Puppy with sensitive tummy and cough

We got our rescue staffy pup 4 weeks ago when she was 9 weeks old, found on the street at 7 weeks. About 2 days after we got her she came down with a terrible cough and sneezing, we took her to the vet and she had antibiotics and anti-inflamitories, she got loads better just the occasional cough, had her 2nd vaccination and was poorly all night. Her cough got worse and she got the runs (probably not helped by eating the cat food). We didn't think she would climb through or over a 3ft gate but she can and she is only a small puppy. Anyway, the vet said she just has a sensitive tummy and prescribed some cancur paste. For the past couple of weeks I have had her on a light diet of boiled chicken, rice, scrambled egg and a spoon of pumpkin (when I had some). We have started introducing puppy food again - James Beloved and although she is now only going a couple a day and isnt messing in the night her poo is still soft pudding type poos. She also still has a cough and is always scratching, she was flea treated 4 weeks ago and is due for another treatment this weekend (planned).

She isnt at all keen on the puppy food and does much prefer chicken, fish, egg etc.

Has anyone got any ideas or recommendations for my baby girl.

By the way, hubby and I are a mature couple whose kids have flown the nest, hubby works from home so she is not left alone for longer than 1 hr if he goes for a run, we live 2 mins from a large wooded country park and we take her for a walk twice a day. She loves meeting people and dogs and has absolutely no fear. She is starting puppy training next week and was housetrained within 1 week (except when she had diarrea) but we let her out for wee once in the night.

Sorry for long post, but this is our first dog (always had cats) and we want to do the best we can for her so any advice is gratefully received.

Thank you

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Hi and welcome from us and Suki. If the cough has not yet gone away I think I may seek a second opinion from anthor vet. They are very good escape artists and even a six foot fence isn't safe.

Has she been wormed ?
As an infestation of worms can travel up the windpipe and irritate the back of the throat so making a pup cough.

Hello and welcome to the forum from me and the kids.

As Denise suggests check for obvvious puppy things, and a trip to a different vet for a second opinion will be your best course of action

Hi and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me.

Dont forget to change her bedding regularly too.

Hi & welcome.

I also would recommend worming if she hasn't already been wormed. The poo could just mean that you haven't found the right food for her yet.

Have you ever thought about raw feeding? Or if not, a fish based dry dog food.

mellymoo26 wrote:We got our rescue staffy pup 4 weeks ago when she was 9 weeks old, found on the street at 7 weeks. About 2 days after we got her she came down with a terrible cough and sneezing, we took her to the vet and she had antibiotics and anti-inflamitories, she got loads better just the occasional cough, had her 2nd vaccination and was poorly all night. Her cough got worse and she got the runs (probably not helped by eating the cat food). We didn't think she would climb through or over a 3ft gate but she can and she is only a small puppy.

If she was still coughing no matter how occasionally it was she shouldn't have been vaccinated, I know that isn't your fault but your vet should have known better, my vet wouldn't have given it to your pup. When we vaccinate our dogs we are giving them a very tiny amount of what we want them to build a resistance to, by vaccinating your puppy when he still had a cough he made your puppy worse, he will never admit that though.

A vet nearly killed one of my dogs because she gave him 4 times the dose he should have had of phenabarb, a different vet did kill a friends dog.

Anyway, the vet said she just has a sensitive tummy and prescribed some cancur paste. For the past couple of weeks I have had her on a light diet of boiled chicken, rice, scrambled egg and a spoon of pumpkin (when I had some). We have started introducing puppy food again - James Beloved and although she is now only going a couple a day and isnt messing in the night her poo is still soft pudding type poos. She also still has a cough and is always scratching, she was flea treated 4 weeks ago and is due for another treatment this weekend (planned).

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE FLEA TREATMENT TO HER UNTIL SHE IS COMPLETELY BETTER. I never put flea treatments on my dogs, if they get fleas I use one of those electric nit combs from the chemist, the comb will kill every flea it touchs and often before it bites the dog. For flea treatment to work high toxins have to enter her body so when the flea bites the dog it is poisoned.

Due to what has happened puppy food my be too rich for her, when I got Tilly at 20 weeks old she couldn't cope with puppy food but thrived on Burgess Sensitive, they have a better one now for your pup, it is salmon, rice and oats. The amount of protein doesn't really matter, it is the quality of the protein that matters. I was in Pets at Home yesterday and a woman was looking at the dog foods, she didn't know what to feed the puppies that her girl has had. I told her what to look for in dog food, very little or no cereals apart from rice and oats, virtually no additives, she was looking at Bakers, that list of additives is on the long side.

By the way, hubby and I are a mature couple whose kids have flown the nest, hubby works from home so she is not left alone for longer than 1 hr if he goes for a run, we live 2 mins from a large wooded country park and we take her for a walk twice a day. She loves meeting people and dogs and has absolutely no fear. She is starting puppy training next week and was housetrained within 1 week (except when she had diarrea) but we let her out for wee once in the night.

Trust your inctincts as you did with your children when they were babies, if something doesn't feel right then it probably isn't.

Sorry for long post, but this is our first dog (always had cats) and we want to do the best we can for her so any advice is gratefully received.

Thank you

Long posts are better, there is more information in so we can help more.

I agree with you - I don't use any flea treatment unless there's actually a problem - then I'm more likely to use a comb or a spray, I don't really like the spot on treatments.

