My 11-year-old rescue Jack Russell has been diagnosed with Chronic Canine Bronchitis. He started having difficulty breathing in about 15 months ago and only now have we finally been able to get a diagnosis. It is tentative as further tests are not going ahead due to the risk involved with the anaesthesia. The vet and I are happy enough that the diagnosis is most likely correct. The symptoms and the lung x-ray certainly seem to support that conclusion, although he doesn’t have a cough, which is odd.
Unfortunately there is no cure and all we can do is hope to manage it. Steroids have had no worthwhile positive effect so far, but he is still currently taking 10mg a day of Prednoral to give some relief. He also takes a bronchodilator in pill form (Millophyline three times a day) and will continue to do so for the time being. No other treatment is being given at the moment but I am looking into the possibility of administering drugs via a nebuliser for dogs. The drug I have been recommended by the nebuliser company is fluticasone diproprionate (trade name Flixotide). They say I would only have to give it twice a day for five breaths (or approximately seven to ten seconds). That doesn’t seem too bad, but I know Jack Russells and I know my Jack Russell, and am wondering if he would let me do this? Also is there anything else I could be doing for him?
Does anyone have any experience or ideas regarding the management of Chronic Canine Bronchitis or has anyone had any experience using a nebuliser (‘puffer’ variety) on a dog please?
Jenny Prevel, by email
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