, make sure she's keeping water down though. You can assess her again then. If her form is fine today then I wouldn't be too worried, you'll know yourself when her form changes and she's still getting sick then it's time for the vets for sure.

Thanks, I was thinking maybe trying some poached chicken for her tomorrow in small bits and see how she holds that down but will fast her till lunchtime tomorrow.
Her form is good, she was running around earlier like normal but is curled up on the bed now just looks a little bit down but being sick can do that to you.
I would have her to the vets in a heartbeat if I thought it was serious but reckon I'll keep and eye on her for now. Hopefully its just a wee bug. Seems to e a lot of it going around at the moment.
God its so much easier dealing with humans for this stuff. If it was me I'd have ginger tea to clear the toxins out but so difficult with dogs cos what works for us can be poisonous for them. Just want to give her lots of cuddles but reckon its best to just leave her in her bed.

Mince Pie

Jezek wrote: »

Rice with chicken and a bit of carrot should be better than dry food .

Is rice ok for dogs? I thought it was one of the foods that they struggle to digest? Its all so confusing.

borderlinemeath

Mince Pie wrote: »

Is rice ok for dogs? I thought it was one of the foods that they struggle to digest? Its all so confusing.

Rice is good for settling an upset stomach, but I would use the chicken/rice combo for firming up a runny stool and fast a vomiting dog. But use it as a first meal after the 24 hours as it's nice and bland.

Mince Pie

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Rice is good for settling an upset stomach, but I would use the chicken/rice combo for firming up a runny stool and fast a vomiting dog. But use it as a first meal after the 24 hours as it's nice and bland.

Thanks so much. I've put another bowl of water by her basket so she doesn't have to wander. Will be keeping an eye. Poor little thing.


This might be a stupid question but how do I fee the other pooch? Should I feed her out in the hall? I hae a box raised by the kitchen where I feed her cos she's a lurcher. Seems awfully unfair to feed one and not the other?

DBB

Can I just put out an FYI here?
The advice used always be to fast a dog who's vomiting. However, there's been a recent change in opinion on this one, that fasting your sick dog can make things worse by disrupting gut motility, and the system takes longer to recover.
So, the advice now is, if your dog will eat, let her eat.
Mince Pie, both my dogs have a mild cough at the min, and it's definitely more retchy than coughy, indeed they had me fooled in the first few hours... It's a very mild dose, and not limiting them at all. If they cough enough after a meal, it's almost bound to come back up again.
Whilst one of yours might have it, t'other may not yet be symptomatic but it's on the way. Or indeed she may already be resistant to this strain.
As long as they're in good form, eating well, and not snotty or wheezy or limited by it, I'd monitor them for now.

Penny Tration

If you want to get her to the vet but can't afford to pay for it yet, call the vet and ask about being billed.

When my dog dislocated her knee, there wasn't a hope of me having the 800 euro needed for her op, so they billed me and are letting me pay off the last 200 whenever I have it.

No harm in ringing and asking could they work out a bill for you, especially if you've had the dogs in with them before.

Mince Pie

so, further to what you've said DBB. Should I poach up the chicken and just give them both that with some rice this evening at dinner time?

Tippy (the lurcher) had the squits two weeks ago but that was gone after 24 hours. Not sure if its related but thought I'd mention it.

Mince Pie

Oh I have them insured but with it being the weekend thats in it I'm not even sure the vet is available. I really don't think its serious enough for a vet visit. Just a bit of TLC from their mammy. Just needing to know if its better to feed or fast. I can poach some chicken for them now and have it ready for their dinner time.
Gonna empty their bowls and give them a scrub as well. Food still in it from this morning.

DBB

Hi Mince Pie,
Yes, I'd be inclined to go for highly palatable but reasonably bland, so chicken is perfect as long as there are no allergy issues with it. Personally, I prefer potato as it apparently helps to detoxify and my dogs feckin love it, but rice is fine too.

Mince Pie

DBB wrote: »

Hi Mince Pie,
Yes, I'd be inclined to go for highly palatable but reasonably bland, so chicken is perfect as long as there are no allergy issues with it. Personally, I prefer potato as it apparently helps to detoxify and my dogs feckin love it, but rice is fine too.

