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Ziggy Is A Bit Flat And Has A Cough


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Ollie had kennel cough once but I don't remember what to look for. I have googled it but most of the sites talk about the cough..

Ziggy was doing this throat clearing thing last night, so I checked to see if he had eaten something that got a bit stuck and couldn't see anything. It started around 3 am this morning...

Since he got up, I have given him some manuka honey dissolved in some warm water and this seems to stop the raspy noise he is making. It is sort of like a cough but also a bit like a hack.. Like he is trying to get something up..

The coughing has seems to have slowed right down but he is still flat. Not his usually full on staffy self.. He is not even really playing. Pippa brings him a toy and he takes it but just lays there with it.

He is still drinking water but didn't eat his breaky..

I am a panic merchant when it comes to the pets, so I am unsure if I should make a vet appointment today or wait and see if he coughs again tonight, in which cas I would make an appointment tomorrow.

Also, Pippa has only had 1 C5 vaccination at about 5 months old (being a pound rescue) when she was desexed... Is she covered in case it is kennel cough?

Thanks in advance.

Edited by Staffyluv
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I think it depends on the dog, when Monte has had kennel cough we've been told not to take him out for a period of 14 days and that chances are our other dog will probably get it too. Both times when Monte has had it, Ivy hasn't caught it, but we won't take them out for the full 14 days to ensure neither of them spread it.

Not all strains of kennel cough can be vaccinated for, its just like the human flu.

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Sounds like canine cough to me....and unfortunately a C5 vaccination is like a human flu shot....it may stop them from getting one strain of the flu but won't necessarily stop them from getting ALL strains...but may lessen the severity of symptoms if they do get it.

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Thanks, I will make an appointment Ziggy tomorrow morning and ask about the vaccs for Pippa...

I always thought that pups needed at least 2 vaccinations to be fully vaccinated, as a pound pup (foster) she has only had the one vaccination. I will ask about her tomorrow, she may need another shot.

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Thanks, I will make an appointment Ziggy tomorrow morning and ask about the vaccs for Pippa...

I always thought that pups needed at least 2 vaccinations to be fully vaccinated, as a pound pup (foster) she has only had the one vaccination. I will ask about her tomorrow, she may need another shot.

Just bear in mind that even another shot may not stop her from getting it. Especially if she has already been exposed and if it is from a different strain.

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Thanks, I will make an appointment Ziggy tomorrow morning and ask about the vaccs for Pippa...

I always thought that pups needed at least 2 vaccinations to be fully vaccinated, as a pound pup (foster) she has only had the one vaccination. I will ask about her tomorrow, she may need another shot.

Just bear in mind that even another shot may not stop her from getting it. Especially if she has already been exposed and if it is from a different strain.

Thanks ellz, I sort of figured that but will let the vet decide...

Poor Ziggy has been asleep most of the day and Pippa just wants to play with him, she keeps coming over to check him...

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SL - my boy has had CC twice in his life (he's 4yo now). Each time the cough only lasted for about 2 days MAXIMUM (Manuka Honey does :thumbsup:). He'd be noticeably lethargic for about one day beyond the coughing, then improve from there. And when I say "noticeably" I don't mean "extremely", I just mean lethargic enough that I could tell I wasn't imagining it. Eg. Day 1 of lethargy was a fair amount of sleep than normal and a bit on the 'flat' side in between. Day 2 was a bit quiet. After that he sprang back like any other youngster would from contracting a cold or flu.

Keep Ziggy quiet and in a draft free environment - treat as you would anyone with a cold/flu. The AMH with water is great as it encourages them to drink and keeps them hydrated. Give some doses of the honey in between, just off the teaspoon, if Ziggy will take it. (My boy thinks it is a treat :).)

Even when Mandela bounced back to his usual energetic self, I kept things low key for a full week beyond and didn't take him out and about.

A vacc for Pippa? Not my field of expertise but I'd think that her exposure to it via Ziggy would give her the immunity you'd be enquiring about at the Vet. So IMO, I don't think there'd be a lot or much point.

Edited by Erny
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Thanks Erny, I might see how he goes the rest of the day and tonight just with the manuka honey (it is the good one from the health store - with active something or other in it).. I put about a tablespoon in some warm water until it dissolves and then top up to a total of about 2 cups of water and he is drinking it every couple of hours... Pippa likes it to, so it won't hurt her.

He is keeping quiet and chilling on the lounge.

He is drinking plenty of water and I will give him a few teaspoons of honey in between now as well.

He eats anything, he even loves lemons off the lemon tree... I wonder if lemon and honey would be any good for him?

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Sounds good, SL. You'd be referring to the honey's "UMF", I think. Actually, they've changed that now and many brands have a different word and coding for it. But if you got the good stuff and it is a medium to high UMF number (or equivalent), then it should help him as it has my boy in the past. In fact my boy gets a teaspoon of the AMH when I hear a suspicious cough from him or if I think he's a bit on the flat side. If it isn't CC then no big deal. If it is, then I'm getting in as quick as one might.

