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Old December 27th, 2006, 07:44 PM
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Do most puppies react this way to anti-biotics or was something mis diagnosed?

I'm just curious if anyone else has ever had their dog lose their apetite while on anti-biotics? 12 days ago Duke started exhibitting what I thought might be early kennel cough signs, as he would wheeze and hack all night long. I called my vet the next day however they were closed so I started calling around to other vets in my area to get an early appoitment to get some anti-biotics as we had to go up north for the weekend to babysit my cousins as my aunt and uncle were going out of town. We went to the vet office as my friend brings her dog and cats their and says their pretty good.

Once we got their they were all very polite and ushered us into the vet room where she said the vet would be in shortly, when she came in she looked him over, shone a light into his eyes, checked his teeth and then brought out her stephascope and listened to his lungs and throat for about 5 miniutes. She said she couldn't hear anything and thought maybe it could just be an irritation in his throat however I explained that he was literally hacking all night and he sounded like an old man wheezing. She still didn't think it was anything but told me she would give me cough supressent for him at night and start him on 10 days of anti-biotics for kennel cough incase that's what it was.

I then called my aunt who's kids we would be babysitting to let update her as she has two dogs at home ( both adults vaccinated against it, though I knew that didn't mean they'd be 100% protected). She works as a receptionist at a vet clinic so had access to the similar anti-biotics incase Duke really did have kennel cough though she did not think he did either as both her dogs once caught kennel cough a few days after being vaccinated and said that the two major things about it was that first it gets dramaticly worse in the first 48 hours, which his never did even before we went to the vet's also she said it sounded more like a whooping cough and what I had heard was not similar. So she said to bring Duke up anyways, as noone really thought it was but I was still troubled by what it might be but figured I should complete the course of anti-biotics and then go back to my normal vet.

Anyways by the 3rd night the wheezing had pretty much disapeared but I continued the anti-biotics for the full course.

Since a few days before the wheezing started and the whole time while he was on the anti-biotics ( he finished them yesterday), I saw a greatly reduction in his appetite, going from eating 4 cups a day to about 3 and a half, to around 2 and the yesterday and today he ate about half a cup at both meals.

I plan on bringing him back to my normal vet tommorow as he's finally done the anti-biotics and I'm starting to worry maybe it was something else that the first vet completely missed and while I was waiting for the anti-biotics to work I let it progress. I can't tell if he's sleeping much more then normal he dosen't seem to be but he does have a little less energy then he normally does but i'm not sure if I'm just making that assumption because I'm not sure if something is wrong.

I know anti-biotics can make a dogs stomach upset and when it was just him eating a little less at each meal I wasn't to worried but the fact that he ate at best a cup yesterday and maybe 3/4 of a cup today at breakfast ( he gets dinner later on) really worries me.

Any thoughts ( I'm going to the vet tommorow but until then)
Kayla
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Old December 27th, 2006, 08:13 PM
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Ceili's been on antibiotics for most of the past year and 1/2 and I always seem to either be feeding her by hand to coax her eat or to be making her special, very smelly food to encourage her to eat on her own. Keeping her drugged and eating is always a battle ~ to get the drugs you have to have a full tummy, to feel better/ more like eating you have to have the drugs.
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Old December 27th, 2006, 08:25 PM
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Hmm ya that's what I thought it might be to, I guess now that he's done the anti-biotics he should start to improve so I guess I'll keep an eye on him. How long do you think it will take for the drugs to clear from his system and for him to feel better enough to eat normally again and at what point should I worry and take him to the vet? Tommorow will be day 2 off the anti-biotics.

Kayla
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Old December 27th, 2006, 09:18 PM
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Every drug has it's own "half-life" and you should look it up (my Vet is good in that she gives me the full printout but you can "google" it on your own) ~ my own personal rule is 3 days (give or take 1 or 2 days for suckiness ).
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Old December 27th, 2006, 09:38 PM
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Antibiotics will kill off both good and bad bacteria in the gut, the good helps with digestion. Inorder to restore the good bacteria mix a tbsp or 2 of some yogurt with live cultures into his food
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Old December 27th, 2006, 10:10 PM
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I'd be concerned about the lack of appetite. Is anything else wrong, runny poops, no poops, etc?
If it were me, I'd be into the vet first thing. I'd worry about the dog getting weaker from not eating and getting dehydrated as well. Our plan B meal is boiled chicken, that I leave soaking in fresh water for a while so its really really moist. I take it out of the water, cut it into smaller pieces and sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and sugar to keep him hydrated. The chicken is always way over cooked, (about 40 minutes at a rolling boil) just to make sure.
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Old December 27th, 2006, 11:21 PM
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My girl Jasmine (almost 1 yr old) started antibiotics 2 weeks ago and has lost her appetite too. The vet had us lower the dose. I'd talk to your vet.
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Old December 27th, 2006, 11:27 PM
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Ok well here's an update. I offered Duke another cup of food after he woke up from his nap around 9:30pm and he ate it, so he's eaten 2 and a half cups today which is much better then yesterday. I wish my vet had told me about the yogurt before I had put him on anti-biotics but I will add some in over the next few days to help replenish his supply of good bacteria. He has been going to the bathroom a bit less but I'm thinking maybe that's because he's been eating less. He has been straining though and it is very runny, so I'm going to get som raw unsweetened pumpkin to add in as well.

