NEWBIE, help please with sick Beagle!!

[girl-gunfighter]

Howdy!

I just found this site, May 3rd, and I'm so hoping somebody can shed some light so I can better understand what could possibly be going on with my Beagle.

His is almost six, never, ever been sick a DAY! Second week in March we noticed a coughing, followed by a "hack", like trying to unstick something from throat. Vet put him on Baytrol (sp?), gave him a peniscilin injection and symptoms subsided but didn't go away. Next step was a chest x-ray which revealed some inflamation in the lungs. Got more Baytrol and cough has now gone away. However, now he has a very, very snotty nose and you can hear all the nasal congestion when he is breathing and we are constantly wiping away boogies! In addition he is having multiple attacks of what the vets call "inverted sneezes" but sounds more like a person having a severe asthma attack. Before this whole sickness started, he MIGHT have those attacks three times a year, now he is having them many, many times a day! Vet drew blood for culture, took a boogie sample for culture and gave me Clavamox, and gave a steroid injection to the Beagle. Vet called today, blood showed "slightly" high white blood cell count. He left a voicemail, did not get to speak with him and ask him what he thought. The Clavamox has helped the "inverted sneeze" attacks subside, but he's still got the snotty nose, some sneezing and a few inverted sneeze attacks a day.

He has gotten the injection for kennel cough every year, although we do NOT ever put them in a kennel, they are always home with us, we just can't do that to them. So, he is never in contact with other dogs, we just do the injection to be safe in case a big emergency comes up and we are forced to leave him at a pet hotel, he is covered.

Can ANYBODY shed some light? I mean, I trust my vet but a) he won't be in the office until Monday for me to call and b) between three sets of drugs, an office visit, a chest x-ray and blood draw, two injections and two "culture" lab fees, we have spent $375 trying to get him well. It's not so much the money, but the fact that we want what is right to treat him, not all this hit and miss.

Thanking anybody in advance who might be able to help!
Blessings,
Dona
Mommy to
Xerxes ~ Female Mantle Marked Merle Great Dane ~ 7 years
Doodlebug ~ Male Beagle ~ 6 years
Manny ~ Male Beagle ~ 2 years (RESCUE!)

[fairlight]

My goodness Dona I am at a loss. I would have thought distemper and then maybe kennel cough but you said you dog is current on his shots. I swear by Baytril but in this case it did not work for your dog. Can it be some type of allery? Is the snotty noes clear or green....does he have pusy (sp?) green eyes too? The best thing I can think of until your vet gets back to to take a bulb syringe and suck the residue out of his nose. I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

[alimel]

I had a Beagle for 16 1/2 years...aren't they wonderful? Just adopted a rescue.... .My older Beagle developed a cough along with that horrid hacking when he was about 9 yrs old. After tests and x rays galore, they could only come up with chronic broncitis. He was on a special cough medicine for the coughing and pills for the hacking. However, your Beagle has other symtoms mine did not have...

Maybe a second opinion would be best..I know that would be costly, but for peace of mind and the health and well being of your baby, it will be worth it if you can afford it.

[Heart_Song]

Sounds to me like your vet is on the right track. They tend to try the simplest and cheapest method first and if that doesn't work they'll do some more expensive tests. It's cheaper to treat a bacterial infection than try to determine the exact species of bacteria and then treat it. He started off with some broad spectrum antibiotics which usually work. Since they didn't work, he knows that the bacteria is resistant to penicillin and that Baytril also was not able to clear the infection. Now he is having you try Clavamox which is another broad spectrum antibiotic but works against bacteria that are resistant to penicillin.

When did he take samples for culture? These usually take a several days to get results back, but if he can get a diagnosis from that it can be very helpful.

The higher white blood cells just means that your dog's immune system is trying to fight off the infection. Same with the other symptoms. Even when medication is working, it will take a while to kill off all of the bacteria and see a relief in symptoms. It's also important to use the medication for the full amount of time prescribed even if you don't see any more symptoms. Some infections take a while to diagnosis and cure, but I think you are getting there with your dog.

[girl-gunfighter]

Heart-Song ~ Thank you so much for your reply and thank you for helping me to see that my vet is on the right track. I wouldn't have ever known, but your information has greatly enlightened me, so thank you very much! I most definitely make my pets take the meds for as long as it is prescribed, even if the symptoms go away, but in this case, they aren't really going away, but I always stick with the duration! ;-) The samples for the cultures were taken on Monday. Only the blood culture was completed, I guess the culture on the snot will take longer.

alimel ~ YES!! Beagles are just so wonderful, I love mine to pieces!!! They are so sweet and cuddly and very smart!! 16.5 years!?!? I'm amazed! If you don't mind my asking, what kind of diet did your Beagle have? That is a nice, LONG life, and I'm always trying to do what is best to give them the longest life possible! A second opinion isn't out of the question for sure, I suppose I'm waiting on that until these Clavamox are gone and until I can speak with the vet on Monday! I knew that slightly higher white blood cells possibly indicate the body is fighting off an infection, but I guess I need to wait and hear what the vet says we should do next, if anything.

fairlight ~ Oh yes, they are ALL always current on shots and heartworm meds and you name it! I love these little animals dearly and couldn't fathom not doing everything in my power to keep them well, they deserve all the attention a human baby would get! ;-) I suppose it could be allergies but from the time by husband gave him to me for Christmas at the age of 8 weeks, up until the second week of this past March, this Beagle had absolutely NO health problems of any kind. He's always been very, very healthy! The snotty nose is clear, I'm thinking this is at least better than green? And no, no pusy green eyes or any kind of eye discharge. At present, the inverted sneeze attacks and a very snotty nose are his only ailments. The coughing and hacking quit after the second round of Baytril. The bulb syring is a good idea, thanks so much, I'll have to do that because when he sneezes and I go to wipe a boogie off, it's longer and longer and longer, and I can never get it all out of his little nose.

ALL OF YOU ~ Thank you SO much for your kind, quick and helpful replies I truly appreciate it. I'll keep you posted as the what the outcome is with my Beagle, Doodlebug!!

Here he is:

[girl-gunfighter]

Here are all three of our babies at Christmas! Waiting for the "OK" to dig into gifts!

[alimel]

What a great family portrait! You asked me what my Beagle's diet consisted of, he was fed Science Diet his entire life - dry food- after he turned 8 - he was on Science Diet Senior. However, I am not sure it was just his diet that kept him going, see, he ran the house and us...he was very fiesty up until the end, I think that kept him going too, along with lots and lots of love and attention.

Please let us know how he is doing.