Vicki -
 
        Your amoxicillin has expired.  While it most likely won't hurt, it won't
do any good either.  It's never a good idea to give expired antibiotics because
some, like tetracycline, can actually do damage after they break down.
Concerning Antigone's problems - weight loss, coupled with a chronic cough,
means it's time to go to the vet.  The most common disease causing coughing at
that age would be cardiomyopathy, which needs to be attended to quickly.  Your
vet should be able to make this diagnosis with a physical exam and an X-ray.
While there are other diseases that can cause chronic coughing, such as
allergies, and pneumonia (most commonly seen after owners have been
administering oral medications for a while (as it sometimes goes down the "wrong
pipe), cardiomyopathy will cause both weight loss and coughing due to fluid
buildup in the lungs, and is most commonly adiagnosed in older animals.
 
Bruce Williams, DVM
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[Posted in FML issue 0738]