How Can You Recognise Kennel Cough?

[DistinctivelyTish]

Hortfurball, did you ever find out what Ella had? And is she better now? Reason I'm asking is because my girl seems to be presenting similar symptoms with no apparent cause. She does this wheezing/dry retching thing which sounds like she's trying to expel something from her throat (i.e. something stuck in there) but nothing comes out. Took her to the vet about a couple of weeks ago and the vet couldn't find anything wrong (I had the X-Rays done too, as well as the massive bill! ). Morgan was sent home with antibiotics and Benadryl (cough syrup). Today, she had a very bad case of it, this time she was salivating and looking very distressed. She's both listless and not interested in food, which are alarm bells ringing in my opinion. I rushed her to the vet again, only to be sent home with more antibiotics and Benadryl. I'm at my wits end!

[ILFC]

I spoke to Hortie- and she seems to think the vet was right- KC- due to the prevalence in our areas (we live W.A.) maybe seek a second opinion. I have before and was sent away very happy. Maybe you could do that?

[sandgrubber]

Some people call anything that makes a dog cough KC . . . others are much more specific.

We've had a very mild KC through here . . . most dogs just hack a bit for a week or so . . . though I notice my neighbor's Rotties have been coughing for a few weeks. Maybe some dogs are more succeptable. It's all complicated by the fact that serious KC is usually a bacterial infection on top of the virus . . . and both components are variable. . . and there's no reason they shouldn't combine with an allergy . . .

Anyway. Not surprising that vets find it confusing.

[hortfurball]

Sorry Tish, didn't come back to the Health Forum for a while so didn't see your post.

Still no more idea than at the beginning but Sandgrubber is right, there can be many variations.

Ella seems better after the KC meds.

BTW, I have changed vets. After thinking long and hard I would rather we had tried the $30.00 meds and then if that did not work, resort to spending mega bucks. I think my old vet was doing things the wrong way around, especially as I'm not made of money.

Then, and this is the cruncher, I found out that another vet in my area sells Kuga's heart pills for $50.00 cheaper per 100 cap bottle. Given that he is on 4 per day so needs a new bottle every 25 days, I'd much rather spend $135 than $185 for EXACTLY the same product!! Rip off merchants or what!!

I worked out I would have saved $1100- over the 18 months he's been on them had I found this out sooner. Damn but that would have come in handy lately!!!!