Acetaminophen - Page 1

My 15 month old girl recently was recently diagnosed with kennel cough and my vet prescribed an antibiotic as well as Lortab (acetaminophen and hydrocodone) to control her cough. I thought I was told once that acetaminophen was very dangerous for dogs?? He assured me it was not, but I still can't shake the doubt. Does anyone know about this? And is this a common treatment for kennel cough? I am afraid some of my other dogs will come down with it also, though most of them have been vaccinated, and I have this bitch quarantined away from the others. If so, what is the best treatment? Is there anything I can do that doesn't involve taking them to the vet? I ask because the bill for this last visit was a bit over $200, so I hate to have to pay that repeatedly, but will if it's the only way. We have horses also and keep a wide range of antibiotics on hand, some of which we can use ourselves, mainly 100 mg SMZ (sulfamethizone, not sure of spelling?) tablets. One per every hundred pounds twice daily, for horses, same for humans. They are an excellent broad spectrum antibiotic, used for everything from pneumonia to infected cuts. Cost is about $6.00 for 20 tablets, so they are very economical. Has anyone else used these for dogs?

If your dog only has a cough and no other effects such as an infection then antibiotics are totally unnecessary.  No one gives a human antibiotics for a cough only the secondaries that follow.

My old boy got kennel cough last year and we treated him with kids cough mixture, this helped ease the coughing and it cleared up on its own.  Before anyone knocks this it was on the advice of my vet.  Cost very little, the dog happily took it down from a syring and has bounced back well.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is hepatotoxic in dogs and can produce a condition called methemoglobinemia (Heinz body anemia)--which may be fatal.

In an otherwise healthy, young dog, kennel cough is largely self-limiting. Sometimes human cough medications may be helpful. In veterinary medicine, the usual antitussiive is Torbutrol (torbugesic).

There are some intranasal vaccines that may limit the progression of kennel cough--I would not reccommend them.

My aged GSD female was exposed to kennel cough in January while away from home. When she returned, she had an occasional moist cough and little appetite. Quite frankly, I gave her no treatment other than some oral Triaminic Thin Strips (Dextromethophan human cough suppressant), largely crate rest in the house during rainy weather, and a soft diet--absolutely no antibiotics. I did not isolate her from my adult males who have very strong immune systems (haven't been vaccinated in years). I did not vaccinate them either. They developed no symtoms.

The old girls' condition resolved within a couple of weeks.

Thank you very much for your responses. It scares me to think that a vet would recommend something that can be fatal. I will immediately stop with the acetaminophen treatment. I believe the antibiotics were prescribed because she has nasty green discharge from her nose, which he said often develops from kennel cough. What would be the best antibiotic to use for this? And/or will this clear up on it's own?

Another question...I have a female who is nursing a two week old puppy (she only had one in the litter) and this puppy has started to breathe with a slight gurgling sound, sort of like she has a snotty nose, but there is no discharge. I have never heard her cough and the bitch has not shown any symptoms whatsoever. Could this puppy have kennel cough? Could the dam, though not sick herself, have carried it to the puppy? If so, is the puppy in danger and what should I do? I am somewhat afraid to consult my vet on this matter and now plan to seek a new vet. The puppy is very active, eats very well, and seems healthy, other than the breathing noise.

If the dog has a green discharge from the nose, the dog probably has a secondary bacterial infection and that could get very nasty too. This dog DOES need antibiotics based on what you say here.

Acetaminophen is used in a lot of canines without any difficulty. It can cause liver problems and methemglobinemia but this is rare without large doses or chronic administration. This medication should NEVER be given to a cat. It may be a safer alternative that other non-steroidal drugs. The cough you want is a cough that expels the garbage out of the lungs, and that loosens the gunk in the lungs so that it can be expelled. So I would talk to your vet about this as the vet has seen the dog, and we have not. If you don't trust your vet find someone you do trust.

I feel as you do...I have a wonderful vet and had one in Galveston before moving to East Texas.....I hate to say this...but I never trust what any other vet says....if you have doubts, which you should if he told you acetaminophen is ok.....my vet told me not to even give kaopectate and pepto as they too, have an added dose of aspirin in them....

I dont even want to tell you all the reasons  you need to just listen to Louise or Hodie and some of  us that have years under our belts.....

German shepherds cannot be treated like house dogs do and are... It is unbelivevable how vets put peoples loving pets in danger by giving meds by the boatloads and vacines and preventatives that have know reactions...

Just ask from this board ,,read all the replies and follow your gut.    Women have what is called   Womens intuition....follow it...do some research on websites about meds and the cures and the harms of vacines, if dont incorrectly...regardless of what your vet says..I've gone up against a many of them,and my vet agrees with me..He has very harsh opinions about a lot of the meds given to dogs, ei. german shepherds.

He studied in Germany many years ago and I appreciate him...

vit c is also helpful with the treatment of kennel cough we had a real nasty infection steam helps ease it and as mentioned above kids cough mixture

The vets I've worked with commonly treat Kennel cough with antiboitics and Prednisone (steriod to help with inflammation and irritation to give the dog relief) and in severe cases will give hydrocodone for pain.  Although beware of Tetracycline (antiboitic) on young dogs....commonly turns their teeth yellow, it's fine for adult dogs for the most part. 

It's extremely contagious....try to keep the dog infected completely separate from your other dogs, but still very commonly will spread to the other dogs since it's airborne.  Not deadly, more annoying then anything! 

SMZ can be used in dogs, but have never seen it used to treat kennel cough.  Always Tetracycline and Clavamox. 

I don't see why the tylenol either.  Antibiotics are given to prevent a secondary infection, and at worse case pnemonia.  Usually not the case, as someone else said, more annoying than anything!  If the cough is bad enough, we'll use Temaril P or Torbugesic tabs. 

A vet gave one of my pups a vaccine to prevent kennel cough, does anyone know what it would have been?   Did I get ripped off or is this something that can be effective?