Really worried about Willow :-(

[Holly Berry]

Sorry to hear that Willow is felling poorly 

Can defo recommend the manuka honey, that's all both my girls had for kennel cough, even my vet agreed with it. He said like Helen, AB's are no good as its a virus and only would prescribe if it turned into chest infection. Mine would lick it off a spoon.

Hope she picks up soon 

[maddy74]

Thanks lisalh I was convinced last night it was a Esophageal stricture following the spaying and I was then thinking it was all my fault and i was wishing I hadnt put her through the op. Then I read they can be fatal and I was a nervous wreck.  

Thanks Holly berry, reading all your posts it seems Kennel cough is more common that I first thought. I think he gave anti biotics for the inflammation although i cant be sure what he said as I asked so many questions!

Just been in the garden with Willow, i havnt told her yet she cant go for a walk for a week   I followed her lead in terms of whether she wanted to play or not, took a kong stick and she did wag her tail and bring it to me to throw, which I threw gently and near by. She coughed a little outside but not as much as last night when my friends were here and playing with her indoors. Am right in doing this, it was just a little play and we didnt stay out as long as I usually would. I know she wouldnt have brought the toy to me if she didnt feel up to a little play.

[Catie74]

Google while being useful, can cause too many problems worse still for humans and their own health.  Google is not a tool for diagnosis, the Dr or vet is.  I really hope Willow is feeling better soon.  Try not to worry, Kennel cough is not as scary as it sounds usually.  I am getting my Willow spayed in a couple of months but I am going to opt for keyhole surgery.  Costs £70 more including a £50 off voucher but I don't want her to go through any more trauma than she has had already in her life.

[pam1]

Oh dear Maddy - you have been through it!  You can scare yourself half to death on the internet   

I'm sure Willow will be back to full health soon - Ollie had a bout of kennel cough last year too and we also bought Manuka honey - which he loved to lick off the spoon and it really seemed to soothe his cough.

Ollie and Poppy send Willow lots of     and kisses

[Toni-UK]

And breathe...............And take a gulp of wine   

I hope Willow is back to herself soon though she doesn't sound far from it if she wants to play fetch,but only a week on from a spay i don't think i would be letting her run because of the healing going on inside. 

Can agree with others about Manuka honey, i recommended it to my friend whose dog had K.K and she said it seemed to help his throat and he loved licking it off the spoon everyday trouble is months on and she still gives him a spoonful a day as she said it's antiseptic properties are good for him,i don't know if it's any better than regular runny honey though.

 

[Dozy bird]

Oh Maddy you poor thing, one of these first  Roxy had KC between Christmas and new year, it was only mild and she had an anti inflammatory injection but no ABs and was fine. She coughed quite a bit and on one occassion brought up some white phlegm. We gave her Manula honey off of a teaspoon and that really helped, I also have her ice cubes, didn't think to put honey in the water beforehand. The reason why Manuka is so good is because the bees collect pollen from tea trees (my aunt lives in NZ and swears by it for all sorts of things, she also got me onto Rescue Remedy, I would also recommend it too) I'm sure willow will be fine in no time, we took Roxy out on lead only walks and told anyone with a dog not to approach!! By the time she was better people were avoiding us and we had to tell them she was ok!!
Hope you have a better nights sleep tonight
Sally and Roxy xx

[LottieLu]

Only just seen this so sending a huge one of these for you and a gentle squidge and big get well very soon for Willow bless her. Hope it passes through her system very quickly

[KellyT]

Oh Maddy! Massive massive hugs to you, what an ordeal you've been through with Willow's spay    I feel very guilty for telling you not to worry after all you've experienced! 

Millie picked up kennel cough after her pyometria (during which she had her emergency spay) but she recovered well.  Jennie never caught it off her, so we presumed it was because Millie was weakened from her pyo infection.
It can be common for dogs to pick up strains of kennel cough cos it's a bit like flu in that it can mutate.

In terms of her tablets .. I find that Millie can 'smell' tablets and won't take them, so I have to cover them in a layer of peanut butter to 'disguise' the smell (it works!) and then wrap them in 'plastic' cheese (the kind that goes on burgers!  )

[Jonnydog]

Maddy, hope you're feeling a bit calmer now. What an ordeal it's been for you both! I've not had to give Penny a tablet yet, but with Jonny, I just get him to sit (because I do it before dinner time when he tends to be cooperative) open his mouth and poke the pill right down his throat. He doesn't seem to mind. I've always done this with my dogs and never had a problem. Now cats...

[Danni and Freya]

Ellie has to take a couple of massive pills and shes very picky if I put anything in her food. Have found coating it in a blob of marg goes down well, straight down no fuss

[Wenco18]

Lottie and Lola send hugs  and kisses 

Hope you are okay Maddy   

[Lily Pup]

When I rehomed Bailey, he came with kennel cough, my vet said just to leave it as if he can over it himself it helps build up the anti bodies but to keep an eye on him for it worsening.  He did eventually get over it twice  as he passed it onto Poppy n Kiara who then passed it back to him   

I use Pate for tablets, it smells / tastes so good none of my dogs bother to chew, just swallow   

  to you and willow, I hope she makes a quick recovery 

[maddy74]

Thank you all for your help, support and advice. 

I feel calmer now, Ive been playing with Willow in the garden a few times, she seems happy outside but tires quickly. When I say Ive been playing fetch with her I have only been throwing the kong stick a very short way as I am mindful of her internal stitches and she gently trots to get it rather than runs for it if that makes sense. She is a bit up and down will come to me and want to play, then flake out, the coughing has been a bit worse tonight than earlier but her tail has wagged a lot this afternoon, so that a good sign. 

She actually wanted her tea tonight which was a nice surprise as the last few nights she has eaten it but under protest and with little interest!!

[Jessie_Pup]

Sorry to hear Willow has kennel cough bless her she is really going through the wars.  Have you a local Holland & Barrett near you I believe they do Manuka Honey.

With regards to her being a bit off with her dry food, perhaps her throat is sore could you try wetting the food before you give it her.  Hope she feels better soon.

Erica.

[maddy74]

Morning all,

Thanks Jessie-pup...

Willow seems to have her appetite back now (although I have been adding nice things to encourage her to eat and want to eat) and is a lot happier in herself. The coughing seems more frequent but less intense if that makes sense, but the vet did say it would probably get worse before it gets better. Either that or she seems to be dealing with it better. She was making some strange noises when she woke up this morning, like a creaking door noise from her throat/chest almost, guess its like when we have a build up of nasty stuff and we can hear it rattling?? not to sure but after a little trot around the garden it seems better, must have loosened it perhaps?

It nice to see the sparkle back in Willows eyes, her ears and tail up.   With the coughing i guess its going to take a while to go and my heart goes out to her when she does it and it stops her in her tracks but I do see an improvement this morning...  

How often do you give the honey? dont want my next problem to be rotting teeth  

Thank you, will keep you all posted. Maddy and Willow xx