Well, it’s finally happened. Both dogs are sick at the same time. We got the dogs bathed at the vet last weekend, and apparently they had a virus going around that Luka caught. He’s been hacking up a lung for a couple days-we originally thought maybe he had a burr from and elk antler stuck in his throat but the vet confirmed the virus. They also said that he’s running a fever so they think it’s become bacterial, so he’s on two weeks of antibiotics and cough suppressants.
This morning Mia started hacking too. Vet wants us to try to ride out the next couple of days to see how she progresses (she always has stomach issues with antibiotics).

I have to run out to get pill pockets today, but can anyone recommend anything for helping with their coughs that isn’t meds? The vet warned us if they’re sensitive to the antibiotics they might not react well with the cough suppressant, so I was wondering if anyone has tried anything else for their dogs? I’d say honey if she was human obviously but I don’t know for dogs?

A humidifier or vaporizer where they sleep (water only, not vicks or anything) helps and, yes honey or honey in plain yogurt. Plain yogurt is a good idea with antibiotics anyway, helps prevent digestive upset, same as it does for humans.

Thanks!!!! I’ll try the yogurt and honey this morning-Poot los won’t stop hacking up mucus. She definitely has it MUCH worse than Luka. I don’t know how she can have this much in her body! Had to call last night and vet gave us a script for her as well but said to use Lukas cough meds until I pick up ver doses today. So far the cough meds haven’t done a thing.

Good news: dogs are doing better!
Bad news neither want me to give them meds. Miss always a challenge but she lets me open her mouth and shove them in there so she can swallow them in a pill pocket.
Luka decided this morning he’s tired of taking them like he’s always done. He’s never had issues with pill pockets. Now he refuses. I had to do the same shove and swallow routine I do with Mia with him this morning. He swallowed-yay! Then turned around, looked me dead in the eye, and forced himself to puke them up.

Anyone have any magic tricks they use to get their pups their meds? The meds are tablets, if that helps any. THANKS!

Dev, my Miya is horrible at taking pills too. I use one of 2 things, either yogurt, give a few spoons without pill, and then sneak the pill in, they normally just swallow yogurt so don't realize pill was mixed in and then give one more spoon with just the yogurt again, so they wont try and puke it back up. The only other thing that has ever worked for me and Miya is cat food that has a lot of gravy in it and do the same as the yogurt. Apparently this is a problem all over this year, wondering if it's from the dry hot summer we are having. A friend of mine's lab mix was doing the same and the vet said they had a lot of dogs come in for this hacking cough, and owners thinking something stuck in the mouth, prescribing antibiotics and dogs are better after a week or two. Good luck!

Thank you! They get a wet food as a topper at dinner time, maybe I’ll try that! If not, will definitely try cat food. We do have a ton of plain yogurt for the morning to try too. He’s so skeptical of peanut butter and cheese so hopefully that’ll be different enough to interest him. They’ve only got four or five days left of the meds and they’re definitely feeling better I’d just hate to have to skip doses.

But yeah it’s going around. Our Vet is inundated with it right now. They didn’t even need to see Mia when she came down with it-just gave us the script since Luka was in the day before!

i usually use ham or natural peanut butter or i wrap them in some cooked turkey bacon.

I wish peanut butter worked! They end up just kicking around the pill. I got some squishy beef treats so I’m hoping I can be sneaky with just changing it up. Wet food didn’t cut it tonight. They’re ridiculous haha