Kennel Cough

[rastus_froggy]

I have read the other topics on kennel cough but cant seem to find the answer, about how long does the cough generally last?

[Erny]

It depends on the strain of virus and whether your dog has caught a mild or more severe dose of it. I believe the cough can continue for 7 - 10 days or so in the heavier cases. When my boy was a young pup he contracted Canine Cough. I expect it was a mild dose, but at the very first sign of it I began dosing him with Active Manuka Honey. This has natural healing and soothing qualities to it and helps to support the immune system. (If you want to know more about AMH visit my website and click on the "Links" tab at the top. Then click on the Active Manuka Honey link.) He had a bit of a sore throat with his CC and the honey definitely helped with that. I used some honey in a little bit of water, to encourage him to drink, when I felt that he hadn't been drinking much. I kept him indoors in a draft free environment and didn't do anything to tax him (eg. I didn't do any training that would have him too active and anything I did do was only on the easy stuff he already knew well - and only then it was because he needed the mental stimulation. Any activity we did do was passive, as exercise will usually bring on a coughing fit.) Within 24 hours his cough had stopped and within another 24 hours he was back on top of the world. I continued with the honey (although I backed off on the amount I was giving him) for the rest of the week. Even though he had no residual signs of it, I treated him as though he still had CC for that week and a little bit more, in that we didn't go out for walks, down to the park etc.

So it can vary from one dog to another. If my dog was still coughing without signs of it diminishing inside 7 days, I would have him to the Vet.

I watched for signs of secondary infection but in his case he didn't even get the nasal mucus that often affects dogs when they have Canine Cough.

If you're not sure, take him to the Vet in the meantime, but I wouldn't necessarily go for the antibiotic trip that many of the Vets put people's dogs on straight off as a matter of course. Canine Cough is a virus and antibiotics don't do anything for it. If your Vet suggests antibiotics ask why. Does your dog have a secondary infection? If the answer is yes, then your dog will need the antibiotics. In my opinion, antibiotics are dished out far too often for "just in case" reasons.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Erny

[Dagmar]

It depends on the strain of virus and whether your dog has caught a mild or more severe dose of it. I believe the cough can continue for 7 - 10 days or so in the heavier cases. When my boy was a young pup he contracted Canine Cough. I expect it was a mild dose, but at the very first sign of it I began dosing him with Active Manuka Honey. This has natural healing and soothing qualities to it and helps to support the immune system. (If you want to know more about AMH visit my website and click on the "Links" tab at the top. Then click on the Active Manuka Honey link.) He had a bit of a sore throat with his CC and the honey definitely helped with that. I used some honey in a little bit of water, to encourage him to drink, when I felt that he hadn't been drinking much. I kept him indoors in a draft free environment and didn't do anything to tax him (eg. I didn't do any training that would have him too active and anything I did do was only on the easy stuff he already knew well - and only then it was because he needed the mental stimulation. Any activity we did do was passive, as exercise will usually bring on a coughing fit.) Within 24 hours his cough had stopped and within another 24 hours he was back on top of the world. I continued with the honey (although I backed off on the amount I was giving him) for the rest of the week. Even though he had no residual signs of it, I treated him as though he still had CC for that week and a little bit more, in that we didn't go out for walks, down to the park etc.

So it can vary from one dog to another. If my dog was still coughing without signs of it diminishing inside 7 days, I would have him to the Vet.

I watched for signs of secondary infection but in his case he didn't even get the nasal mucus that often affects dogs when they have Canine Cough.

If you're not sure, take him to the Vet in the meantime, but I wouldn't necessarily go for the antibiotic trip that many of the Vets put people's dogs on straight off as a matter of course. Canine Cough is a virus and antibiotics don't do anything for it. If your Vet suggests antibiotics ask why. Does your dog have a secondary infection? If the answer is yes, then your dog will need the antibiotics. In my opinion, antibiotics are dished out far too often for "just in case" reasons.

Great reply! I couldn't agree more. I even assume the Manuka Honey will take care of any bacterial infection, if there was one.

Dagmar

[rastus_froggy]

Thanks for that, I have not been able to get hold of any Manuka Honey as yet, so I have just been keeping her warm and giving her some regular honey straight from the hive. She has been coughing for five days now (it started 4 days after we were with a large group of dogs), I called the vet on day one of her coughing and the receptionist said that I should bring her in straight away and they would put her on antibiotics, but after reading stuff on here I decided to wait and see how it panned out.

I will give her a couple more days, it is becoming a little less but she still coughs when she moves around, all training has stopped totally as it was distressing her too much.

