Kennel Cough

[gemibabe]

Hi all,

I think Shelby has Kennel Cough.

I have both dogs booked in at the vets today at 3pm, but was wondering how often does a dog 'cough' with Kennel Cough?

Could she just have something stuck in her throat? Or a dry throat?

And how is Kennel Cough diagnosed?

She woke up this morning gagging and when I rang the vet they said it sounds like kennel cough.

Do dogs generally 'feel' unwell? Mope around?

I don't want both dogs on a course antibiotics for 3-4 weeks if its not KC...

[mjk05]

Sounds exactly like kennel cough. It is going around Perth at the moment, especially around the agility circles.

First day or so they just hack or gag occasionally, sounds exactly they have something stuck in their throat or just a scratched throat etc.

Sometimes its a mild case and doesn't get much worse, usually they start coughing much more over the next day or so.

Its usually just diagnosed on symptoms, and treatment is supportive (rest, warm, no exertion) until the cough is gone (5-10 days). Sometimes antibiotics are necessary for a week or so. Dogs should be kept isolated (no walks/park/training) until about a week after coughing stops. If your dog has been playing at the dog park or at training classes in the last week or so, PLEASE let people know, so they can watch out for signs and keep their dogs home. For most dogs its a mild illness, for those with little pups it can be serious.

[gemibabe]

Thanks, I'll notify the people behind me with a GSD and the other house with SWF... just incase they have it...

I have to go out now...will be back after the vet trip

Thanks

Kylie

[Zorro_007]

If it's kennel cough then it doesn't produce any nasal discharge but if you do notice a yellowish discharge from the nose then I would advise you to have them on antibiotics because it would be the bacterial form known as bordetella and that doesn't tend to clear itself with time but can progress in pneumonia... if it's a viral form then time is the essence to resolving itself.

[gemibabe]

Thanks Zorro and Mj...

Their throats are not red enough to be KC... but have been told if coughing starts again in the morning to go straight back to the vets.

One is already on antibiotics for a licky licky site which should keep any KC at a distance also...

So just playing it by ear now...

Thanks again

Kylie

[BubbleGirl]

Bloody kennel cough it's a bloody sneaky thing, can start as dogs sounding like they have a fur ball, dry cough here, hack up some fur there and the next thing you know it's full blow, snottie noses, miserable dogs but still as hungry as ever.

After a lot of rescue dogs, maybe pop them onto some Benydrl now, if it is only a slight case then that could knock it on the head. I've generally never gone to the vet (and Benydrl instead) unless they have got all snotie nosed and miserable. If they get too bad DEFINATELY keep an eye on it as you can end up with pnumonia (sp?).

Kennel cough has so many strains these days and it's pretty good at disguising itself as just a normal cough and Benydrl gets rid of most strains easily.

Take Care

Riles

[gemibabe]

Allerziet mentioned benedryl aswell...

Just how much do you give a dog? one weighs in at 19kgs... the other 24kgs...

[sandyl]

Spencer's been coughing the last week as well. It sounds like he has something stuck in his throat. When he barks or runs around, it gets worse. Maddy doesn't seem to have it though. She's coughed once or twice but thats it. If its contageous(sp?) then shouldn't she have it as well? Maybe its not kennel cough.

But Spencer had it when he came back from the vets to get sterilied last year. ?

Sandra

[blacklabrador]

Just a correction there. Benedryl is merely a cough suppressant. It will not cure a dog with kennel cough. It will give the dog a few hours break from coughing which is sometimes needed for everyone in the house to get some sleep. When a dog has KC the cough is very loud - like a seal barking!!

I have had excellent results with using Drosera homeopathic drops from the vet. They calm the coughing down AND have the potential to shorten the life of the virus - which they seem to do well. My last case of KC lasted only 48 hours. The dog was treated with Drosera within four hours of the first cough.

Gemibabe re cough supressant medicine - there are weight measurements on the bottle. The doseage isn't too stringent - I am able to give 5 - 10 ml to a 30kg dog (child ) according to the bottle. I use Durotuss though - so just check whatever it is that you buy. It's "Pholcodene" (sp?) that you need. If you want to, run the brand/ingredients by the vet to make sure before you give it.

[gemibabe]

Thanks BL There has been no coughing today...

Sandra, I'd get the cough looked at..

Good Luck!

[TigerJack]

Remember that Kennel Cough is infectious before and after symptoms appear so keep any affected dogs and all their housemates quarantined until 7 to 10 days AFTER the last cough is heard. This is so that any apparently unaffected dogs will have shown whether they really have it by the time 10 days is up. There were a few Kennel Cough threads recently and there was alot more info (and Benadryl doses) in them.

