Lethargic Cocker Spaniel

Question
QUESTION: Hello Delores,
I have a 7 yr old male Cocker Spaniel.  About a week after being boarded, he became very lethargic - he can't keep his eyes open.  He has a lot of congestion - I can see it in his water bowl(it's clear), and he's drinking a lot of water.  He had doxycyline and rimadyl for 7 days and nothing changed.  His appetite and bathroom habits are normal.  This has been going on for a week.  His x-rays show nothing, and all of his blood work is normal.  His left tonsil is swollen, and he keeps pawing his face.  His ears are clean - I try to keep them in good shape.  Any thoughts?  This is a mystery.  He's been to his regular vet and the pet emergency room.  I'm taking him to a holistic vet on Sunday.

ANSWER: The clue here is "post boarding".  I have no idea why your vet would put him on an NSAID (Rimadyl) or why he chose that antibiotic.

The good news is he's eating and no upset tummy.  How is his temperature?

I'd like to know what the ER vet thought (and did) and I think it's a good idea to see a holistic vet providing he/she combines Western medicine with natural methods.

Of course with him being boarded the first idea is kennel cough but you don't mention any symptoms of that.  (Coughing - high temperature, etc).

Aside from bloodwork, I'd insist on a urinalysis and a culture.

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

QUESTION: Delores,
Thanks for the feedback.  His temperature has remained normal.  His urinalysis and other bloodwork was normal as well.  He sneezes sometimes when waking in the morning.  He's coughed once or twice.  

The ER vet said he didn't know what was wrong since all bloodwork and x-rays were normal.  He referred me back to my vet.

The holistic vet that we saw today prescribed ModucareVet, and gave him an acupuncture treatment.  She feels that his immune system has been compromised somehow, but we still don't know the cause.  I ordered the ModucareVet.  He's still very lethargic and congested.  He is also still pawing his face.  

I don't know that he's had a culture done.  What would those results look like?  He had a CBC at the ER.

Thanks.

Answer
I can only guess at this point but there are 28 strains of kennel cough (the vaccine protects against 2 or 3) and it's basically the doggie version of the human cold.  Vets usually give antibiotics but, like the human cold, it's self limiting and the cure is rest and time.

At this point I think I'd try and keep him well hydrated.  The way I do that is make some homemade chicken broth (unlike canned, no salt, no fat).
Take some chicken..no skin, no bones, bring to boil in large pot, simmer till done.  Take chicken out (you can chop & add to food.  Strain broth into a container using several layers of cloth.
You can keep in fridge for 3 days.  Serve warm 1/2 cup three times a day.

If you make a lot you can bag & freeze it.  Always handy to have on hand.

This is mysterious but you've seen 3 vets and his symptoms are pretty much what we'd have if we'd caught a cold virus.  Tired - eyes scratchy - congestion, etc.

The other thing that might help is using some Genteal gel drops (any drugstore & most grocery stores have it) in his eyes.  Totally 100% safe for dogs - vet opthalmologists love it
since it really stays in the eye unlike the "natural tear" type products.  You can use as often as is necessary.  Be sure and get the "gel" drop version.

Like us, time will cure this and all we can do is try and lessen the symptoms.

And a tip - anytime your dog is having a urinalysis always insist on a culture too.
This can pick up things the urinalysis isn't showing.  And always do a urinalysis from a first morning sample and the dog should be fasted.

I do hope he begins to perk up soon but everything is coming back normal, he's eating, no upset tummy so I'm hoping this is a run of the mill bug.

And I wouldn't be using that kennel again.