Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I adopted a golden retriever from my local shelter last week. He's a little under a year old and he completely stole my heart.

I got him friday. On monday he was sneezing. Tuesday he was coughing pretty bad almost constantly. He was hacking up mucous and his nose was a little stuffy. I called everyone I could trying to find help...I don't have the money to pay for a vet visit right now. I called the shelter where I got him (I also volunteer there) and they said it was kennel cough and they gave me some antibiotics for him.

I've been giving him the medicine...but, the problem is no site I've been to lists all of his symptoms as kennel cough. For instance...yesterday he'd pretty much stopped coughing, but now his nose is so blocked he can't even breathe out of it...and there's a lot of discharge. I can also hear/feel that his lungs are congested. So, are these signs of kennel cough or not? He isn't vomiting, no diarrhea, he is sleeping a lot though. But, then...as I haven't even had him for a week I don't exactly know if that's normal or not. Is it time to go the vet? Or should I continue giving him the antibiotics and see what happens? Oh, and can anything be done to clear his nose in the mean time? Thank you so much in advance!

It's definitely time for a vet visit. From now on take him in as soon as he starts showing symptoms. Find a vet who will work with you on the money issue. In the meantime run hot water in the shower, and take him in the bathroom and shut the door. The steam will help clear his nose. But do get him to the vet, it could be something other than kennel cough, and unless they tested him for it at the shelter they don't know. Plus that's very irresponsible of the shelter to go off prescribing antibiotics like that without knowing for sure what's wrong. If you do keep him on antibiotics, get him some probiotics. GNC has chewable acidillophus tablets that taste really good. They replace the good bacteria in the stomach that are killed by the antibiotics.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), pretty girl Fancy (beagle), the rats- Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Pachebel, Fillmore, Norbert, and baby Franz, the mice- Vivaldi, Brahms, Schubert, Bartok, Rasputin, Johann, Chaminade, Dorothy, Glenda, and Em, and the *adorable* winter white dwarf hamster- Feather
"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo! I'd have all my money back." -Jack Handey

Any idea what it could be though? Is it possible he has pneumonia? Or the canine flu? Or is it just an upper respitory tract infection?

If I do get to take him to the vet it most likely won't be until monday. I've taken him into the bathroom with me, but it doesn't really help. I also got ahold of some saline nose drops, but he won't let me anywhere near him with them. Somtimes I'm worried sick and others I think it's something minor that will clear up on it's own. What do you think?

>>Any idea what it could be though? Is it possible he has pneumonia? Or the canine flu? Or is it just an upper respitory tract infection?
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>>If I do get to take him to the vet it most likely won't be until monday. I've taken him into the bathroom with me, but it doesn't really help. I also got ahold of some saline nose drops, but he won't let me anywhere near him with them. Somtimes I'm worried sick and others I think it's something minor that will clear up on it's own. What do you think?

>>>>>

The dog deserves veterinary care. It may seem expensive, but it goes with the territory when you adopt a dog. It could be any of the things you mentioned.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

I really think he needs to go to the vet. Maybe you'll go in, lose $30 and nothing serious is wrong. Oh well. Otherwise what if it is something serious? I once spent $250 taking my dog Lucy to the vet at 2 a.m. just to find out she had a minor stomach bug. I wouldn't change a thing. If she was throwing up like that again I'd do the same thing. Better safe than sorry. I have no idea what it could be, but it does sound like something a vet needs to check on, just in case.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), pretty girl Fancy (beagle), the rats- Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Pachebel, Fillmore, Norbert, and baby Franz, the mice- Vivaldi, Brahms, Schubert, Bartok, Rasputin, Johann, Chaminade, Dorothy, Glenda, and Em, and the *adorable* winter white dwarf hamster- Feather
"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo! I'd have all my money back." -Jack Handey

I was just wondering how the little boy is doing and if you had a chance to go to the vet.

Our local vets will let us put some money down and then do a payment plan - good, compassionate vets are out there - ones that really care more than for just the money!

Let us know how you made out and how he is feeling.