claireybell Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Hi guys, My poor little girl, Jesie has kennel cough. The vet has given her some anti biotics and cough syrup. What I wanted to know is if there is anything else I can do for her? I've been keeping her warm and we have some manuka honey here that I have been dissolving for her and putting in her water. Last night I took her into the ensuite while OH showered so that she could breathe in the steam. My Jesie is a full on active dog. She never stops moving and is always on the go. Its heart breaking to see her looking so deflated and lethargic. I'm just praying that my other doggie wont come down with it aswell. Any advise you can offer would be soooooo grealy appreciated. Thanks guys. xxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Just keep her warm and quiet, not much else you can do. Does she have a secondary infection? If not, why is she on Anti bios? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I was going to ask that too, Teebs. Either there are lots of secondary infections from CC occurring, or Vets are jumping to the anti-biotic cabinet very quickly. Is it that they don't think the dogs' owners will be likely to pick up on the onset of secondary infection if there was to be one and so they prescribe anti-biotics as a "just in case" measure perhaps? Not that I like that idea either. Claireybell - the Active Manuka Honey is great, provided you have one that has a UMF of 20+ or higher. This number indicates the "Active" component of the honey and it is this that does all the really good stuff in boosting the immune system and helping to fight off bacteria etc. etc. Keep your dog quiet and in draft free areas. I'm not so sure that merely breathing in steam from hot water is going to assist. Not even sure the dampness of it is going to be good (I know that this remedy is something we did do when I was a kid, but that was for the sake of medicated vapours to help us breath - I wouldn't necessarily do that for a dog though). Canine Cough is very contageous and therefore you should keep both of your dogs confined to help stop the spread of the virus to others. Even though your other dog might not show signs, he/she could be incubating it without the symptoms being evident. It's a bad cold. With care they generally get over it. Just watch for signs of worsening (eg pneumonia) and contact your Vet in the event you think that could be a possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMA Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) Antobiotics are given because kennel cough can be caused by a couple of viruses &/or Bordetella bronchiseptica which is a bacteria. And considering Bordetella is rather common, if the dog has kennel cough caused by one of the viruses, it can get considerably worse if Bordetella kicks in as well. Now antibiotics maybe useless against a virus, but it can deal with Bordetella (& any secondary infections caused by other bacteria). Needless to say the C5 vaccine covers Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza & Bordetella. PS: Paws crossed for a speedy recovery Clairyebell. It sounds like you're doing everything you can, so there's no reason why your little girl won't recover. My Maze got it, a few weeks ago after I adopted him from the pound, & has fully recovered. Edited July 28, 2009 by DMA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotwyr Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 We had KC a earlier in the year and 6 of my 11 dogs caught it (luckily not my 2 oldies) with the Manuka Honey - don't dissolve it just give the dog a teaspoonful a day.... also Vit C & Echinacea tabs (1000mg) are also helpful for a quicker recovery....just give 1 broken up tablet on food a day and also take one yourself Rae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Needless to say the C5 vaccine covers Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza & Bordetella. Depends what vet you go to I know 2 who dont do Parinfluenza and Bordetella in their C5. you have to get a C7 to get them both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claireybell Posted July 28, 2009 Author Share Posted July 28, 2009 Thanks guys for your replies. She already had anti biotics as she has an infection on her lip. Vet said her lymph glands were up and her temperature is slightly elevated. We went to the vet on Saturday for her lips and went back Monday for the cough. The manuka honey is 20+ I tried to get her to eat it from the spoon but the fussy madam wouldn't have a bar of it. She hadn't eaten all day but she's just had some boiled chicken thigh fillets (her fave) and she scoffed them down. She must have been hungry as usually she is a very lady like eater. Both dogs are confined. They haven't been out since Saturday morning (besides the vet on Monday and the vet saw her in my car) and I'm pretty sure (not 100% though) that Jesie picked it up Saturday afternoon at the vet. We were with two other dogs Saturday morning and I have warned both of them of what has happened. So far so good, their dogs are ok. Just hope it stays that way. As mentioned before she is usually a totally hyper dog (I think she has adhd! ) but she's being very quiet at the moment. I went and bought her a new toy and she perked up at that. She's taken herself off to bed with it. I've put a jumper on her which normally she HATES! But she's been happy enough with it on. The ducted heating is pumping (sweating to death myself but hey) and I've made sure all the doors and windows are closed. Jodie (other dog) doesn't seem to have come down with it, yet Just feel completely helpless. She let me pick her up last night and cuddle her for about 30 minutes which is very odd. She's always too busy for cuddles. Just wish I could kiss the cough away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daxilly Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 When my ACD first got KC, I took her to the Vet because I thought, as a new dog owner, that was what was required. They gave her antibiotics, even though, to my untrained eye, she didn't seem that bad. The next time I phoned and was told to bring her in as she would need antibiotics. As somebody who believes in non antibiotic intervention, unless absolutely needed, I let her ride out the cough. Now I don't take her to the vets if she gets KC. She has KC at the moment, even though she gets vaccinated yearly. The transmission of the virus has me stumped! We live in a remote farm area, she never sees other dogs, yet somehow manages to get KC. I thought it was transmitted via water droplets, similar to human colds. Unless some of the contractors, who come onto the property, have a dog with KC and they transfer it to her, I can't see how she gets it. Would foxes get it? We have lots of those. Does anybody know the life span of the virus outside the body? Could it survive on shoes or hands for more than an hour? