sick maltese

Question
QUESTION: My 3 month maltese has kennel cough and is on antibiotics. I have to feed her myself, since she doesnt want to eat. Im feading her every 3 hrs and she's also on pedialite. My concerned is that she hasnt pooped all day today and I feel her stomach a little hard. Should I be concerned or will she eventually relieve herself soon??

ANSWER: In 28 yrs of being a vet tech I have never seen a dog so sick with Kennel cough that they had to be hand fed. Ever.
So I am wondering if that is all that is going on here.

If you are feeding her small amounts only throughout the day, she probably won't have a stool until tomorrow. When a dog doesn't eat, there is nothing to pass through the digestive system.

If her stomach is hard give her a little teaspoonful of pepto bismol and see if that doesn't help her pass some gas or move her bowels. You are probably feeding her too often also. She wouldn't eat normally every three hours but three times a day- morning noon and night- so that is the schedule you should feed her on.
I have never seen a kennel cough dog not eat either.
If she isn't eating on her own by tomorrow or the next day you need to call the vet and ask what is going on since that is just not normal.

Kennel cough is more of an irritation in the throat than anything else, it is the trachea that is inflamed. I know because I have had a form of it four times myself. It causes a honky cough and is self limiting, in other words it works itself out after a few weeks. It is contagious to other dogs but it is not infectious. The antibitoics are to prevent her from developing a secondary infection like pneumonia. Owners feel better when they can give something. There is no real treatment for kennel cough itself because it is a virus. Like our cold viruses, they just have to run their course.

So a dog not eating and so young makes me worry more about parvo. Keep an eye on her stool when she starts to go and cut back on your feedings a bit.
Let me know how she does in a few days.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your answer. I will feed her 3 times tomorrow
(breakfast, lunch and dinner). If I dont see that she's eating on her own, I'll
make an appt asap. Im even taking her to work with me so I can keep an eye
on her. But yes, her energy and her appetite are really low right now. If
anything, what test do you suggest I ask the vet to give to her??? Again, thank
you so much for your answer.

Answer
"But yes, her energy and her appetite are really low right now" I have never seen a dog get that way with kennel cough. Is she coughing? You never even said if she was.
Was she in a boarding kennel? Granted a dog can cross your yard and spread it but that is pretty rare.

I wasn't talking about any tests unless you want him to test her for parvo. There is one for that now and it might be a good idea. Is she drinking fluids at all or are you having to force that on her too?

Let me show you what the Merck Veterinary manual says about tracheobronchitis (kennel cough):

Spasms of coughing are the outstanding sign. These are most severe after rest or a change of environment or at the beginning of exercise. On auscultation, respiratory sounds may be essentially normal. In advanced cases, inspiratory crackles and expiratory wheezes are heard. The temperature may be slightly increased. The acute stage of bronchitis passes in 2-3 days; the cough, however, may persist for 2-3 wk.

Is she showing these signs? The reason I am so concerned is that the most common illness a three month old dog will get is parvo and if not treated right it can be fatal. So that is why I am so concerned about her.
Call your vet tomorrow if she doesn't show the signs listed above and ask him why he thinks she has that.
Let me know what you find out.