My family adopted a 6 yr old male Cocker Spaniel named Bailey from an animal shelter in December 07. Checked by a vet, he was diagnosed with a 2-3/6 heart murmur and had kennel cough prior to the adoption. The cough has persisted for almost three months. A variety of antibiotics have been prescribed including Amoxicillin, Tetracycline 250 MG, Cephalexin 500 MG, and lastly Baytril #68. Lasix 50 MG was also given for the heart murmur to see if the cough was heart related. There was little improvement with any of the treatments. The cough is productive and he coughs up phlegm but usually swallows it. It is yellowish in color. Sometimes his breathing seems labored as if he's gasping for breath. His symptoms mirror Bronchitis in a human. Bailey also has runny eyes and recently the discharge has turned a reddish hue. Bathing seemed to help his eyes. We love Bailey and he immediately became part of our family but we are concerned about his persistent cough. It sounds like whooping cough, as if a flock of geese are flying overhead. We are going to take him to another vet for a second opinion but do you have suggestions of treatment or anything we can do at home to help him feel more comfortable?
