Hi all, hoping for some advice regarding my Bassett Hound. We bought him from a private owner about six months ago and he's about eight months old now. When we got him he had a bad cough, and the bed that they gave to us with him was covered in stains where he'd obviously coughed up phlegm over it.

We took him straight to the vets, and they diagnosed a bad case of kennel cough, and perscribed a course of antibiotics. For the first three months or so there was no change, and the vet altered the antibiotics a couple of times, did a chest/lung xray and flushed out his lungs. They also did a test for either heartworm or lungworm.

This seemed to work for a few weeks, but this past month or so he's got progressively worse again. Back to the vets last friday and all they've done is put him back on antibiotics again, suspecting kennel cough.

The coughing generally occurs first thing in the morning, or when he's been laid down for longs periods of time. Some mornings he'll stagger about coughing for nearly an hour before he calms down. Sometimes he'll bring up mouthfuls of sticky mucus / foam - sometimes he'll swallow this, and at other times he'll just leave puddles of it all over the floor.

Does this sound like kennel cough? To me it sounds more like he's got a more serious respritary problem - like pleurisy or liquid on the lungs.

He's to go back to the vets on Friday, and I don't know whether I should insist on him having further tests, or simply carry on with the antibiotics. I'm also not sure if my insurance will cover this as effectively its an ongoing problem since we got him.

Am I worrying needlessly? Or does this sound like kennel cough? I really want to get him well, as he's been a poorly dog since we got him, and he's loveable in every other way!

Any advice greatfully received.

Poor little chap,
It doesn't sound like KC to me,although they do bring up phlegm with it.

I would insist on further tests to establish exactly what is going on with him.
Did you buy him direct from a Breeder ?

Hi Sallyanne,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. No we bought him from a private home, andfell in love with him at first sight. It was obvious as soon as we got him home that he wasn't well, that he hadn't been properly looked after. We were also told he had all his jabs, but haven't any proof of this. The vet doesn't recommend giving them to him again until his cough is better.

Eddie

Poor lad,
Ask when you go back to the vets ask about further tests,our bitches used to get regular bouts of KC after picking it up from the shows,but nothing compared to what your little fella is like.
It was a hacking cough like something was stuck in their throats,our one bitch did bring up phlegm,not nice at all.

Try a little honey in some warm water it might help soothe his throat.

Keep us updated with his progress.

childs benylin cough syrup is also supposed to be quite good

Both my dogs caught Kennel Cough after being at the kennel. They even had two doses of bordatella. Samson got sick to his stomach and aspirated and then got pneumonia. So.. I would definitely do more tests. Did they take xrays of his lungs? Your problem sounds more severe. Do you know what Vet the previous owners took him to? Maybe they know whats going on. I would call the previous owners and ask them what they know about it too. They shouldn't have let you take him without letting you know what was wrong.

Many thanks Marianne, poor Samson - hopefully he's okay now?

We're back at the vet's on Friday so I'll insist on getting further tests done. As regards contacting the previous owners - I'll give that a miss: I don't think I'd believe anything they were to tell me!

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

Is the phlegm clear or coloured? I would ask the vet to also check your dogs heart as well when you visit

I would definitely insist on more tests or take him to a different vet. I would have thought if he had x rays this would have shown any fluid/pleurisy on the lung. I am quite surprised the vet has not mentioned further testing, Does the breed have any known lung problems?

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The phlegm is clear. It's all foamy. It's not much fun cleaning mouthfuls of it off the carpet at 6am ! Or trying to get to him to wipe his mouth so that he doesn't shake it all over the furniture! The poor little guy seems to always try and swallow it down again, as opposed to getting rid of it, which most likely prolongs the coughing.

He had a lung xray, swab and flush a couple of months back when this first reared it's head. The vet sent samples off, and came back saying it was a particularily virulant type of KC. It then cleared up again, before coming back with a vengence this past couple of weeks.

I'll try and video him on my phone tomorrow morning so that I can show it to the vet on Friday, maybe she doesn't believe me about how bad it is.

Thanks everyone for their advice and concern. It's reassuring to have so many caring people on here.