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Chickabee

Can dogs get hay fever

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Every year around this time, my lab Oscar gets a cough. He gets it again a bit later in the summer. If I take him to the vets they always say it's kennel cough and insist he need antibiotics and complete rest. My other 2 dogs never get it from him, they all drink from the same water bowls, sleep in the same room and wash up each others food bowls.

 

I really don't like him having antibiotics, they don't seem to do anything anyway. Any ideas :?

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I assume they can

I've had a cat which used to get hay fever

And dogs and cats can both have a variety of allergies.

But I would expect the symptoms to be a bit more like 'ours' - ie sneezing, runny eyes etc.

Is there another vet you could try for another opinion?

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Perhaps it is as you have noticed seasonal variations.My lab had similar thing although it sounded like a cross between a cough and retch.Vet thought kennel cough even though other dogs were fine.Then vet tried scope as said labs were prone to problems with floppy windpipe.Scope clear but blood tests showed liver disease,still coughing despite 6 weeks antibiotics then 6 weeks steroids . :(

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I'm certain dogs can get hayfever (not from any proven scientific knowledge, just from "experience"). Another problem some dogs seem to be prone to is getting seeds (and possibly other stuff, including long grass) stuck in their throats which might account for the seasonality with your dog (I'm thinking grass seed at this time of year?)

Do ABs usually clear it up? I'd go with your instinct!

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My collie developed a kind of wretching cough, it turned out to be a heart problem. Maybe worth getting a second opinion from another vet if you aren't happy.

 

They can certainly get allergies so no reason why hayfever should be ruled out. I know a friends dog is on piriton.

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Our Herbie-dog kept getting swollen and runny eyes, and the vet kept giving him expensive antibiotic eye drops that didn't seem to do much.

 

I noticed it always seemed to coincide with when he'd been in the field, so I slipped him 1/2 of one of my low-dose anti-histamines one night and it had completely cleared up by the next day. Could just have been coincidence :whistle:

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Thanks for that. I didn't take him for his booster because of the cough. Vet said I must rush him in as it must be kennel cough. I said I will wait. Haven't heard him cough at all today. They are a great vet surgery but they do like to throw antibiotics at you at the drop of a hat.

 

I also have a guide dog puppy. Their policy is to give them honey and some glycerine type child's cough medicine. Like a simple linctus. :)

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Yes with vets I think they are in business to be profitable and do tend to wade in with treatments.My vet is excellent but we disagree with my labs liver disease.They freely admit there are two corses which might work ie antibiotics and steroids.She has had both with no effect.They then wanted to biopsy,which in dogs means a full opening up to get at liver.She is 10years old and there is no way I am putting her through that with no treatment option.She is eating,playing etc so I will just observe and PTS when the time is right.What I have found quite hurtful though they have been my vets for 30 odd years and with various pets I have probably paid a vets salary for a year,when I have been in with other dog they never even inquired about Riley. :(

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Years ago when I was learning to ride, one of the horses had hayfever and had to have different bedding to the other horses in the stables! So there was the Major and myself sneezing away and dribbly noses in the summer.

 

And have you seen the cows? They all get hayfever! :whistle:

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Dogs can have issues with overly long soft palates, laryngeal paralysis or laryngeal collapse. Symtoms can be seasonal and typically symptoms present themselves when the weather starts to warm up. Laryngeal paralysis is common in certain breeds especially Labradors and Golden Retrievers (but any breed can be affected). It might be worth you having a word with your vet about the possibility of something like this when you go to see them.

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That's brilliant. Thank you. It sounds just like him. The fact that my guide dog pups have never got it made me a bit suspicious as they would have no immunity. They have the kennel cough vaccination at 7 months, but that doesn't cover all variants, and my current pup is 6 months. :)

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