My Jack Russell mix was sprayed by a skunk last Friday. We cleaned his face and washed him up right away. But two days later he started coughing and throwing up. We brought him to an emergency vet visit and they told us that he has kennel cough. Last night as he is laying in bed with me coughing I was trying to comfort him and I smelt a strong oder of skunk only while he was coughing. He has done this a few different times today as well. He really hasn't been eating, drinking a little bit, and not quite himself. I am really starting to worry, but don't know what to do. His gums as still nice and pink and he is going to the bathroom regularly. I need help.
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You are thinking he may have aspirated skunk spray and it is in his lungs. It's likely he actually aspirated his own vomit. This could lead to something worse if not treated, such as pneumonia. Either way, he should still be treated because both conditions lead to fluid buildup in the lungs.
Was your dog boarded recently? Does he spend a lot of time with other dogs, like the dog park? If the answer is no, it is unlikely, though still possible, that he has contracted kennel cough. When a dog is coughing but there is no other obvious reason, vets just assume it's kennel cough.
Whether he has aspirated skunk spray, his own vomit, or has kennel cough, the ultimate outcome is fluid buildup in the lungs and it can become infected.
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