I'm more just concerned that the vet may of completely misdiagnosed Duke as he never really showed any of the signs of kennel cough and his cough never sounded horrible, even my aunt said when we went up that weekend that it sounded nothing like any of the clients dogs at work who had it.

I'm going to keep a close eye on him tommorow and see if his appetite and stools improve and if they haven't gotten better by next week then I will take him to my vet unless he completely stops eating or decreseases again as he is now off the anti-biotics so it should come back unless something else is wrong.

It just sucks as I'm heading to my dad's house tommorow night in montreal and am relying on my mom to watch him and keep a close eye until monday. If he get's worse tommorow then I will probabaly postpone the trip, just that my dad's not really an animal person so me telling him the reason I didnt come vist over Christmas was because of a dog isn't going to go over well.

Kayla
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Old December 28th, 2006, 12:20 AM
Prin Prin is offline
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Kennel cough can be different in different dogs. When Boo had it, he didn't cough at all- just snotted everywhere.

But if you don't trust your vet, find a new one and get a second opinion.

Oh, and make sure the yogurt you give is plain, without any artificial sweeteners.
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Old December 28th, 2006, 01:02 AM
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Thanks Prin, ya i figured it would be like with the pumpkin and that you'd want the unsweetened.

I've been looking at finding a new vet for ahwile as the current one I'm at ( wasn;t the one who put Duke on the meds as they had been closed that day), talks down to me whenever I go in with Duke because I'm 17 and treats me like I have no idea what I'm doing in regards to raising Duke. I admit he is my first dog but I am not an ignorant clueless impulse buyer despite of my age which I don't think has anything to do with my ability to take care of and raise a puppy.

That and she is constantly trying to push her gross vet food on Duke and told me Wellness is a horrible dog food because it dosen't make it in a large breed forumal, which after all of my research as long as it's made of good ingredients and free of **** like corn and fillers then it's fine for any size of dog.

Over all I'm just get a bad vibe from her so decided to try out another vet however wasn't impressed at all with the one who looked at Duke last weekend and she seemed to just want to push him out of the door as quickly as possible.

I just called up my exotic vet who does my parrots yearly checkups and has treated some of my rescued reptiles and they do in fact do dogs so I think I will bring him their in the future as I know my vet very well and she actually seems to care very much about the animals and doesn't push any unnesicary
tests or vet products on us which is nice.

I don't mean to be so picky with them but I'd at least like to feel like they want to treat my animals and not just take my money, and actually respect me enough to treat me like an adult and not just some know nothing kid who shouldn't own an animal.

Thanks for the advice and help, I'm going to keep a close eye on him over the next few days and if his appetite dosent recover after 3-4 days off the meds then I'll go test out my hunch on my hopefully new and perminant vet.

Kayla
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Old December 28th, 2006, 11:43 AM
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Catzig Catzig is offline
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My GSD puppy was on antibiotics when I first brought her home, and once since. Both times her appetite was not good and she was less active, but my vet warned me to expect this - possibly even some weight loss (and I trust my vet). I know how my gut feels when I am on antibiotics ...

Yoghurt is a great addition to help the flora and fauna in the gut for skin kids and fur kids, however, you need to be careful. Probiotics in the yoghurt can work against the antibiotics.
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Old December 28th, 2006, 11:47 AM
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Catzig Catzig is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Prin View Post
When Boo had it, he didn't cough at all- just snotted everywhere.
OMG Prin, I just reread your post and I'm still grinning.

"Boo ... snotted..."

Sorry, I realize I have the sense of humour of a six year old today, but when you really get into reading the posts and trying to absorb whatever knowledge you can, stuff jumps out at you ... Thanks for the giggle!

Last edited by Catzig; December 28th, 2006 at 11:50 AM.
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Old December 28th, 2006, 03:47 PM
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Esaunders Esaunders is offline
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Kayla,

Let me know if you are anywhere near Campbellville (Guelph Line/401) Fabulous vet clinic there ... caring, take their time, not pushy and conservative with both treatment & your wallet.

I've used their equine clinic for nearly 10 years and am equally happy with their small animal clinic expansion

Erica
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