Minnie very ill after Kennel Cough

We've got an epidemic of Kennel Cough in this area, and all three of my dogs have had it over the last two weeks. Foxy and Sadie are recovering well, but poor Minnie, my Yorkie, has not been so lucky. She had been diagnosed with a very bad heart murmer about three weeks ago and had been put on Fortekor for life. Unfortunately, she got Kennel Cough, and it has irritated her heart. Her breathing is dreadful, and this morning she had a coughing spasm which literally lasted from 6 am to 10 am when I got her back to the vet. (She last saw him on Monday morning, because her breathing was bad, and he gave her diuretics to get rid of fluid in lungs, antibiotics, and a supplementary heart tablet). Anyway, this morning she was just awful - so distressing for her (and me) - gasping for breath, coughing, wheezing. When the vet saw her he just said "right she's coming in for a chest X-ray, I need to know what's going on inside there". He also said it could be that her trachea had collapsed, and there was nothing they could do if that had happened. He rang me later in the day to say that the chest X-ray had shown that her lungs were still full of fluid, and that the kennel cough had irritated her heart so much that it had swollen and was now pressing on her trachea, which was causing the dreadful breathing and coughing. He has now put her on Vetmedin, as well as Fortekor, and a heart orientated diuretic, Spironalactone, which is to be taken as well as the diuretic she's already taking, Frusemide. She's got another course of antibiotics as well. Vet says this should work, but it is still touch and go, as her heart could give out before the new tablets take hold properly.

Poor little Minnie, she really doesn't deserve this. She's 13, bald, poor eyesight, poor hearing, hardly any teeth, and now this!

Please keep your fingers crossed for her.

Sorry if this is so long, but I'm really upset. Has anybody else seen this kind of reaction to kennel cough?

I have seen quite a few dogs that have had KC develope into phumonia(sp) its hard to watch them suffer like this, many of the dogs have recovered once the AB's have kicked in, unfortunately Minnies heart condition is also effected by it, I am so sorry to hear this, all my wishes that she makes a recovery and soon.

Mo

sending huge hugs,, hope she gets better soon, it must be so hard to watch,,, keeping fingers crossed

oh big hugs to you all, hope the little one is better soon. xx

Oh honey, I'm so sorry about poor Minnie. Hopefully the meds will make her feel a little more comfortable

x0x

So sorry to hear this. Fingers crossed that the treatment will help her.

Poor Minnie (and you!), it must be so upsetting seeing her like that. I do hope the X-Ray shows what is wrong and the vet is able to help her out.

I've had two dogs ill through kennel cough - one had pneumonia and was very ill indeed. I found it so distressing when he was choking and coughing, it must be hard for you with the extra worry about her heart

It is always more worrying when they are older isn't it? Positive vibes sent your way and big hugs to you and Minnie xx

Oh poor Minnie hope she has a better day today, you too as must be awful worrying so much about her, hugs to both xxx

Very sorry to hear this, I hope she gets better. I too have a Dog left poorly because of serious kennel cough that went into a chest infection.

Just wanted to send you a hug.