I know its really hard to keep a dog at home when he's dying for a walk to the park, but it is so infectious and it keeps spreading because alot of people think the dog is only infectious whilst coughing. (I've just spent the better part of a month with 10 dogs quarantined as 6 of them came down with it. My first sick dog was infected by spending time playing with other infected dogs that hadn't yet shown symptoms and one of them was a dog who's housemate was home with kennel cough. The owner didn't keep her quarantined too and she turned out to be carrying it as well.)

[Vin]

this is not good

When i bring Tino into the house for a bit the first thing he starts doing is this small cough like he has something stuck in his throught. He rarely does it, but sometime when he walks around exploring things he will just do a few goughs like he has something in his throught. He dosnt cough much but sometimes ive seen him do it.

[gemibabe]

is this the ONLY time your dog coughs??when inside??

Probably allergic to something perhaps??

[Vin]

is this the ONLY time your dog coughs??when inside??

Probably allergic to something perhaps??

I beleive so Been keeping an eye on him and watching for it today, and he didnt cough once. I havent had him in the house today. Thats so strange. Maybe its not kennal cough ey Hope not

[kaywoman68]

I've got a foster dog I got yesterday. She was collected from the pound yesterday morning. She seemed to be coughing yesterday but didnt' think too much of it. This morning, she was sneezing a bit when I saw her just before I came to work.

The lady who I talked to before I took Penny home said she may have a mild kennel cough. I took her outside as soon as I heard her coughing yesterday and she stopped. Im going to monitor her and see how she goes. If not, i'll have to go to the vet. She's only been doing it inside.

I've got 2 of my own at home. How can I isolate them so, if she does have it, that they dont get it?

My mum has 4 dogs at work. Is it possible for me to interact with them? Can I give them kennel cough? (from touching the infected dogs then travelling to work)

Edited May 5, 2006 by kaywoman68

[SHIHTZUSHELL]

yes can spread very easily rember wash hand and glen twenty will kill any germs around.good way to tell if it is kennel cough is to gently press on thier toung this will make the cough if it is .it sounds a bit like hopping cough does in kids.they will need antibiotics ,I sugest to ring the vet first I you think it might be an see if he will come to the car to see the dog so they don't end up infecting other dogs.can be fataul in young puppies and older dogs or in dogs with a bad illness.so see the vet!!!!!

[gemibabe]

Kay I don't think you could pass it on, but its an airborne illness so seperating them would help, but wont gaurantee (sp?) your dogs catching it.

When I took mine to the vet, they put the dogs in isolation do lower the risks.

Are all your dogs vacc with C5? C3 doesnt cover KC, as I found out :D if vacc against it, they can still catch it, but wont get a full blown dose of it.

Best to get her checked out from the vets

Good Luck!

Kylie

[*Karma*]

Ive currently got 2 dogs with KC - one has it for the second time in a month

Both dont cough as much outside unless they're running around. If you dog only coughs inside, does s/he get excited when s/he comes inside? Or are there stairs for him/her to climb? The vet told me to keep them both quiet because anything that would cause them to breathe a bit heavier (exercise or excitement) could bring on the coughing.

The dogs Ive had start with sniffling/sneezing and then with a day or two are hacking/coughing. It can last 10-14 days and usually the dogs system will rid itself of KC on its own. It is contagious so be mindful of that - we were advised not to walk our dogs in parks etc where other dogs are. I was also told that unless there is a mucous discharge from the nose (or obvious sounds of a secondary infection in the chest - the vet will check for this) that they dont put them on antibiotics.

Good luck - if it is KC expect to have sleepless nights for a week or so

[Wazzat Xolo]

Ive currently got 2 dogs with KC - one has it for the second time in a month

Both dont cough as much outside unless they're running around. If you dog only coughs inside, does s/he get excited when s/he comes inside? Or are there stairs for him/her to climb? The vet told me to keep them both quiet because anything that would cause them to breathe a bit heavier (exercise or excitement) could bring on the coughing.

The dogs Ive had start with sniffling/sneezing and then with a day or two are hacking/coughing. It can last 10-14 days and usually the dogs system will rid itself of KC on its own. It is contagious so be mindful of that - we were advised not to walk our dogs in parks etc where other dogs are. I was also told that unless there is a mucous discharge from the nose (or obvious sounds of a secondary infection in the chest - the vet will check for this) that they dont put them on antibiotics.

Good luck - if it is KC expect to have sleepless nights for a week or so

Kylie

Glad to hear all seems ok, great info from everyone ....thanks have made lots of notes!!

[Rusky]

if this is the big boy just make sure he doesn't lie around too much, keep him up and walking to preven any secondary chest infection.

Rusky has had the dreaded KC a few times, Cindy never! odd they live together. I give rusky a cough medicine I make myself to soothe her throat from honey and a drop of lemon, in a syringe, it helped a lot. She vomited the red food colouring from the prescription cough syrup.

Keep warm, excercised, drinking, and cuddled and all will be well. The last time she had KC we didn't go near the vet.

ps all vaccs up to date but so many strains of KC