Watch the water amount too. Although this was when my boy was only about 4-5 months old (first CC episode), but I over-did the honeyed water. He wasn't finished his toilet training at that time and it ended up with wee everywhere. I'd not even get to finish cleaning up one unexpected accident and there he'd be, peeing like there was no tomorrow in another spot. This went on another time or two. I expect a more adult bladder would be different and better, but just a caution on not over-doing the water, especially before bed-time.

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Ziggy is awesome as far as toileting goes.. If the back door is closed he comes and grunts at me and turns towards where he wants to go.. So I know if he grunts and turns around he wants something... But the door is open all day for them so we don't have any accidents. Even Pippa pup has worked it out now...

He thinks this works for treats but it doesn't... He will come and grunt, the walk toward the kitchen.. Or if I am in the kitchen he will nudge the treat drawer.. He is a character... So very different to Ollie dog, which is a good thing. So many people said I would compare him to Ollie and I have found that I don't...

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He thinks this works for treats but it doesn't... He will come and grunt, the walk toward the kitchen.. Or if I am in the kitchen he will nudge the treat drawer.. He is a character... So very different to Ollie dog, which is a good thing. So many people said I would compare him to Ollie and I have found that I don't...

:hug: .... My current boy is nowhere like Kal, although I admit that they both share honesty, loyalty and trust attributes. But beyond that, they are like chalk and cheese. Like you, that's been a good thing for me too. In a way, we do compare them, but we see the differences and love them for the dogs they are :thumbsup: .

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I wouldn't do anything for either of them, other than use Manuka Honey 20+ and let them ride it out.

Really there's no point in taking him to the vets, he won't need anti-biotics unless there's a secondary infection and you risk spreading the cough to other animals. They should both be isolated in the yard until at least 10 days after the last cough.

I give mine a teaspoon of the honey , straight off the spoon, three times a day. We've had KC a few times now. The worst affected have been those vaccinated with C5, the other barely had a cough if anything.

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Thanks Pav, I only have 10+ here, should I go and get the stronger one or will just giving him more often be enough?

He seems pretty good tonight but the pup is making the same noise he was this morning. So they are just chilling here in the lounge.

I won't take them to the vet unless they get worse and I will let the vet know what I think it is, so we can go in the other door...

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Grab a jar of at least 16+ and 20 if you can get it.

It's awesome stuff, next time you think you are getting a tickle in your own throat, do 3 teapsoons a day. I've found that it stops colds and flu's from developing into a throat infection.

I got onto it when Ollie was sick and started using it .. I have bought the same one all the time but the markets are open in Fyshwick tomorrow so I will go and get a stronger one...

Thanks

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I agree with Pav - I don't buy anything less than UMF 15 but prefer 25 and upwards, if I can get it. Comfortable on 20, if there is nothing more. But it does get xxy as the UMF increases. The 10 would have helped sooth the throat a bit, SL, but the ^ UMF means there's more of the "active" stuff in it, which means it would do more in terms of antibacterial etc.

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He has hardly coughed at all today, just a few small hacks.. He is still a bit flat and even sooky today, which is not like him.. He keeps trying to sit in my lap and at about 24kg, its a bit awkward...

Pippa puppy has not coughed once that I have heard...

Hopefully that is it...

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He has hardly coughed at all today, just a few small hacks.. He is still a bit flat and even sooky today, which is not like him.. He keeps trying to sit in my lap and at about 24kg, its a bit awkward...

Pippa puppy has not coughed once that I have heard...

Hopefully that is it...

My boy did the same/similar. Keep an eye on him and let him rest as much as he is able. You should see improvement from here onwards, over the next few days ....IME.

I think you said you were giving Pippa the AMH as well? If so, that's good and I'd keep it up, although she won't be needing as much as Ziggy.

ETA: I presume he's still eating ok? Wet food is best - if his throat is sore the dry kibble is a bit hard to get down and the discomfort can put them off.

Edited by Erny
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They have barf patties and puppy kibble mixed into it to make it up to the right amount of food...

They also had some BBQ chook and veges last night. But ate the barf and kibble this morning...

They are both drinking the water with honey and I gave Ziggy a teaspoon of it last night and this morning as well...

Fingers crossed we are on the mend already...

Have you ever tried to explain to a staffy it is time to rest?..

He has been really good and resting quite a bit...

I did notice tonight that both of his eyes are really red (the whites are red)... Probably from coughing?

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I did notice tonight that both of his eyes are really red (the whites are red)... Probably from coughing?

Possibly, or perhaps the onset of a bout of conjunctivitis. I have found that it tends to occur when the immune system is compromised. If you have some saline solution handy, I'd irrigate his eyes with that. Or, if you have some Calendula Tea at hand, brew up a small amount, let it cool, and irrigate with that.

Edited by Erny
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