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I think this started about 5 or 6 weeks ago. Anyways, it was about 2 weeks after our last event back in June. I notice my young dog started coughing. I've had kennel cough before, and I didn't think much of it. About a week, week and a half went by, still coughing, started him on some antibiotics. What started to worry me is none of my other 3 at the time showed any of the signs. Even on antibiotics, his cough seemed to start sounding deeper. He would almost gag at times like he was going to puke when coughing. I stared thinking, maybe phneumonia, as back in May he had a little mishap in the pond during the water race.

Anyways, off and on I've kept him on antibiotics. He seems to bounce back and forth. During excercise he didn't seem real bad. Mostly in the mornings and after excercise.

Yesterday, he started vomiting. I noticed him out there eating something. I yelled as I figured he was cleaning up after himself. So then I went out a little bit later to go scoop his pen, and found two piles of his food, and then another pile of foam. I scooped it up. He ate his food just fine later.

This morning, he seemed fine. Took him out for a run. When loading back up he seemed a little weak. No different really than the other dogs. Kinda warm out and they were tired. It's only about 15 minute drive home.

Got home he was laying in the box pretty stiff, the other dogs trampled him over, one stepping right on his face, and he could care less. I had to call him to get him up.

He got out, went to the wrong kennel, after some yelling I went and put him in the right kennel. He went over and got a drink. Not much. I was unloading somethings, and noticed he seemed weak. He almost fell over, then went in his house. By time he got in there and turned around, he was starting to vomit again, he barely stumbled out and puked up some mucus. He just stood there like a zombie. Puked one more time, same thing. Then hunkered up, strained to poop, and a few drips of the same mucus came out. He went back in his house, colapsed. I gave him a little time.

I just went out and fed. I could not get him out of the box. He looks dehydrated, gums are white and is ice cold. I tried force feeding him some canned food, hoping maybe he was just a little hyperglycemic. No good, cant get it down him.

I don't know what it could be. I'll take him to work with me tomorrow, if he makes it through the night.

Sounds like you should go to the Vet ASAP

Could also be Hook Worms.. One of my pups had it, thought the little dude was going to die.. Within a couple days of the meds he was fine..

I had a dog that had coccidia about ten years ago. It had the same symptoms but with out the cough and with diarrhea that smelled like death. Lets us know what you find out

If hes dehydrated get some gatorade or pedialyte in him

I'm thinking it could be a mixture of a couple different issues. He's had issues with his blood sugar levels before, and being hyperglycemic. I'm thinking he has some severe pneumonia or possibly even something like blastomycosis. Possibly being sick from something, brought on something else.

I did get him to eat a tiny bit. Whatever I force fed him must have gotten into his system enough for him to get up and attemp to be interested in food.


Not sure if I will go ahead with treament or not, seeing as if he truly has problem, one of these days he's just gonna croak down in the bottom of a canyon. He was making an awesome dog, and is one in the last of his line, so, if he has a serious problem, I wouldn't want him in my breeding program as I had planned.

I'D almost bet it's worms maybe a case of heart worms take him to the vet and get a opinion. it's worth it in any good dog.

Redwood Coonhounds wrote:I'm thinking it could be a mixture of a couple different issues. He's had issues with his blood sugar levels before, and being hyperglycemic. I'm thinking he has some severe pneumonia or possibly even something like blastomycosis. Possibly being sick from something, brought on something else.

I did get him to eat a tiny bit. Whatever I force fed him must have gotten into his system enough for him to get up and attemp to be interested in food.


Not sure if I will go ahead with treament or not, seeing as if he truly has problem, one of these days he's just gonna croak down in the bottom of a canyon. He was making an awesome dog, and is one in the last of his line, so, if he has a serious problem, I wouldn't want him in my breeding program as I had planned.

Chances are, the "problem" is now serious because you have waited so long for providing medical intervention from a knowledgeable, qualified source [ like a vet ] since first noticing that the dog was ill as opposed to spending valuable time guessing what the origin of the problem might be. You've known that something was wrong for weeks?

Is he still alive?

The symptoms that you have mentioned are ominous.....listlessness, nonresolving vomiting, and shock. The latter two are both late signs of serious illness, with shock being a very late sign. Death usually follows clinical shock shortly thereafter.

A plethora of conditions can cause the mentioned signs, with no way of making a positive diagnosis [ and positive treatment ] without a thourough past medical history, complete physical examination, interpreting test results, and accurate account of recent events / behaviours.

I have never understood why folks wait until their dog is at deaths-doorstep before seeking vetrinary intervention, if at all...... I'm no vet, but do realize the accuity of a medical situation and the need for intervention.....and don't hesitate to provide such for my valued pot-lickers.

