Re: wheezing/coughing

In Reply to: wheezing/coughing
Posted by:  MB
Posted on:  April 30, 2001 at 15:33:36

: O want to say how much I enjoy your site!
: I am unsure of the category of my question. Lately, my 10month old JRT has been wheezing and coughing, she has these little bouts, sometimes it is quick and sometimes it goes on in longer spurts for 15 minutes or more. I am arranging an appointment with the Vet. Her collar is not tight, but she does tug when she is on the leash. I try giving her something like water or an ice cube to lick. Something as I am unsure if she can breathe properly. It doesnt seem to affect her barking, but the wheezing is from her whole body. Any suggestions.
: Thanks,

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Hi there,

We aren't vets here, of course, but if I was to take a wild guess at what's going on with your terrier, I might suspect kennel cough. Like people, though, lots of things can make a dog cough. It's smart to see your vet like you're planning, and it's really hard for us to determine what might be wrong based on a paragraph and not seeing the dog. I really wish I could be of more help, because I know it's a pain to sit and wait until you can see a vet. I hope you can get in soon to get to the root of it!

Since I'm on the subject of Kennel Cough... One of my terriers got a very persistant case of it, which I had to treat twice. It's not something you should wait to see a vet about, because it can cause throat sensitivity which he has now. While he doesn't go into coughing spasms now that the problem is gone, he still coughs really easily and it effects him adversely!

The vaccination for kennel cough doesn't treat all strains of it, and also only lasts for about 6 months, but it's worth talking to your vet about. Only ONE of my terriers came down with the cough although they're all vaccinated for it, so the vaccine (given in the form of nose drops) may have helped the rest at least.