Help Needed: How to care for a puppy with lung injury

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Linda H White

Help Needed: How to care for a puppy with lung injury

Post by Linda H White »

Our 13 month male black lab puppy got hit by a car today. He has lung injury only. No broken bones. He has blood in his lungs. The vet exrayed him and it shows blood in his lungs. He is at the vets tonight. I want to bring him home tomorrow. I need to know how to care for him. He is breathing on his own but it is labored. The vet is not giving him medicine. I can keep him secure at home but I do not know how to care for him in being injured in the lungs.
Susan

Re: Help Needed: How to care for a puppy with lung injury

Post by Susan »

Is the vet aggreeable to you bringing him home tomorrow? How long has he been at the vets? What does the vet say about his prognosis?
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CarolC
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Re: Help Needed: How to care for a puppy with lung injury *L

Post by CarolC »

Hi Linda,

I have no experience with a dog with a lung injury, but there was a similar case on this message board back in December. On December 12 Angel posted about a 9-month old puppy that was hit by a car and suffered lung damage along with other injuries. On December 15 they posted another message that Ripley had pneumonia.

Any time you aspirate (breathe in) a foreign substance (having blood in your lungs is a foreign substance) you run the risk of pneumonia. It seems like you'd want your dog to be on antibiotics, but I'm not sure. I don't know why your vet doesn't have your dog on any medicine. I think I might doublecheck by calling another vet office tomorrow and seeing what they say. If a dog has blood in the lungs, should the dog be getting antibiotics? I think I'd definitely ask that question of somebody. Best wishes to your puppy, and to you.


CLICK HERE to read about Ripley's lung injury
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critters
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Re: Help Needed: How to care for a puppy with lung injury

Post by critters »

It's not uncommon w/HBC; the medical name is pulmonary contusions (lung bruising). I agree with the others that he should be on something, whether it's pred for inflammation, a bronchodialator, or even steroids and/or a bronchodialator delivered via nebulizer. I think I'd try a second opinion if I couldn't get satisfaction from the first. It seems to work out well most of the time, unless the lungs fill up too badly.

Good luck!
Linda H White

Re: Help Needed: How to care for a puppy with lung injury

Post by Linda H White »

I have our puppy at home. It was a scary trip. The vet does have him on Medicine. They have him on CLAVAMOX(Amoxicillin trihydrate/clavulanate potassium)125mg two times a day and Prednisone 5mg 2times a day. He is weak and breathing hard at times. The trip weakened him. I am keeping him in a small room with heat in it. I have papers and diapers on the floor for him to use. They told me I could take him out but he is too weak. He is eating some and drinking some. I can only hope it is just a matter of time till he is doing better. I will keep a constant watch on him and keep him quite. He was xrayed to begin with and nothing is broken. He is a little swolen in the tummy area. He is to go back in 5 days for a check up and more xrays.
Just say your prayers for "Black Jack".
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CarolC
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Prednisone *LINK*

Post by CarolC »

Hi Linda,

Don't be surprised if he has to urinate frequently due to the Prednisone. That is one of the side effects. If he wets himself, you can clean him with unscented baby wipes. The frequent urination will go away when the medicine is gone. At the end of this message is a link to info on Prednisone.

I'm glad you're keeping him warm. He may also be comforted by being in your presence, so if he cries it may just be because he's not happy off in a room by himself, even though he's warm. He may want to be near you tonight when you go to bed. My dog is a different case, but at night she sleeps next to the bed in an old baby playpen. I took a thick comforter off of the bed and folded it so she can snuggle down and be warm. She just didn't do well sleeping in the kitchen after her accident.


CLICK HERE for info on prednisone
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critters
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Re: Help Needed: How to care for a puppy with lung injury

Post by critters »

The meds sound good. Just keep an eye on his breathing; he may need a few more things.
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critters
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Re: Help Needed: How to care for a puppy with lung injury

Post by critters »

:whale: Scott. Be aware that this is a 2005 thread, so you may not get a reply; I'm not even sure the poster will get a notice of your reply.
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