Hard Cough

I have a black lab and about a month ago she got her first shot for treatment of heartworms. She’s been home for a couple of weeks and recently she started having coughing fits. They last between 5 and 10 minutes. During which she hacks and coughs, and even makes a loud burping noise. I’m taking her to the vet tomorrow, but I was just wondering if anybody had a dog do the same thing? Is this normal? Is there anything that I can do for her to make her feel better and cough less? Thanks!

My dog went through the treatment and I got her back extremely ill but no coughing. They DO inject arsenic and I cried and slept on the floor with her because I knew it could kill her. Thank god you have the money to do it! I thought about how many dogs must just die from heartworms because the treatment costs are out of control.

I don’t know if it has anything to do with the heartworms because of what I just read. Your dog could have caught something – kennel cough – from the vet’s office. They kept mine overnight and if they did with yours, he could have just caught something.

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/arsenic-poisoning/page1.aspx

I quit smoking a while back ago and every once in a while I cough up some blackish-brownish phlegm. I was just wondering if anyone knows why. I never really coughed up brown stuff when I smoked.

probably. your lungs are finally getting a chance to get rid of the toxins that built up in there

I need some help for a cough that I have and it’s seriously bothering me and I don’t have money to go see my doctor. So please please help!!

A lot depends on whether it is productive or not– are you actually bringing up phlegm? If so, that’s good and you don’t want to take cough suppressants as the lungs are clearing themselves. A dry cough would be a different story.

I recommend increasing your fluids to liquify your secretions, and sleeping in a room with a cool air vaporizer (not warm air). It’s amazing how much these two simple measures help. Also, take showers and breathe in the moisture.

Best wishes.

A recent change in weather got me sick a few days ago, and all that’s left is this DREADFUL dry cough. I mean, I’ve been hacking and heaving away and it literally hurts. It’s even made me gag and vomit a few times already, and I don’t know what to do. Help?

Ohhhh, I *hate* coughing!!!!!

SINUSES, NOSE, THROAT, AND LUNGS:
Boil some salty water in a pot on the stove. Turn off the burner. Blow your nose & cough out some phlegm. Make a steam hood by draping a small-to-medium-sized towel over your head & the pot. Breathe the salty steam in your nose, out your mouth several times. Breathe some in your mouth & out your nose a few times as well. Blow your nose often. Keep this up until the steam stops. You can do this trick a few times throughout the day until you feel better. Salt is great.

OVER THE COUNTER MEDS TO TRY:
**Sinus decongestant: Phenylephrine 5mg. You don’t necessarily need all the extras it’s often mixed with.
**Expectorant: Guaifenisen (Mucinex is the brand name, but it’s way cheaper at dollar stores. Always read ingredients!!) liquefies your mucus so it’s much easier to expel. But you have to drink TONS of water or it won’t work, & you must be near a bathroom because it makes you pee a lot. (yet causes constipation… another reason to stay hydrated!)
**Pain, inflammation, body aches, headache, fever: Ibuprofen (Advil) should be alternated with Acetaminophen (Tylenol).

IMPORTANT! IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT:
-Stay home. (even one day can make a difference. plus, you’ll keep your germs to yourself.)
-Sleep!!
-Drink plenty of water. (8 8oz servings a day=bare minimum!! pee out those germs & flush ‘em away!!)
-Take vitamin C, zinc, and echinacea.
-Eat garlic. (sorry, but it really is great for your health! and it will give you a good reason to stay home. hehe)
-Wash hands well & often. Moisturize skin to keep from cracking your hands to bits.
-Avoid milk & chocolate, which thicken your mucus and make your fight that much harder.
-Moderate exercise helps too!

NOTE: the meds and garlic are harsh, so don’t take them on an empty or upset stomach.

COUGHING FITS:
>DAY: Mucinex and water. (generic is fine, and cheap!) Cough it out while you’re awake.
>NIGHT: Delsym (cough suppressant, DEXTROMETHORPHAN). Get some restful, coughless sleep.
HOMEMADE EXPECTORANTS: Mix very hot water, cayenne pepper, white vinegar, and honey. >GARGLE & SPIT OUT!!!!!!!<
Or drink hot water with lemon and honey.

NOTE: I am not a doctor or nurse. Consult a medical professional to tailor any of the above suggestions to your particular circumstances, especially taking into consideration your weight, age, health, whether you’re pregnant or nursing. FEEL BETTER SOON!!

Yesterday, during track practice it rained and poured for the entire practice. After I got home and took a hot shower I had tons of phlegm in my throat and got a cough. I’m still sick today! I’ve also become lightheaded and my legs are weak. I know that rain causing a cold is a wives tale but what happened?