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMA Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) Needless to say the C5 vaccine covers Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza & Bordetella. Depends what vet you go to I know 2 who dont do Parinfluenza and Bordetella in their C5. you have to get a C7 to get them both Really? Well that's really misleading of them considering it's pretty much an industry standard of what's in C5. I know of several bording kennels who demand all dogs have C5 vaccination. And I'd bet good money they wouldn't be impressed kennel cough isn't being vaccinated against. Nor would I & I'd move to a different vet if they tried to pull that stunt (not that the ones I go to would). Edited July 28, 2009 by DMA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) Daxilly - i have seen a few dogs with it, i have to say, the dogs that have been hit the worst are those that live out of town, who never meet other dogs, one little dog i know was very very sick for a few weeks with it I believe it can travel 1km (?) on the wind, so it can be passed around very easily. I no longer vaccinate, my dogs have still gotten it, even tho they have had their vaccinations. Unless ineed to leave them at work for some reason, they will not be done again. Needless to say the C5 vaccine covers Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza & Bordetella. Depends what vet you go to I know 2 who dont do Parinfluenza and Bordetella in their C5. you have to get a C7 to get them both Really? Well that's really misleading of them considering it's pretty much an industry standard of what's in C5. I know of several bording kennels who demand all dogs have C5 vaccination. And I'd bet good money they wouldn't be impressed kennel cough isn't being vaccinated against. Nor would I & I'd move to a different vet if they tried to pull that stunt (not that the ones I go to would). that is how we found out, i work in a kennel... talking to the vets one day and they came out and told us that theirs doesnt have CC in it, we went nuts at them, they now know what we need for boarding and now ask everyone if they are looking at kenneling. Edited July 28, 2009 by Teebs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMA Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 When my ACD first got KC, I took her to the Vet because I thought, as a new dog owner, that was what was required. They gave her antibiotics, even though, to my untrained eye, she didn't seem that bad. The next time I phoned and was told to bring her in as she would need antibiotics. As somebody who believes in non antibiotic intervention, unless absolutely needed, I let her ride out the cough. Now I don't take her to the vets if she gets KC. She has KC at the moment, even though she gets vaccinated yearly. The transmission of the virus has me stumped! We live in a remote farm area, she never sees other dogs, yet somehow manages to get KC. I thought it was transmitted via water droplets, similar to human colds. Unless some of the contractors, who come onto the property, have a dog with KC and they transfer it to her, I can't see how she gets it. Would foxes get it? We have lots of those. Does anybody know the life span of the virus outside the body? Could it survive on shoes or hands for more than an hour? Thanks Poor girl. I hope she recovers soon. Kennel cough can be caused by at least three viruses &/or Bordetella. Furthemore there are a couple of variants of Bordetella as well although bronchiseptica is the main villian I'm told. As for life span, etc, well it depends which virus or bacteria we're talking about. Distemper & parainfluenza, for example, can only survive a few hours, but Bordetella can last up to months. Transmission for all of these virus/bacteria can be aerosol & physical contact from what I understand. And humans can be carriers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMA Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 that is how we found out, i work in a kennel... talking to the vets one day and they came out and told us that theirs doesnt have CC in it, we went nuts at them, they now know what we need for boarding and now ask everyone if they are looking at kenneling. I don't blame you at all for going nuts at them as that's really irresponsible of the vet(s) in question. I'd be moving vets, if it happened to me, but I know the ones I go to wouldn't pull that stunt. I demand the "real" C5 because, due to my pound volunteer work, my pack would be at serious risk considering what I get exposed to - especially Parvo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I dont use the vets. Havent for years (not impressed when the only solution to our dogs problem was to PTS, and that they could to it on the spot and get rid of him for us.... went to another vet and got another 4 years out of our boy!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMA Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I dont use the vets. Havent for years (not impressed when the only solution to our dogs problem was to PTS, and that they could to it on the spot and get rid of him for us.... went to another vet and got another 4 years out of our boy!) Well all I can say is I hope those other "vets" have gone broke by now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 i wish! but im happy with my vets now they adore my pets and i wont be going anywhere else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMA Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 i wish!but im happy with my vets now they adore my pets and i wont be going anywhere else They're the best vets to have. My vets are the same. In fact they all know my pack too! To top it off one wants my Alice & another wants my Maze! Well they aren't getting them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 one of the vets already asked me if i die, can he have Atlas I also pet sit the other vets dogs, so yeah, very happy there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claireybell Posted July 31, 2009 Author Share Posted July 31, 2009 Just wanted to update you all. Jesie is feeling HEAPS better!! Last night she was playing with my other doggie, chasing the cats and playing with her toys! yay my baby is on the mend. She still has a bit of a cough but she slept through last night which is the forst time since Saturday. What a relief Thanks again for all the helpful tips guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMA Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Just wanted to update you all. Jesie is feeling HEAPS better!! Last night she was playing with my other doggie, chasing the cats and playing with her toys! yay my baby is on the mend. She still has a bit of a cough but she slept through last night which is the forst time since Saturday. What a relief Thanks again for all the helpful tips guys Great to hear she's well & truly on the mend. She'll be back to digging huge holes, eating kitchen spoons, & everything else she usually does before you know it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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