Just got home from the vet

[Scueva]

Well I just got home from the vet with duke. My suspicions were confirmed- duke has demodectic mange. He's gotta take ivermectin orally for 30days. Also the vet told me to bath him once a week with a antifungal shampoo. Also duke has had a slight cough ongoing for about 3 weeks. Took him to a back up local vet for suspicion of kennel cough- he was negative- after it persisted I called my regular vet he said try Benadryl - well at the examination today the vet said his tonsils were inflamed and gave me temaril. He said its no big deal and kinda of like a kid when there tonsils flare up. He said it should be a non issue. Has anyone had experience with this? Well the good news is his eyes look good, his hips and knees are strong, and he was negative for coccidia! We have to go back for another scraping in 30days. Thanks [MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] & [MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION] regarding the demodectic it was a big help. Those are nasty little suckers- the vet showed me the scraping under the microscope.- [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] curious about the tonsils you have any experience?

 

[2BullyMama]

poor baby and mama! hope he heals up real soon! I have no experience with the any of this so I am sending and positive thoughts for quick recovery

 

[DudleysMom]

No experience here with tonsils, but sending best wishes for Duke's recovery!

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi, I don't have any experience with tonsilitis in dogs either, I didn't know a dog could get tonsilitis, so I looked it up, and this is what I found, it is usually transmitted from humans to dogs, and not the other way around.



Sore Throat and Tonsillitis in Dogs



These two conditions have a common cause and thus often occur together. In fact, sore throats usually do not occur in dogs as isolated infections, the way they do in people. Most sore throats are associated with infections in the mouth, sinuses, or respiratory tract. They can also occur with systemic diseases such as parvovirus, distemper, herpesvirus, and pseudorabies. Dogs with an anal gland infection may also have a sore throat from spreading the infection while licking at their glands.


The signs of sore throat are fever, coughing, gagging, pain on swallowing, and loss of appetite. The throat looks red and inflamed. A purulent drainage may be seen coating the back of the throat.


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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) occurs when a dog’s stomach and/or intestine becomes home to an unusually high number of inflammatory cells. These cells cause changes in the lining of the digestive tract, which inhibit the normal absorption and passage of food. It is important to note that although some of the symptoms may be similar, IBD is not the same as irritable bowel syndrome, which is caused by psychological stress rather than a physiological abnormality.
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The group A streptococcal sore throat (commonly known as strep throat) that occurs in young children can produce mild or unapparent sore throat in dogs and cats, who may then harbor the bacteria in the respiratory tract. Although dogs usually get the infection from human members of their family, and not vice versa, to eliminate the bacteria in households with recurrent strep throat, consider treating pets as well as family members.


The tonsils are aggregates of lymph tissue located at the back of the throat in dogs, as they are in people. They may not be visible unless they are inflamed. This generally occurs as a secondary symptom of a sore throat.


Primary bacterial tonsillitis is rare. It occurs in young dogs of the smaller breeds. Symptoms are similar to those of a sore throat, except that fever is more pronounced (over 103°F) and the dog appears depressed. The tonsils are bright red and swollen. Localized abscesses may be visible as white spots on the surface of the tonsils.


Chronic tonsillitis with tonsil enlargement is caused by persistent infection or by mechanical irritation from prolonged coughing, retching, or regurgitation of stomach acid into the throat. Any dog showing signs of tonsillitis should also be checked for anal gland problems, as grooming and licking the anal glands can spread the infection to the mouth.




Treatment: Acute pharyngitis and tonsillitis respond to treatment of the underlying condition. When a primary cause cannot be identified, treatment involves giving a broad-spectrum antibiotic for 10 days. Feed a soft diet consisting of canned dog food mixed with water to make a mush.



Tonsillitis in Dogs


Print
I know that children have tonsillitis, but I did not realize that dogs can get it. Is it common in dogs?
Since dogs have tonsils, they can also develop tonsillitis. Tonsillitis has a fairly low rate of occurrence in dogs, and is more common in small breeds of dogs.


Where are the tonsils and what do they do?
The tonsils are similar to lymph nodes, and the role of both of these structures is to fight infection. There is a pair of tonsils located in small pouches or crypts at the back of the throat. When they are fighting infection, they may enlarge due to inflammation or infection. Swollen, red tonsils will bulge out of their crypts and can be easily seen in the back of the throat.