You could have caught a throat infection because of the rain. You can try this for some relief. Boil 1 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon powder and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper powder in a glass of water add 1 teaspoon of honey to it and drink sip by sip for effective relief from sore throat ,cold and cough, repeat this every 2 hours until you feel a little better. Check out http://usefulinfo-cough.blogspot.com/ for more remedies and information.

About a year ago, my mom got a female rat, and named her Justin. Ever since we got Justin, she’s been coughing and sneezing, but otherwise acting normal. We gave her medicine for respiratory problems, and it worked for a time, but she just went back to sneezing. We changed her bedding to a non-dusty, hypoallergenic kind.

Should I get my mom to take poor Justin to the vet? Or does she just have something that she inherited?

Hi!

I would say monitor her sneezing and other behavior. If she keeps on sneezing for more than a week, more concern shuold be raised. However, if she is eating/drinking and pooping well, then it coudl be something that will jut go away for a time.

But if she starts becoming lethargic and unactive and not eating properly, take her to the vet straight away.

You could also think about researching particular Immune system boosting foods, here is a suggestion from Fancyrats.com:

Feeding to Support the Immune System

Short term diet to help boost immune system health

Sometimes when our rats are fighting infection, stressed or feeling generally below par it makes sense to look to their nutrition to give then that extra boost that their immune system might need. This mix is useful to feed to any rat having antibiotics/surgery or likely to be experiencing sustained stress.

Brown rice booster
The mix is designed to be fed daily, alongside (say 50/50) a good quality grain mix. The completed mix can be stored for up to 48 hours in a refrigerator, in an airtight container.

3 cups of cooked brown rice. 1
½ cup oily fish (tuna/mackerel/sardines/salmon/trout) either fresh (cooked) or tinned in either spring water or tomato sauce. 2
1 carrot – grated. 3
1 tablespoon flaked almonds. 4
1 cup broccoli – chopped. 5
3 cloves garlic (raw) – finely chopped or grated. 6
½ cup strawberries – chopped. 7
½ tablespoon flax oil or a tablespoon of flax seeds. 8

Mix all ingredients together. Sprinkle on a probiotic and/or multivitamin if desired.

Notes The ingredients of this mix are chosen for their high levels of the following nutrients: selenium, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, bioflavinoids, carotenoids and garlic. All of these nutrients have been shown to boost the functioning of the immune. The body can be viewed an having a microscopic army, which is both defensive and offensive – creating barriers to viruses, killing bacteria both chemically and by engulfing them, and maintaining normal flora (good bacteria) that are responsible for maintaining an environment that is hostile to invasive bacteria. The immune system is complex and has many weapons and defensive tactics. Many micronutrients have been found to help build a strong immune system by increasing antibody production, supporting white cell production, protecting the body against environmental pollutants and aiding the production of other aspects of the immune system such as interferon, T-cell and B-cell production. It should be noted that whilst rats can manufacture their own vitamin C research seems to indicate that there are still benefits from high levels of dietary vitamin C, especially for elderly rats.

1 Wholegrain rice is a good source of selenium, zinc and vitamin E.
2 Oily fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and selenium.
3 Carrots contain beta carotine (a carotenoid) and bioflavenoids.
4 Almonds contain vitamin E and zinc.
5 Broccoli is rich in vitamin C, beta carotine and bioflavenoids.
6 Garlic is immune boosting itself and is known to increase antibody production.
7 Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C and bioflavenoids. When out of season they can be substituted with other berries.
8 Flax oil is high in omega 3 fatty acids.

The volumes above will feed approximately 12 to 15 rats.

My baby just started coughing a dry cough yesterday. He has a very mild runny nose. and nothing else! his breathing is a little heavy but not a whole lot.

Could that be asthma? How can they determine whether or not a baby has asthma?
my baby is 8 months, and btw he coughs really loud and hard!

A dry cough can sometimes be a sign of teething, their saliva dribbles back into their throat and it makes them cough.

Wheezing is more of a sign of asthma, but mention it at the next doctor’s appointment if you’re concerned.

I just got over a cold but now everytime I put on my headphones on my ear (I have the kind that you put inside your ear) I end up coughing hard and the inside of my ear becomes irritated and a little itchy. What is wrong with the insides of my ear? Thanks.

The ear nose and throat are all connected it’s possible your not 100% over your cold and it’s effecting you this way. How I’m not sure but would say if it continues much longer I would contact your Doctor and have it checked.

if you dont like cough syrum (me) then gargle with hot water and salt and take a spoon full of honey. drink hot chocolate that what i do when i am sick
and for the could just blow your nose and get some sleep it should go away in a few days

My CVS is having a sale on Cough Syrup. 711 mgs of DXM only cough for $4, usually $7. The problem is it tastes like ass. That’s why I went over to DXM capsules, because when I would drink it I would immediatly start gagging after the second or third gulp.

Does anyone have any tips to make this more tolerable?

dont try and get high off cough medicine would probably be the best way