Denise wrote:Has she been wormed ?
As an infestation of worms can travel up the windpipe and irritate the back of the throat so making a pup cough.

Hi Denise, We wormed our baby last weekend and she was wormed at the rescue centre 4 weeks before.

kathytake2 wrote:Hi and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me.

Dont forget to change her bedding regularly too.

we are washing her bedding each week, is this sufficient?

Caryll wrote:Hi & welcome.

I also would recommend worming if she hasn't already been wormed. The poo could just mean that you haven't found the right food for her yet.

Have you ever thought about raw feeding? Or if not, a fish based dry dog food.

Funny you mention this, as yesterday I was searching the net for best foods and came across a dog trainer about 30 miles away who swears by a raw diet and who supplies raw food for dogs. I'm going to try it out, but waiting for a reply to specifics from him. I have had good reviews about him from media and rescue centres.

Cyril baby wrote:

mellymoo26 wrote:We got our rescue staffy pup 4 weeks ago when she was 9 weeks old, found on the street at 7 weeks. About 2 days after we got her she came down with a terrible cough and sneezing, we took her to the vet and she had antibiotics and anti-inflamitories, she got loads better just the occasional cough, had her 2nd vaccination and was poorly all night. Her cough got worse and she got the runs (probably not helped by eating the cat food). We didn't think she would climb through or over a 3ft gate but she can and she is only a small puppy.

If she was still coughing no matter how occasionally it was she shouldn't have been vaccinated, I know that isn't your fault but your vet should have known better, my vet wouldn't have given it to your pup. When we vaccinate our dogs we are giving them a very tiny amount of what we want them to build a resistance to, by vaccinating your puppy when he still had a cough he made your puppy worse, he will never admit that though.

A vet nearly killed one of my dogs because she gave him 4 times the dose he should have had of phenabarb, a different vet did kill a friends dog.

Anyway, the vet said she just has a sensitive tummy and prescribed some cancur paste. For the past couple of weeks I have had her on a light diet of boiled chicken, rice, scrambled egg and a spoon of pumpkin (when I had some). We have started introducing puppy food again - James Beloved and although she is now only going a couple a day and isnt messing in the night her poo is still soft pudding type poos. She also still has a cough and is always scratching, she was flea treated 4 weeks ago and is due for another treatment this weekend (planned).

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE FLEA TREATMENT TO HER UNTIL SHE IS COMPLETELY BETTER. I never put flea treatments on my dogs, if they get fleas I use one of those electric nit combs from the chemist, the comb will kill every flea it touchs and often before it bites the dog. For flea treatment to work high toxins have to enter her body so when the flea bites the dog it is poisoned.

Due to what has happened puppy food my be too rich for her, when I got Tilly at 20 weeks old she couldn't cope with puppy food but thrived on Burgess Sensitive, they have a better one now for your pup, it is salmon, rice and oats. The amount of protein doesn't really matter, it is the quality of the protein that matters. I was in Pets at Home yesterday and a woman was looking at the dog foods, she didn't know what to feed the puppies that her girl has had. I told her what to look for in dog food, very little or no cereals apart from rice and oats, virtually no additives, she was looking at Bakers, that list of additives is on the long side.

By the way, hubby and I are a mature couple whose kids have flown the nest, hubby works from home so she is not left alone for longer than 1 hr if he goes for a run, we live 2 mins from a large wooded country park and we take her for a walk twice a day. She loves meeting people and dogs and has absolutely no fear. She is starting puppy training next week and was housetrained within 1 week (except when she had diarrea) but we let her out for wee once in the night.

Trust your inctincts as you did with your children when they were babies, if something doesn't feel right then it probably isn't.

Sorry for long post, but this is our first dog (always had cats) and we want to do the best we can for her so any advice is gratefully received.

Thank you

Long posts are better, there is more information in so we can help more.

Many thanks, you were very helpful. Our Jess had her second jab at the rescue centre and my hubby explained that she hadnt been well and still had the occassional cough, I suppose they dont really know enough to be doing the vaccinations!

Her main problems are coughing at night and when she gets excited, its like something stuck in her through and then a reflex tickly type cough for a while after. Hubby said its sounds snotty in her throat (sorry for graphical description), the other thing is her very soft poo. I'm still feeding her scrambled egg for breakfast (sometimes with a little rice), fish and rice or chicken and rice for other meals. I've not really got much faith in the local vet as all he gave her was some cancur which I believe is a digestive support and hasnt really done much. I'm going to end up broke soon as each time I go to the vets its costing me £50. She is lively enough, but goes off for a rest/sleep when she feels tired which I would expect at 13/14 weeks, loves the food I'm giving her but doesnt seem to like dry dog food and will only eat a few before walking away. She has also chewed through her harness and a couple of toys this weekend - best that than the furniture and to be expected as she will be teething.

Sorry to interrupt,but have you asked the vet to check for Kennel Cough,as I think you have said she was a rescue...

Reason why I ask is that we had to take our Poppy to the vets this morning,and she is now on antibiotics for Kennel Cough for five days...

We rescued her from a centre only four days ago...

We phoned the rescue place also and told them,so as they can keep an eye out for other dogs who may have/get/got it...

They are also paying the £50-42 pence the vet charged us this morning...

I do hope your little one feels better soon...