JMHO.

Hope your dogs pulls through.

Fair enough Spoke' , and you're right about prompt and accurate medical attention hastening the recovery/healing process. I agree all should be given the best odds with proper treatment and care. Now that said, some things cant be fixed and it seems like some dogs are just destined to depart this earth no matter our willingness to try or how much we invest, and maybe should if there is something physically wrong/unfixable. Time is a simple solution, they survive or dont, hopefully based on the affliction not the level of care.....

If I remember correctly Redwood works at a vets office, hence "I'll take him with me to work tomorrow if he makes it through the night" this was posted yesterday (Sun Aug 02) I don't know about where you live Spokerider but around here there aint a vets office open after noon on saturday if at all on the weekends these days. She said she's had him on antibodys for awhile now, just in the last two days its gotten worse, speficaly yesterday afternoon.

Hope he makes it through for you Cassandra

I appologise if my above post comes across as a "rant". It was not my intention......well, maybe it was just a little bit.

My point is; I cannot see the rationale in watching a dog become more ill, knowing that something is certainly amiss, and essentially doing nothing or little about it!

It is apparent to me, that one's options are obvious......

a] Seek medical intervention asap as necessary and as available.
b] Do nothing but provide therapeutic comforts and wait for the result.
c] Recognize the seriousness of the situation, make a decision to not medically intervene [ for whatever the reason may be ] and load the .22

As I posted earlier, I DO hope your dog pulls through Redwood Coonhounds, it sounds like he is a good prospect and worth having.

These types of decisions are easy with average dogs, depending on their age and severity of the condition. It gets a lot tougher to pick the right one once you have your best dog or a good young prospect in that situation. I've dropped a good amount money trying to treat a good dog that ended up not making it. Or administered the normal type of meds waiting until I could take them in and have them not make it. I've also had rushed them in and had the same result.

I know from my experience it makes it a lot tougher to bring them in, when the result is usually the same.

The only constant in these situations is it usually is one of your best dog's and it happens at the worst times. That and it always sucks.

Best of Luck Cassandra, hope you get some good news and a good outcome.

Took him to work with me today, as I am a Tech at a Vets office.

Did x-rays, bloodwork, the whole nine yards, not one thing detected other than being a little dehydrated. Could't get him to cough. He wouldn't eat this AM. Got to work, and he ate like nothings ever been wrong. Held it down all day. Got home, he's back to vomiting, crapped his guts out, and refuses to eat. Back he'll go.

Like I said, I figured it was kennel cough. I've had it many a times seeing I go to a lot of events. I keep a large amount of Antibiotics, my Dr. told me what to give him and to keep an eye.

I don't think whatever he had "the cough" is now at all related to the symptoms he is now possesing.

He's had a "shock" episode once before. Did the same last time, could never find the cause after a full workup. 9 months later, here we are again.

We'll see what comes of this.

Do you think he has a stomach disorder and needs to have his bacteria and enzymes re started by feeding him a bland diet like cottage cheese and hot dogs for a few days? He sounds like one of mine did a couple years back.

Hey, it's good to hear that he's still going. Not so good that you're still looking for the cause.

A few thoughts......

Did the vet elicit a tender belly with palp? Possible torsion? Bowel obstruction? Good bowel sounds heard in all quadrants? Vomiting is a syptom, but is a good indication as to where to start looking for sure. Being life-threatening, you'd want to rule causes such as these out for sure.

As you know, plastic doesn't show up on xray......could he have eaten something plastic....a toy, part of a toy, a whack of saran wrap-type garbage? [ Mine ate some [ lots ] of garbage and was vomiting and crapping balls of cellophane..... ]

Is there an increased temp?...... indicating an infection....
Any chance that he ingested poison of any type? Household product? Mushroom?

If you've ruled out enviromental causes, it's time to start looking for a medical cause.
What was included in the blood work panel?
WBC?
Liver enzymes?
If any labs are amiss, it's an indication as to where / what to proceed with. His kidney function tests [ BUN and Creatinin ] were likely high secondary to dehydration.

You had mentioned past history included hyperglycemia....excessively high blood sugar. What was the glucose value with the latest labs? Hyperglycemia [ a diabetic condition ] can cause nausea / vomiting. If you're dog had excessively high blood sugar, it most likely would have been in a ketoacidotic state with rapid and deep resps.

Are your other dogs ok?

Any neurological deficits present?

Please keep us posted as to how his condition progresses.

Did you switch brands of dog food. Maybe he is having an allergic reaction to something in your feed?