Mix breed dog w/ cough

Question
I have a 3yr old mix breed male dog who has started coughing. He is very healthy, not over wt,and we walk him a mile a day. He started with a horrible deep non productive cough yesterday. He is still happy,eating and drinking, has no fever, and no wheezing in his lungs. Have any suggestions to try before the vet? We like many others are in a finanical bind and need to do whatever possible w/o going to the vet.

Answer
Hi Lisa-

Sounds like he has a little bit of a bordetella cold. If he isn't lethargic, isnt hacking up mucas from his lungs or wheezing, or having mucas leaking from his nose, then you can try to wait it out as about 50-60% of these will go away without antibiotics.

You can give him some childrens robitusson (not just any cold syrup, but childrens robitusson!) follow the weight guidlines for children for the dog. Do not give it more then once every 12 hours. This will help his cough, and if you get an expectorant cough syrup it will help him get anything in his lungs OUT.

Now, if it gets worse, if the syrup doesnt help, if he develops a fever or gets lethargic, he does need to go to the vet, but hopefully with lots of fluids, the cough meds and a week or two of limited activity, it will go away on its own.

Hope he feels better!