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Sick Puppy

I had 6 puppies in a litter leave for their new homes last weekend. They have been vet checked, wormed on a regular schedule, up to date on shots and everyone seems very healthy. One family stayed for about an hour watching all of the puppies and talking with me before leaving with their puppy. There were no signs of a problem prior to them leaving (they agree). They called me that night and said that from the time they got in the car, the puppy was sneezing and coughing and almost seemed like he was choking on something. I advised them to take him to the vet. The vet diagnosed kennel cough. It seems very odd to me, because I still have 3 puppies from the litter and they are fine and the 5 other puppies that left are all fine. The sick puppy is on Clavamox (for nearly a week) and has not improved. He is eating, playing and seems fine, but has a cough and runny nose, no fever. The puppy has been back to the vet for a second time because he has not improved. He was checked for worms / parasites, giardia, and had a chest x-ray to check for pneumonia - all were negative. Does anyone have any ideas about what this could be? Do you think it is kennel cough? Does it seem strange only one puppy in a litter would have it? Do you think it could be some sort of allergy since it started when the puppy left? I just don't have a clue what could be wrong with the poor little guy.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

Re: Sick Puppy

Very weird; did they have children, and how old are they if they do? It almost sounds like the pup may have something in his nasal cavity/sinus that is bothering him, and causing discharge. Might one of the kids poked something up his nose??? or could he have inhaled something on the way out/in the car? Did the kids have drinks with straw that he might have jammed himself with, up the nose while snooping at it?

Re: Sick Puppy

It is probably kennel cough. He got it because of the stress of leaving to his new home. The litter mates may take a few more hours/days to show symptoms or no show symptoms at all.

Re: Sick Puppy

Does someone in the new home smoke?

Re: Sick Puppy

I did not think to ask if anyone smoked. I will ask. Great suggestion! Thanks!

Re: Sick Puppy

No small children. Just adult children.

Re: Sick Puppy

I was thinking the same thing and have been watching and waiting for the other pups to show signs, but it has been a week and no one shows signs of illness yet. That is why I am so stumped by this.

Re: Sick Puppy

Could the car have had something in it that irritated his upper respiratory system? Carpet cleaner, something in the air filter?

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Could it be a foxtail up his nose?

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Herpes?

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I would think some type of aspiration maybe they gave him a treat in the car puppy choked and some went down the wrong pipe so to speak . I had a similar thing but I did it to the poor pup with liquid wormer. Everyone else in the litter was fine but this one sounded like kennel cough.

Re: Sick Puppy

Do they use a carpet freshner like Febreze? Had they treated their lawn recently? Dirty A/C filter in car or house?