Dog coughing, pooping a lot… calling vet asap tomorrow… question!?
So… it’s not an "emergency" but I am calling our vet ASAP tomorrow morning to find out WHAT THE HECK is wrong with my dog… we have a 6 year old female yellow lab. About 4 weeks ago (give or take) she began hacking, was in the pound (long story) for only 20 hours, so we got her on meds for kennel cough. Well, she never quite got over the cough after the apx 2 or so week treatment for the KC, and now she is pooping (which is runny). She in on Natural Balance Duck and Potato allergen formula (she began having loose stool after switching her food, so I am switching her to Solid Gold in hopes that will stop)… HOWEVER, she pooped a lot today.
Anyone have any experience with this? Our puppy is flying in in less than 2 weeks so I’m concerned over this… oy. It seems like our poor lab always has something come up (allergies, yeast infections in her ears, etc)…
Thank you.
Sorry… in my attempt to summarize it came out pretty stupid (re reading my question)…
She is still hacking even after the treatment. Could she need a stronger medication for kennel cough OR could it be something else?
Her having runny stool. Could it be her food or could it coincide with her coughing? Stupid because really, nobody will know until the vet looks at her, but I’m more or less looking for people’s experiences, if any…
Thanks.
Thanks you two… I’m hoping they can get her "issues" resolved. She is so prone to problems that maybe it is just the food (CROSSES FINGERS!)…
I’m just so thankful that our vet is dedicated beyond dedicated to the well being of our pets. They will keep your dog, cat, whatever until they KNOW what is wrong… here’s hoping! 
Thanks Jo! I will definately suppliment her feeding for a bit and see if that doesn’t help (chicken and rice…)
OH, can plain, non fat (organic) yogurt cause intenstinal problems?
Yeah… I think it’s time for another heartworm test… she goes in at 3:20 (that’s the soonest I could get since I needed a babysitter)…
THANK YOU EVERYONE! And just because I am a natural worrier, I am anticipating, not hoping for, but anticipating the worst and a gigantic vet bill… oy vey. 
Ok, now I’m officially getting stressed…
I really do appreciate everyone’s input and I’ll update after she gets seen…
PRAISE GOD! So… she is on Metronidazole for the next 10 days for something that starts with a C… believe it or not, it does not say on the bottle and due to my memory I can only give the first letter. Anyways, she is also on a strict white rice and low fat cottage cheese diet for FIVE DAYS (NO meat). Then gradually introduce her food back into her diet.
She was heartworm negative so I refilled her meds and got her interceptor this time… I’m so glad that nothing major is wrong.
Any ideas on what could start with "C" that warrants Metronidazole? And it is not coccidea.
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Tagged with: allergen • allergies • apx • babysitter • chicken and rice • ears • fingers • heartworm test • Kennel Cough Treatment • loose stool • medication • meds • natural balance • oy • puppy • solid gold • tomorrow morning • vet asap • what the heck • yeast infections
Filed under: Kennel Cough Treatment
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Frequent switching of foods, or just plain switching food one time can cause diarrhea. It’s best to gradually introduce a new food, like: 3/4 old food, 1/4 new for a few days or more if the stools are a little loose, then 2/3 old 1/3 new, 1/2 and 1/2, then 2/3 new and 1/3 old, 3/4 new and 1/4 old and then all new.
For now, you could give your dog a half a small can of pumpkin pie filling- THE PLAIN KIND WHICH IS just PUREED PUMPKIN- no added sugar, spices etc. Check the labels carefully so you don’t get the wrong kind.
After each loose stool, give your dog a few heaping tablespoons of pumpkin pie filling.
I learned about this from a Vet. I can’t take the place of a Vet’s advice though, and hope your fist step is a visit to the Vet to make sure your dog didn’t pick up some parasite in addition to the kennel cough. Changing your dog’s food while she is sick stresses her so that could be adding to her length of time to get over the KC. Which can take some time!
Since you have a puppy flying in, all the more reason to go to a Vet. It will save you on Vet bills later to take care of this ones health first.
Ask your Vet for an ear wash to use in your dogs ears. Dogs like Labs, whose ears hang down, need ear maintenance to avoid infections.
While she is sick, you might consider feeding her some boiled rice with skinless boneless UNSEASONED chicken shredded and mixed in. Then gradually introduce another food that is for a dog with allergy issues, like this Wellness blend:
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog_wellness_dry_super5mix_complete_health_fish_sweet_potato.html?page=dog_wellness_dry_fish_sweet_potato
Run any advice you decide to take by your Vet. Since your dog is sick and stressed, when the new pup gets there, you want her to be healthy as possible because a new pup is a lot of stress, too. GL with your pups!
Hmmm, I can only say that I’m glad to hear that you’re calling the vet tomorrow. Make sure you mention that you’re having a new pup come in in two-weeks time.
All the best with you Lab, hope that you can figure this out.
well she may still have the kennel cough,or it may be the way that you switched her food.some dogs have very sensitive tummies like children,so when you are switching their foods you Need to mix the old kind with the new kind and as the days go by,put less and less of the old kind until she is completely on the new kind.if you notice any problems along the way,stop the transition.as far as the pooping goes i recommend pedialyte(the kind for babies)this worked for us when our dog had diarea.please let me know if this works for you and i hope she starts to feel better.
Has she been checked for heartworms?
I am very fimilar with kennal cough. It can actually kill a dog.
It can be very bad. It is possible that you dogs needs strong
meds, or another type. I would definetly take the dog to the
vet asap.
i think Pitas answer is the best so far, and Jo is right about the food change over and the ear wash, use as the vet advises or anytime the dogs ears get wet you never want water sitting in those ears. ( but i would avoid the pumkin pie thing, might work, just haven’t heard of that one ) i would say about the yogurt that if you your going to use it get PLAIN REGULAR not the nonfat not the vanilla, just the plain kind will help reset the stomachs biology, but you pull all other food for a day and give the yogurt once in the morning then again in the evening, then start back on reg food ( mixed since you switched foods which is a no no ) first give 1/4 of what you would normally feed her then the next day 1/2 of what you would normally give her then 3/4 of what you would normally give her then the last day do a full feed, but if at any time she has the loose runny stool then pull her food again for a day and start over. you don’t want to add fuel to the fire. giving chicken and rice i would not advise unless a vet tells YOU its OK. good luck at the Vet and I’m sure they may give you a stronger antibiotic for the kennel cough, also you may ask the vet about giving the new puppy a bordetella vacc before taking it home, it is effective immediately and is one of the only vacc you can use in face of an outbreak. other reasons for excessive coughing is conjestive heartfailure or if the dog has heartworms like someone else mentioned i think. or just plain respitory infection. all this info i got from my boss a Vet for 25 years
Kennel Cough lasts for weeks. I would assume it is still that. And if she was in the pound, you are probably looking at coccidia too. Most dogs come home sick from the shelter.