Puppy is coughing

Question
Trish,
Thanks so much for the quick response.  Three more quick questions if you dont mind.
Its funny but the cough supresant just doesnt seem to work.  How long should she be on antibiotics untill I see some sort of improvment? Its been 5 days now, and nothings getting better.  
Also, how much should she be eating each day?  currently she is eating 2 raw chicken patties that I buy at a local pet shop.  One in the morning and one in the evening and she takes a couple bites of her crunches throughout the day.  This doesnt seem like enough to me, but anything else I feed her is forced on her becuase she just doesnt want it.
Also, should I avoid crate training her right now while she is sick becuase it causes her to cry and bark alot while I leave her in it for 30 minutes, then she always coughs a lot after I take her out.  My other option to leaving her in a crate while I am out is bringing her with me in a carrier which she seems to like a lot.  Do you think there is anything wrong with this?

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Followup To

Question -
Hi,
I just adopted a beautifull 14 week little pom girl.  Since I picked her up from the breeder she has had this sort of hacking cough that ends like she is trying to get out a hair ball.  I have taken her to two different vets.  One said that she is having reverse sneezing, the other said it was Kennel cough.  So I have put her on antibiotics but it doesnt seem to be doing anything.  I have also tried a cough supresant and benedril to see if it is alergies and this also kinda helps but not much.  Do you know what might be wrong?  Also, is some coughing normal for pom puppies? Thanks

Answer -
My bet would be kennel cough.  It is a virus and antibiotics only keep it from turning into pnenomia.  Just keep him as quite as possible-more barking and more coughing makes it last longer.  It is a severe cough-contagious to other dogs-that clears in time.  Keep up with those meds and maybe have her sleep in a kennel next to a vapor plug in-you can even apply vicks rub to her neck and chest.

Best of luck.

-Trish  

Answer
With a pup that young you need to allow them to free feed-leave a bowl of food out at all times.  This will help ward off hypoglycemia.  The antibiotics should have labeled how long to give them.  Ask your vet.  It may take weeks to get over kennel cough-that is why good reseponsible breeders vaccinate against kennel cough.  
Just keep up with the cough med and Vicks.  Any help is good.  And as far as the kennel train ing... you can do what you feel is right.  Barking and crying out irritate the throat causing the "cold" to last longer.  BUT staying in a confined space next to a Voper plug in can be soothing to them.  SO you do what gets you the best results.

-Trish

There is lots of Pom in fo on my links page
www.geminipoms.com
And you can alsways check out the archives to see answers to other questions. :o)