ETA It is frustrating as she is vaccinated, I can only think that it would have been much worse had she not been. Also the other 2 dogs have not shown any sign of coughing at all but I am keeping them all quarentined.

Edited May 25, 2010 by rastus_froggy

[Erny]

Thanks for that, I have not been able to get hold of any Manuka Honey as yet, so I have just been keeping her warm and giving her some regular honey straight from the hive.

Nothing wrong with straight regular honey, but it doesn't have the antibacterial and immune system support qualities that Active Manuka Honey has. When you do source the AMH, aim to get a UMF factor of 20+ or higher (the higher the better). But be prepared, because it is not cheap!!

She has been coughing for five days now (it started 4 days after we were with a large group of dogs)

Incubation period is generally longer than that, so it isn't necessarily likely that your dog picked it up from them.

ETA It is frustrating as she is vaccinated, I can only think that it would have been much worse had she not been.

Vaccination against CC (eg C5) only covers two strains. There's more than 100 strains of CC that your dog could contract.

Also the other 2 dogs have not shown any sign of coughing at all but I am keeping them all quarantined.

Good idea, because it is highly contagious. It can't hurt your other dogs to receive some AMH when you get it as well, even though they're not showing symptoms.

[WreckitWhippet]

The current strain that is in Orange and Blayney will last about 10 or so days with the coughing and dogs should be kept quarantined for a couple of weeks after the last cough.

Vaccination against KC is virtually useless and you will most likely find those who have been done, will be hit hardest.

[Teebs]

you can get Manuka Honey from the health food shop in the Orange Arcade, near that shop that Turner owns.

I no longer vaccinate for it, every year i vaccinated kaos got it, last year no needles, and she didnt get it!

Edited May 25, 2010 by Teebs

[nickojoy]

Vaccination against KC is virtually useless and you will most likely find those who have been done, will be hit hardest.

My boy had 2 x C5's as a pup and got it bad under 5 months of age, the old renbury KC the people that have rescued dogs and pups will know what I am talking about. I visited a breeder 2 weeks ago and haven't been around any other dogs, now he has green snot and a hack... I must have bought it home on clothes. This is the 3rd time he has had it, and he is 3 years old. Has also had C5's yearly.

So no vac this year, because he is going to get it regardless of vaccination. The C5 doesn't work and is a total waste of money.

[Erny]

I no longer vaccinate for it, every year i vaccinated kaos got it, last year no needles, and she didnt get it!

It's a bit like me. For several years running, I opted for the flu vaccine. And each year I copped a really bad head and then chest cold.

I stopped the vaccines and I *touch wood* haven't had a cold since.

I know 'they' keep telling us we can't get the flu from the vaccines, but .

Edited May 25, 2010 by Erny

[Dagmar]

Vaccination against KC is virtually useless and you will most likely find those who have been done, will be hit hardest.

My boy had 2 x C5's as a pup and got it bad under 5 months of age, the old renbury KC the people that have rescued dogs and pups will know what I am talking about. I visited a breeder 2 weeks ago and haven't been around any other dogs, now he has green snot and a hack... I must have bought it home on clothes. This is the 3rd time he has had it, and he is 3 years old. Has also had C5's yearly.

So no vac this year, because he is going to get it regardless of vaccination. The C5 doesn't work and is a total waste of money.

It is a waste of money IMO and KC just runs its course.

[Shmurps]

Vaccination against KC is virtually useless and you will most likely find those who have been done, will be hit hardest.

My boy had 2 x C5's as a pup and got it bad under 5 months of age, the old renbury KC the people that have rescued dogs and pups will know what I am talking about. I visited a breeder 2 weeks ago and haven't been around any other dogs, now he has green snot and a hack... I must have bought it home on clothes. This is the 3rd time he has had it, and he is 3 years old. Has also had C5's yearly.

So no vac this year, because he is going to get it regardless of vaccination. The C5 doesn't work and is a total waste of money.

Can you bring it home on your clothes? I was under the impression you couldn't.

I also volunteer at a shelter, however I always spray down with F10, take my clothes off at the frond door then straight into the wash with domestos.

[Daisy]

Just wanted to say that I no longer vaccinate my dogs for kennel cough, and I regularly have foster dogs here who come in with it. Some of my dogs have had it once, some never, and now they don't seem to get it at all so I think they have built up some natural immunity

ETA that of the many foster dogs I have had over the last 5 years who have had KC, only one has been bad enough to require antibiotics, all the rest recovered with no special treatment apart from keeping them warm and quiet (well as quiet as possible :D ).

Edited May 26, 2010 by Daisy