Hii It's normal for your dog to cough every now and then. It's part of everyday life for an animal that can sniff 4 to 6 times per second. But if your dog does it a lot or can’t seem to stop, you may have a sick pup, and they may need treatment. What’s Behind the Cough? Like us, dogs cough to get rid of dust, germs, and other stuff they breathe in. Also like us, they sometimes get infections or viruses. Dogs are social creatures that naturally sniff and slurp. This is why bacteria and viruses – including a canine form of the flu -- quickly spread from dog to dog. Germs also can land on floors, furniture, food bowls, toys, and other surfaces where the next dog to come along picks them up. A dog may be coughing because of: Kennel cough. Kennel cough is the common name for a deep, honking canine cough. Is your dog having bouts of hacking, followed by gagging? Think back a week or so. Were they at the groomer, dog park, obedience class, shelter, or playground? Chances are, they were around another sick dog. Kennel cough is highly contagious, but it's not a serious problem on its own. As long as your dog is eating well and acting like themselves, they'll probably feel better in a week or so. Your vet should make sure that they don’t need antibiotics or cough suppressants. Fungal infections. Yeast and other fungi can be picked up in dirt or through the air. There are prescription medications that can help. Heartworms. Mosquitos spread this disease. Monthly medication or an injection that lasts 6 or 12 months can prevent it. Treatment is hard on your pet, and expensive. Distemper. This virus spreads through the air. It's serious but can be prevented with a vaccine. Heart disease. Leaky valves and other problems can weaken and thicken the heart muscle. This puts pressure on the lungs and airways. Medication, along with the right diet, and exercise approved by your vet, can bring relief. Congestive heart failure. Fluid in the lungs can cause coughing. Lung problems. Sometimes dogs get bronchitis or pneumonia. They also may suck in dirt, grass seeds, or food, which can lead to an infection of the airways. Antibiotics can help. In rare cases, lung cancer is the diagnosis. Your vet will help you decide if medication or surgery is the best course. Collapse of the trachea. If the rings of cartilage on the dog's trachea, or windpipe, weaken, it can lead to tracheal collapse. It is a progressive condition that causes a harsh, dry cough, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. It is more common in small dogs like pomeranians, Yorkshire terriers, and chihuahuas. So, please pay a visit to your vet.

Hiii buddy, Vomiting can be a minor issue—simple stomach upset that passes quickly—or it can be a full-blown emergency. But how can you determine the seriousness of your dog’s vomiting? First, if the vomiting is persistent, visit the vet no matter what. Additionally, any significant amount of blood in the vomit can be a sign of an emergency. Although a small streak of red blood could be caused by simple stomach irritation (often due to the vomiting itself), vomit that is uniformly bright red, black, dark red or dark brown, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds is an emergency. Go directly to your veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital if it’s the middle of the night or the weekend. Your dog could be experiencing internal bleeding and needs immediate care. Vomiting can also be a sign of food allergies. Allergy-related vomiting might occur hours or days after food consumption, so look out for any additional symptoms like skin irritation and itching. Many kinds of commercial dog food contain a long list of ingredients, including fillers and food additives, which can cause any number of reactions in dogs, including skin allergies, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you suspect a food allergy, you may also try fresh food, which allows you to keep a closer eye on exactly what your dog is eating, as it has fewer, and higher-grade ingredients. Many pet owners report a huge improvement in their dog’s digestive health after switching to a fresh diet. When it comes to vomiting, be sure to examine any related behavior. Is your dog acting sick or having other symptoms (appetite loss, depression, lethargy, diarrhea, constipation) or do they seem pretty normal in between vomit episodes? Other signs of illness paired with vomiting mean the dog should visit the vet. Thank you

In the event a pet owner does not, or is not able to, adhere to the conventional vaccination schedules outlined, the following recommendations provide reasonable, alternative schedules that offer the most appropriate vaccines at the most appropriate intervals. Overdue During Initial Vaccination Series For the juvenile (< 16 weeks of age) dog and cat, the initial vaccination series with core vaccines is critical. During this series, a dog or cat can be considered overdue for vaccination if the patient is not returned within 6 weeks following administration of the previous dose. However, there are no published studies defining the specific intervals between initial doses of vaccine required to assure a protective immune response. It is reasonable to recommend an alternative vaccination schedule for a dog or cat determined to be overdue. Deciding which vaccine should be administered and when is based on 2 factors: Elapsed time since the previous dose Type of vaccine (recombinant, attenuated, or inactivated) being recommended. Attenuated Vaccines + Recombinant CDV Vaccine If protocol involves administration of an attenuated vaccine (or the recombinant CDV vaccine), a single dose is expected to immunize, if administered in the absence of maternally derived antibody (MDA). The challenge is determining when MDA levels no longer interfere with immunization in the individual patient. In most dogs and cats, MDA is expected to decline to noninterfering levels by 16 weeks of age. Common scenarios include: A puppy receives a single (combined) dose of core vaccines at 7 weeks of age; however, the puppy isn’t returned for the second dose until 9 weeks later, at 16 weeks of age. Administration of a single dose of a recombinant or attenuated vaccine is expected to immunize. Alternatively, administration of 2 additional doses, 2 to 6 weeks apart, rather than 1, would also be considered appropriate. A dog or cat older than 16 weeks of age is presented to the practice for the first time. Surveys of veterinarians practicing in the U.S. and Canada indicate that 2 doses, 2 to 6 weeks apart, are conventionally recommended. Inactivated Vaccines + Recombinant Noncore Vaccines When administering inactivated vaccines or recombinant noncore vaccines (eg, leptospirosis, Lyme borreliosis, FeLV), 2 initial doses are required to induce protective immunity, regardless of patient’s age at time the first dose is administered. The primary immune response following administration of the first dose of an inactivated vaccine (or recombinant FeLV or Lyme borreliosis vaccine) is relatively weak and short-lived (sometimes referred to as priming). A patient that receives only a single dose of inactivated vaccine is unlikely to develop a sustained protective immune response. Rabies vaccination is the obvious exception. The secondary immune response following administration of the second (immunizing) vaccine dose is relatively robust and has rapid onset (anamnestic). This protective immune response is sustained for months or years.3-5 Protective immunity is expected to develop by 7 days following administration of the second dose of an inactivated vaccine. The interval between the first (priming) and second (immunizing) doses of an inactivated vaccine is important: If the interval between the initial 2 doses is inordinately prolonged, the anamnestic response to the second dose may be significantly diminished, leaving the patient susceptible if exposed. During the initial series, using a noncore vaccine, any patient with a vaccination interval that exceeds 6 weeks between doses should receive 2 additional doses, 2 to 6 weeks apart. Common examples include: A kitten receiving the first dose of an FeLV vaccine at 10 weeks of age that returns 2 months later for the second dose. A dog presenting for its first dose of Lyme borreliosis vaccine (inactivated or recombinant) at 3 years of age that returns 3 months later for the second dose. See Tables 2 and 3 for a summary of recommendations for puppies and kittens overdue for vaccination during initial (juvenile) series.