How did my dog get tonsillitis?
"Tonsillitis is usually secondary."
Tonsillitis is usually secondary, or occurs as a result of another disease or condition that affects the mouth or throat. Chronic vomiting, a chronic productive cough, and chronic disease in the mouth will allow bacteria to infect the tonsils. The main cause of chronic disease in the mouth is tartar accumulation on the teeth and the bacterial infections associated with it (periodontal disease). Occasionally, primary tonsillitis with no underlying cause will occur. This condition almost always occurs in small breeds of dogs.


What are the clinical signs of a dog with tonsillitis?
When the tonsils enlarge, they are usually quite painful. Anyone who has had a "sore throat" can relate to this. This often causes the dog to gag, as if something is stuck in the throat or to repeatedly attempt to swallow. Some dogs lick their lips frequently. Most affected dogs are reluctant to eat because of the pain associated with swallowing. They may be hungry and go to the food bowl but refuse to eat. Many dogs with tonsillitis are not as active as normal, but, unlike people, they usually do not have a fever.


How is tonsillitis treated?
If an underlying source of the infection can be found, it must be treated. Antibiotics are given for two to three weeks to treat both the tonsils and the primary infection. If there is tartar and periodontal disease present, the teeth should be cleaned. In some cases of primary tonsillitis, anti-inflammatory treatment may help relieve the pain.


What about a tonsillectomy?
Removal of the tonsils is rarely recommended. It is preferable to leave the tonsils intact whenever possible because of their vital role in fighting infection of the oropharyngeal cavity (mouth and throat). A tonsillectomy may become necessary if there is poor response to treatment or if tonsillitis becomes a recurring condition. Recurrent tonsillitis is more likely to occur in small breeds of dogs.


Is tonsillitis contagious to other dogs or to humans?
Bacteria that are found normally in the mouth is the usual cause of tonsillitis. Therefore, it is not contagious unless it is caused by an unusual infection.


Can 'strep throat' be associated with dogs?
Streptococcus pyogenes, the cause of "strep throat" in humans, does not cause tonsillitis in dogs. However, dogs can acquire a transient infection with this bacterium when they are in contact with a human with strep throat.


"Although they do not get "strep throat," they may harbor the bacterium and serve as a source of infection for humans."
Although they do not get "strep throat," they may harbor the bacterium and serve as a source of infection for humans. Therefore, it is suggested that dogs be treated with antibiotics when family members have strep throat, especially if recurring infections occur in the household.


This client information sheet is based on material written by: Ernest Ward, DVM
Related Tags
tonsillitis, tonsils, bacterium, periodontal, tonsillectomy, bacteria, crypts, pyogenes, streptococcus, oropharyngeal, tarter

 

[Scueva]

[MENTION=6311]Vikinggirl[/MENTION]- thanks very informative

 

[bullmama]

Yes if they are swollen, usually a steroid over a week will reduce the inflammation and get them back to normal. Usually a full dose for a few days, then half tab for a few days then half tab skip a day, basically to taper off the steroid from the system.

Glad to hear the coccidia is gone, but those dang mites!


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Ashleym]

Oh poor Duke hope he feels better soon. Its so hard when our babies are sick. When Fergus had pneumonia our vet prescribed Temaril for 12 days with 2 other types of antibiotics. The Temaril does have predisone to he might drink more and have to pee more then usual. Fergus is back to his normal PITA self after going thru the antibiotics. Hopefully the meds and shampoo helps Duke withe the mange and cough.

 

[harvey]

Our bulldog had mange and the vet put a topical substance called Prolaris (sp?) on him once every month for three months. Sure enough, no more mange. However, the topical is pretty strong and some argue against using it. Nevertheless, we took the advice of the vet, and our boy has never looked better!

Good luck.

 

[Lokismom]

How's he doing now that a few days have passed?

 

[cowsmom]

with mange i believe you need to boost the immune system. you can give zinc 20mg for large dog and neem oil has been used by members for the skin. probiotics and coq10 are also immune boosters. aw i hope he gets better soon

 

[Scueva]

How's he doing now that a few days have passed?

No new spots have popped up so that is good. He still has a faint cough but not nearly as bad-

 

[Lokismom]

No new spots have popped up so that is good. He still has a faint cough but not nearly as bad-

That is great news!