pneumonia

I had a dog who's face swelled up awhile back,I've had the worst luck with this dog.Face got better but he developed a cough and got pneumonia.I wondered if he wasn't breathing in some drainage from inside his mouth to start it but don't know.Anyway,I've spent enough at the vet to buy another dog already but as long as he's trying to live I'll not give up on him.The vet has him on Benzacillin[hope I spelled that right] Baytril,Amoxicyllin right now.I'm also keeping him inside,the vet told me to keep the temp at 65 degrees.What are some other effective meds for pneumonia.The vet is old and half senile so he may not have heard of something if it was pretty new.We have a very limited selection of good vets here.Anyway,probaly a lost cause but I'll keep trying till he's dead or gets better one.

 

15 minutes twice a day locked in a bathroom with the shower on HOT will help break up all the crap in his lungs. Right after that coupage for 5-10 minutes to get the crap out.

 

I had thought about that but didn't know if it would make him worse or not.He had a 105.5 temp the other day.it started settling down around 103.5 to 104.Yesterday morning it was down to 102.7 but now it's back to 103.7 again.It's nerve racking with all this.I really like this dog.I wished we had more vets but we only have two here[mediocre at best] and there's one I use about 55 miles away but she's never in anymore.

 

No it won't make him worse, it'll help bring all the pus and bacteria out of his lungs. When he's coughing you can coupage him too, to help him bring it out. You want that stuff out of there.

The antibiotics will work run their course and hopefully help fight off the infection, if not a culture of the fluid might be necessary.

The fever will go down as he gets better, you can try spraying his pads with rubbing alcohol to help cool him off.

Did they put him on any fluids? IV or SQ? Is he eating/drinking? Did they take chest xrays?

 

He's eating and drinking a little right now.I mix a little feed with plain yogurt and he'll eat it.About a week ago he wouldn't eat or drink at all.I used my last IV bag I had on him then.I asked at the vets office today if I should give him another IV and they didn't think that would be neccesary since he's drinking some.They didn't take any Xrays.So on the shower,just get it hot and steamy right?

 

I am so sorry to hear your troubles! Keep us posted

 

That's good that he's eating and drinking...in my experience it was always hard getting them to be interested in anything when they are that sick.

And yeah, as hot and steamy as you can get it. Turn it on and shut the door for a few minutes, then put him in there and close him in. As soon as he's done coupage him real good. The more often you can do it the better, I just say two times a day since people work and it's hard to do it more, but as often as every 4 hours is great if you can swing it.

Keep us updated, hopefully he'll be back to normal in no time.

 

ive been throug the pneumonia thing,(last winter) and its rough...if my memory serves correct there are a couple different "types" of pneumonia. on of them is allergic pnemonia....the result of an attack by something in the lungs, but there isnt any infection...just inflamed tissue. an x-ray IS required to positivly id this type. i was reminded of this when you stated your dogs face was swollen. the fever does usually mean an infection, not an allergic reaction. sorry i cant help more. good luck

 

Yeah,he's having a rough go of it.

 

Those antibiotics are a good start , put him in a crate and cover the crate with a blanket , leave the door uncovered and place a vaporizer with Vick's liquid in it , and aim the steam so it goes into the kennel . Leave it on all night while you sleep ,this will break up all the congestion . I just went through this and it worked for me

 

I just put a vaporizer on him about an hour ago.I hoping something works pretty soon.I know he'll have a rough time at best.

 

you need to give it time , it will take a couple days before the mucous starts breaking up . Do it like i said so that his crate is used as a sauna. Good luck and keep me posted.

 

I once had a dog go though pneumonia took almost 2 weeks to get out of danger
And vet had the dog for the 2 weeks, charged me $800 in 1991 one day before that vet a different vet charged me $450 for one night and meds that did not work.
Main thing is dog holding food and water down, some times when they cough food come up also. So light meals but numerous also when they cough, sort of light to hard with both hands (open) tap rib area at lungs this will help loosen up mucous

 

You can try doing percussion on him like I do on my daughter with CF. I know someone else who had a very ill dog and I showed them how to do it and it really helped. You need to cup your hands so there is a hollow there and just rythmically ''drum'' on the dogs rib cage. I usually do five minutes for each postion on my daughter. This really helps. It is literally what keeps my daughter going.

http://www.cff.org/UploadedFiles/treatments/Therapies/Respiratory/PosturalDrainage/An%20Introduction%20to%20Postural%20Drainage%20and%20Percussion%201-2006.pdf

Here's a video so you can see it in action. You don't have to do the tip for it to be effective. My daughter suffers from reflux and they worry about aspiration so we don't do the tip.

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/multimedi...emId=04032a&RefId=x&Speed=56&Plugin=WMP&Error=

What I do with her as well, besides the daily physio is listen with stethescope, my ear or even feel with my hand, to see if I can feel or hear ''crackles'' and if a spot sounds extra crackley, I'll do some extra percussions focusing on that area.

 

Ok,thanks I'll try that.I have a stethoscope I can use.Thanks for the advice and sorry about your daughter.It's bad to have a sick dog but it'd be more than a billion times worse to have a sick child.Thanks.

 

Thanx. It is really hard. I hope you boy feels better soon.

 

same with my dog.....it takes 3 month
i try to give for asthma

 

I hope things get better for him asap! Hang in there!

 

Me too,He's not doing well.I'm having a hard time with his temp.It's running 104.3 today,it was back down to 103 yesterday.I'm surprised he's hung in as long as he has.I'm buying more medicine from the vet tomorrow.

 

Got our fingers crossed for him here!