Hello everyone, I’d be grateful for any advice with this situation - my dog is an otherwise healthy 6 year old Maltese, weighing 5kg which is a good weight for his size.
He had dental work under general anaesthetic 3 days ago. When I picked him up afterwards on that same day, he initially seemed fine, just subdued as you’d expect after an anaesthetic.
A couple of hours later, he was coughing. I thought that this was irritation from the tube they must have put down his throat. But the next day I was worried because he was coughing a lot and I had sat up most of the night with him - so I took him back to the vet, who said that he’s aspirated fluid and had crackles in his chest from it. I got antibiotics and the first dose was administered 24 hours from when the procedure had finished. He’s had 4 of the 10 doses and does seem to be coughing less, I will obviously finish the entire course regardless.
My questions are:
Firstly: how will this fluid get out of his lungs - will he cough it up bit by bit? He has been doing coughs and then a little swallow. But the coughs are now less frequent and less prolonged.
Secondly: do I assume he is ok if he is eating well, generally himself, going to the toilet ok? And has slept reasonably ok.
I haven’t left him on his own at any point since as I don’t want him to be coughing or worse and alone, also he sleeps in our bedroom.
Thanks for any help.