In our household, we are currently owned by 1 chihuahua (7yrs old); 2 pomeranians (4 & 3yrs old); and a newly adopted Golden Rtrvr/Shephard mix - barely 5 mnths old.
We adopted the golden, Rivers, through an adopt-athon put on by Petsmart (in Parker, CO) and Humane Society of Red River, TX - dogs were transported up from the southern state, no telling how that was done for certainty. This adoption took place 3 weeks ago.
None-the-less, I had thoroughly checked Rivers over as much as I could prior to bringing him home - he had double ear infections, had just been neutered and still had stitches, and had this extremely mild cough every now and then, which I linked to excitement in with it being a warm day, at least another 100 dogs or so in the vicinity and tons of people strolling by their cages.
The very next morning, Rivers was seen by our vet - in which he thought the cough was morely do to having just been neutered and the pipe having irritated his throat, but he did put Rivers on an antibiotic *just incase* seeing as he'd been intermingling with well over 100 other dogs. Rx: Doxycycline 50mg twice/day 7 days.
2 weeks goes by, the cough, however mild, is still present, only occuring now with what sounds like phlem and worse in the mornings after first waking up, and one ear is still slightly red/inflamed, another vet visit, normal doctor's not available, other doctor puts him on Cephalexin 250mg for 14 days - this doctor is much more concerned about the very mild skin infection River's now has rather then the cough I asked about 4 times.
Dog even coughed ON the doctor, he didn't think it was anything more then mild throat irritation and continued with the Rx of Cephalexin for the skin issue.
1 more day goes by, my 3yr old Pomeranian (whom I found in a Wyoming dumpster at 9mnths of age, and brought back from the brink of death), is not eating. He too had started to cough, but I didn't think too much into it cause he is allergic to the sage that grows in our back yard, I gave him benedryl, few hours later he eats, so again, I thought it was just throat irritation due to his being allergic to our weeds and it was a very windy day.
Next morning, 3yr old Pom, Dakota comes up stairs huffing/puffing, boogers are bubbling out of his nose and he is VERY nasely sounding/congested and sounded like a typical human with a BAD chest cold.
Rushed him into the vet, thankfully my normal vet is available, one who saw River's the first time, he immediately looks him over and listens to his chest - nothing inside sounds horrible, no fever, but he was congested in the head. Vet this time, puts all 4 dogs on an antibiotic, mentions it's a fairly powerful one: Rx Clindamycin/Antirobe. This was started this past Monday, and is to be taken for 10 days.
During this time, Rivers himself still has this cough/congestion too, but NOT nearly as bad as the little Pom has it now.
For the next day, I was able to get 2 doses of this new Rx into all 4 dogs, and all are eating fine.
Following morning, Dakota (Pomeranian), is having a very difficult time breathing again - again, we rushed him back to the vet.
Vet took chest X-rays, blood work, Urinary Analysis, etc....all are excellent, no pneumona, white blood cells very slightly elevated, but all is good test wise, except Dakota is VERY dehydrated.
Vet keeps him for 30hrs or so, pumping him full of 2 different antibiotics and 30hrs worth of IV fluids; BIG improvement in breathing and goobery boogers. Dakota comes home, but has strict rules for being kept quite, bed-ridden, etc.
We narrowed him down to his favorite room, but virtually impossible to keep him totally still - he felt MUCH better. 48hrs after being home again, and continuing his original Rx prescription, this morning he sounded almost as bad as the morning he entered the vets for 30hrs, we are keeping both him and Rivers as mild as possible.
In fact, Dakota's energy level is not nearly 100%, but he is drinking/eating, but still doing his share of coughing and sounding nasely. There has not been any bubbly boogers coming from his nose in about a day, so that's improving, but any ideas??
I feel overall that we're taking a step or two forward just to have them go back 3 steps the next day. So far, only Rivers and Dakota are effected, but ALL are on the antibiotic, every one is eating without coercion, but just seems like we're not advancing forward.
Vet feels strongly about this being a typical chest cold just as if they were humans, as neither dog had or has had a fever, nor pneumona, and he said it needs to run it's course.
All dogs have been on their Rx for 5 days now, with 5 more days to still go. River's is taking this in addition to his antibiotic for the skin infection.
Any thoughts to how long something of this nature TAKES to cure?? Sorry so long, but I'm getting frustrated, it's VERY hard to keep a 5mnth old on limited exercise, but when I do more activity with him, the next morning he coughs more and seems somewhat tired, until late afternoon, in which his energy picks up again. But, I don't want to over-exhert him and never get rid of this cold.