Oh I've got plenty of potatoes so can wrap the chicken in clingers and pop in with the potatoes to boil.
Would a wee bit of gravy be ok?

DBB

Mince Pie wrote: »

Oh I've got plenty of potatoes so can wrap the chicken in clingers and pop in with the potatoes to boil.
Would a wee bit of gravy be ok?

I chuck the chicken and spuds all into the one pot, and throw in a Knorr stock pot too! As long as it's very dilute it seems to be nice comfort food for dogs.... So I'd imagine some very dilute gravy as a little treat can't hurt!

Popescu

I was a bit worried three days ago when my 12 year-old dog retched up white foam with what looked like blood in it. This had never happened before in his life. Naturally, I watched him closely ever since and there was no repetition. He never was off his food but he is chewing on grass more than usual. He seems fine and sleeping on the sofa as I write. I suspect he had a bug of some sort, probably tied to our change of home and climate. Keep us posted on your dog's progress.

Mince Pie

Ok, got a pot of spuds on with the chicken in as well to infuse the flavour. Will pop a chicken stock cube in there as well, I use Kallo stock cubes so no crap in it either. Cheers!
Will let you know how she gets on when its ready for their tae.

Bloody love this forum.

tk123

Another sick dog here He was trying to get sick all yesterday evening and all night with foul smelling burps - finally got sick at 9:00am, then again at the beach this morning but ate it all up again before I could get him away from it(!) and has just gotten sick again. Nightmare to get him away from it because he resource guards it! GAH!

Popescu

tk123 wrote: »

Another sick dog here He was trying to get sick all yesterday evening and all night with foul smelling burps - finally got sick at 9:00am, then again at the beach this morning but ate it all up again before I could get him away from it(!) and has just gotten sick again. Nightmare to get him away from it because he resource guards it! GAH!

Let's hope it passes.

Mince Pie

tk123 wrote: »

Another sick dog here He was trying to get sick all yesterday evening and all night with foul smelling burps - finally got sick at 9:00am, then again at the beach this morning but ate it all up again before I could get him away from it(!) and has just gotten sick again. Nightmare to get him away from it because he resource guards it! GAH!

Oh dear! I've been following my wee one around with kitchen towel an cleaning it up straight away. It's awful when they eat it. My lurcher does that when she's sick but thankfully the terrier doesn't. She's just come over for cuddles bless her.
Hopefully this thread had helped you as well and give yours a cuddle for me as we'll.

DBB

tk123 wrote: »

Another sick dog here He was trying to get sick all yesterday evening and all night with foul smelling burps - finally got sick at 9:00am, then again at the beach this morning but ate it all up again before I could get him away from it(!) and has just gotten sick again. Nightmare to get him away from it because he resource guards it! GAH!

Jayney. My lil spaniel x has a bit of a cough but her tummy is unwell in the mornings this past few days... We have puking of foam and no appetite. Her appetite comes back as the day goes on.
Have to think there's a bug on the go.

tk123

DBB wrote: »

Jayney. My lil spaniel x has a bit of a cough but her tummy is unwell in the mornings this past few days... We have puking of foam and no appetite. Her appetite comes back as the day goes on.
Have to think there's a bug on the go.

Well eejit boy ate a half ton of white seaweed yesterday which isn't helping things. :rolleyes:

DBB

tk123 wrote: »

Well eejit boy ate a half ton of white seaweed yesterday which isn't helping things. :rolleyes:

Ewww.
There's nothing like a belly-full of seaweed to get a good old dose of the pukes going :-D

tk123

DBB wrote: »

Ewww.
There's nothing like a belly-full of seaweed to get a good old dose of the pukes going :-D

Couldn't face another evening/night of him trying to bring it all up and was worried about him guarding it so depearate times call for deparate measures i.e. peroxide and a walk around the block! 5 mins and job done - he obviously felt better straight away because he had a run around with a passing jack russel :pac:

Mince Pie

Right, happy tidings. Fed them both the same dinner about half an hour ago. When I drained the spuds I kept the stock over.
Waited for everything to cool down and shredded the chicken then mixed in with the spuds and poured a wee bit of the stock over.
They have wolfed it down and no problems since. The lurcher was more interested in lapping up the stock than eating the chicken so kept topping that up.
Anyway I am now snuggled on the sofa with two pooches snuggled beside me and very content.

