Registered: Aug 2006
Location: Northern California
Posts: 800

After a very long, expensive and frustrating medical battle with my young dog, we think we have come to a conclusion. He has Chronic Bronchitis, caused by some sort of allergy/low immune system.

This all started about 4-5 months ago, with a slight on and off cough which I thought was Kennel Cough. Then I started to think he had pneumonia or something in his lungs.

He took a turn for a worse, and pretty much collapes after exercise. Gets lethargic, and "shockey" and now has a very chronic cough. He is 20 months old.

Bloodwork normal, xrays, pretty much show a little densening in the lungs, nothing serious. Dewormed for lungworm. Negative for heartworm. Fungal Panel (Blastomycosis, ect) came back negative. Antibiotics for 5 weeks, no improvement.

Thinking this is some sort of Chronic Bronchitis caused by an allergy. We're thinking he literally has asthma and asthma attacks while out hunting.


They say this is pretty much uncureable, and severe damage may have already taken place in his lungs.

Wondering has anyone had a hound or hunting/working dog with this, and did they ever live a productive hunting life?

Then next step is to try steroids. I am a litle worried, but at this point he can't be hunted, so what other option do I have? I'm running out of money, and putting him down could be an option. I worry he's going to eventually have a severe attack and die while out in the woods somewhere.

__________________
Cassandra Davis
UKC Bench Show Judge & Master of Hounds

REDWOOD'S TREEING WALKER COONHOUNDS
& LOUISIANA CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOGS
http://www.RedwoodCoonhounds.net/

NITECH CGRCH FCH GRCH 'PR' Redwood's All Night Aspen
(2014 #1 UKC Top Ten All-Breed Conformation Treeing Walker)
NITECH CCH GRFCH GRWCH GRCH 'PR' Redwood's Wild Gamble

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2006
Location: Northern California
Posts: 800

FYI - The most recent event in this saga was this weekend.

He was found lying down at a "tree" (bluffs) this weekend, and almost couldn't drag him out of there. He was weak and staggering. He has also lost about all of his voice. He usually has an EXTREAMLY annoying high pitch scream squall, he now sounds like a hoarse bawl mouth dog. Sounds as though he's been debarked.

__________________
Cassandra Davis
UKC Bench Show Judge & Master of Hounds

REDWOOD'S TREEING WALKER COONHOUNDS
& LOUISIANA CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOGS
http://www.RedwoodCoonhounds.net/

NITECH CGRCH FCH GRCH 'PR' Redwood's All Night Aspen
(2014 #1 UKC Top Ten All-Breed Conformation Treeing Walker)
NITECH CCH GRFCH GRWCH GRCH 'PR' Redwood's Wild Gamble

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 4324

Any of the simple allergy medications that are sold OTC?

__________________
SKY
___________________
Author of the novel "Follow Jennifer"

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2006
Location: Northern California
Posts: 800

I do believe its way beyond that. I am hoping if I put him on the steroids, that maybe it would keep him from damaging his lungs anymore. I don't want to just mask the cough.

He's come close to dieing more than once. I don't think anything OTC will help.

__________________
Cassandra Davis
UKC Bench Show Judge & Master of Hounds

REDWOOD'S TREEING WALKER COONHOUNDS
& LOUISIANA CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOGS
http://www.RedwoodCoonhounds.net/

NITECH CGRCH FCH GRCH 'PR' Redwood's All Night Aspen
(2014 #1 UKC Top Ten All-Breed Conformation Treeing Walker)
NITECH CCH GRFCH GRWCH GRCH 'PR' Redwood's Wild Gamble

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Western Pa
Posts: 2106

I have had bronchitis several times in the past brought on by allergy. You have to rest that dog. Not a day or two, but, until the episode has passed. Bronchitis is one stage from pneumonia. If you let it progress it will. Make sure the lungs clear totally. Then get his allergy treated or it won't go away. I had to be put on inhalers (steroids) to build my lungs back up. My allergies have passed and I haven't had this issue for several years.

__________________
UKC GrNtCh PKC Ch Pa HTX Sniper (Deceased) Four time qualified for World Championship
Duane and Seth Jones/Jarret Davis partners
Beaver River Kennels/Team Pa
USAF proud!!! 6 Years active 19 Reserves MSgt (ret) Raven 457
Carpe Nocturnum-Seize the night!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2008
Location: the late, great west
Posts: 104

sorry to hear about your dog.
Onza developed basically chronic pnemonia (I realize different from what you're going through but you could end up there). He was diagnosed last December and finally had a clear x-ray this August. I thought he would never get better so don't give up.
At any rate he was put on Ciprofloxacin and Cephalexin. Both vets (local and Dr. Baker at Baring Vet. in Reno - he's good!) felt he was having immune issues that were not letting him heal. I also was going to a holistic lady, we tried several remedies and found one that helped. Also put him on a daily vitamin (Pet Tabs Plus), Missing Link and DMG. I might just be reading into things but it seemed like within a month or so of starting all the supplements I started to see a difference. One thing I also noticed was that his toenails really started to grow again, the whole time he was sick they did not grow much, so obviously the immune issue and body being down were true problems. I would try looking into some supplements and a holistic doctor as well - it won't hurt. I never have found out what made him sick in the first place, they never found anything but pus with the scope.
He would always be worse when it was raining and the air was damp so I had to start leaving him inside and that helped too.
He couldn't ride in the dog box with shavings either.
Luckily he did not suffer permanent lung damage.
Also talk to Lori, Happy has chronic bronchitis and I know he is on a medication that helps him alot. I know she had a long hard road finding something that worked for him.

__________________
http://na-dem-koyo.webs.com/

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Abbeville S.C.
Posts: 979

Sound like what I have had for the last two months.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged