Dog Community

coughing and talking

Posted : 4/26/2006 10:42:53 PM

Sallie has coughing spells for no discernable reason. I am wondering if it is due to inactivity because of her injuries, or if there was maybe rib or lung damage not diagnosed. she has no tender spots on her chest as you would expect with a rib injury, and i know since i have had them, maybe it is a passing thing. the other subject is talking. i swear she talks to my wife. jeanette will be sitting on the couch and sallie will look at her and start verbalizing. you know what i mean, not words, but kind of a singing/talking thing. it is so very neat and wonderful. and of course, it means something. usually it is time to eat or go outside. is this common?

calliecritturs

Posted : 4/27/2006 7:32:23 AM

I'd make the vet aware of the coughing -- there is lung coughing and then there is also a heart 'cough' -- and given all that's going on, I'd make sure the vet knows. It could also be fluid build-up in the lungs because of inactivity -- and that, too, the vet needs to know about.

Some dogs are just plain better 'communicators' than others. And ENCOURAGE this. This is a dog who truly wants to understand you and who wants you to understand her ... value that!! It *IS* wonderful!!

Delve into some books like Dr. Coren's "How to Speak Dog" -- it's a wonderful extra tool. You've got a super dog there!

forpaws

Posted : 4/27/2006 7:51:49 AM

What more can I add to this.. Callie has it covered and all I can add is DITTO to her comments.

I have that book and love it. Very well worth the reading.

Vail Miller

Posted : 5/1/2006 10:11:15 PM

Our westie has even figured out how to mimic our intonation of how we would usually say "out-side" they are truely amazing animals!

For the coughing, you may want to try a harness instead of a collar. I was terribly worried when I got my dog and he did that. The vet suggested the harness and it has fixed the problem ever since. I definitely agree though, mention it to your vet as well.

cole cordray

Posted : 5/23/2006 8:11:10 PM

the coughing seems to have settled down. what was that dvd or video you mentioned, callie - someone by the name of leslie nelson or something. is there something out there that one can get and look at that isn't a rip-off as pertains to training, behavior, etc?

thanks[8|]

Sandy

Posted : 6/16/2006 10:07:53 PM

If she's been injured and stayed at the vet's recently, she might have kennel cough. An older dog I used to have stayed overnight at the vets for a hemotoma came home with a much better ear, but also a case of kennel cough. I won't let my dogs go to a kennel for overnight stays anymore because it's a scary thing to hear them coughing.

Michele Harris

Posted : 6/20/2006 1:48:40 PM

[sm=tex.gif]Dosent the dog have to have the "kennel cough" (Bortedella) shot before being borded. I know in New York they do. Very Interesting!