So thanks for all the advice. It is most appreciated.

Gael23

Boiled Chicken and Rice with a small bit of gravy or something. We have an elderly dog and that's what we give him when he gets a stomach upset.

Mince Pie

ryanf1 wrote: »

Boiled Chicken and Rice with a small bit of gravy or something. We have an elderly dog and that's what we give him when he gets a stomach upset.

If you see earlier comments they were given boiled spuds and chicken with stock and all good in the hood now.

Kukey

My GSD has this bug now only she is not vomiting but has diarrhoea.She had been eating grass prior to becoming ill and I knew something wasn't right with her.
She is fasting for 24 hrs now but the poor dog is starving,I had to put her out the back while I fed my other dog otherwise she would have eaten her food on her and I'd be back to square one:(
Hopefully she will be back to herself tomorrow as there is nothing worse than cleaning up after a dog with diarrhoea!!
I'd prefer the vomiting anyday:)

DBB

Kukey wrote: »

My GSD has this bug now only she is not vomiting but has diarrhoea.She had been eating grass prior to becoming ill and I knew something wasn't right with her.
She is fasting for 24 hrs now but the poor dog is starving,I had to put her out the back while I fed my other dog otherwise she would have eaten her food on her and I'd be back to square one:(
Hopefully she will be back to herself tomorrow as there is nothing worse than cleaning up after a dog with diarrhoea!!
I'd prefer the vomiting anyday:)

Kukey, see my first post on this thread: starving a dog with diarrhoea or vomiting is not recommended any more!

Edited to add: oops, I only said it in relation to vomiting... In fact, it is even more important to continue feeding a dog with diarrhoea, as long as she's readily accepting food!

borderlinemeath

DBB wrote: »

Kukey, see my first post on this thread: starving a dog with diarrhoea or vomiting is not recommended any more!

Edited to add: oops, I only said it in relation to vomiting... In fact, it is even more important to continue feeding a dog with diarrhoea, as long as she's readily accepting food!

When did this advice change DBB?
Although, thankfully the last time I had to bring a vomiting dog to the vets was 2008:)

Kukey

That's what I thought that it was only a dog that was vomiting.Thats handy to know as I always thought you can't give anything.
I would be afraid to give her anything this late now,if I had of known this earlier I would have fed her some chicken and rice.I will give it to her in the morning.
Thanks again DBB

DBB

borderlinemeath wrote: »

When did this advice change DBB?
Although, thankfully the last time I had to bring a vomiting dog to the vets was 2008:)

My vet (you know who she is ;-)) told me within the past few months, and a vet nurse friend of mine confirmed it. It was discussed at a recent nutrition conference, I believe, and is even being advised by at least one of the huge dog food companies as a result.

Mince Pie

DBB wrote: »

My vet (you know who she is ;-)) told me within the past few months, and a vet nurse friend of mine confirmed it. It was discussed at a recent nutrition conference, I believe, and is even being advised by at least one of the huge dog food companies as a result.

Well I personally can give a hats off to that advice. Havent had to clean any puke for hours now. So happy furry mammy over here.

SillyMangoX

Have to say DBBs advise really works, Dude has terrible tummy troubles since his accident and it used to take about a week for it all to clear up after a 12-24 hour fast and bland feeding. Now I keep feeding him through it with bland food without fasting and it clears up in 48hrs max! I only remembered recently that when we had a nutrition talk in college from Royal Canin that they recommended the same thing - albeit with only feeding their food, but the principals are the same :P

Kukey

I ended up bringing my dog to the Vets as the diarrhoea never cleared up.She was eating and drinking but everything just went through her.
The Vets gave her an injection and antibiotics.I also had to give her Maalox (indigestion tablets) 1/2 hour before food as this puts a lining on her stomach
and probiotic granules sprinkled on her food.
Thankfully these worked wonders and she is back to herself:)
My JRT then got the bug but she was only sick for 3 days.
Hopefully that's the last of it:)

Gael23

Sounds like a bit of an infection. Not serious but symptoms can be frightening. Plain diet and antibiotics should sort it out.