Kennel Cough in Northamptonshire

[Justine&Rafe]

Just a quick warning guys,

A few of you already know my boy has come down with Kennel Cough, but when I went to the vet today there were other people in there picking up meds for their dogs.

Apparently it’s doing the rounds, certainly in Towcester, and probably the wider Northampton area.

It may be worth checking out the possibility of getting your dog vax’d against it.

A bit like flu, it’s not debilitating to healthy dogs, although you should speak to your vet who may offer antibiotics as the virus gets piggy-backed by a bacterial infection which can, in cases of older or immunocompromised dogs, cause pneumonia.

Starts like the dog is choking, often followed by retching.  Over the next couple of days it turns to coughing, which can vary in degrees of severity, and usually lasts about a week.

I have been today advised by the vet to keep the dog separated from other dogs for 6 weeks from first signs of coughing, although on here I’ve been advised it’s 21 days.  Either way it’s sensible to keep your dog away from others for some time after symptoms disappear as they can still be contagious.  THIS is the pain in the backside about it.

If you do get your dog vax’d, even if they pick up the cough, once symptoms disappear the dog won’t be contagious (so says my vet – correct me if I’m wrong and I’ll edit this). 

Treatment is usually antibiotics.  As the coughing itself can damage the dog’s windpipe, giving them honey (can be mixed with warm water) to soothe it, and even cough medicine – I was recommended to use Benylin original.  For a dog of roughly 25kg, they’ll want no more than 5ml.  I was dosing in the morning and evening, with honey in between.

Benylin is not licensed for use in dogs – so won’t be sold to you if you say it’s for your dog.  Clearly as it is not licensed you have to use it as you see fit and take responsibility for any adverse consequences.  All I can say is that my vet recommended its use to me, and I found it to be fine.

As has been pointed out to me by some WONDERFUL people on here, if your dog does catch it and you do end up stuck inside for a while, head over to the stickies and make with the brain exercises instead.

If anyone has any more info/advice (someone with more knowledge than me!!) please feel free to add it.

Also, if anyone in any other area has found there to be a problem with kennel cough, perhaps they could post to warn people in those areas to take extra caution.  Warmer, wetter winters simply mean there are more of these infectious diseases around, and what was once thought to be unneccessary to vaccinate routinely for, may end up being something included with our annual jabs.

Cheers!!  (and apologies for the essay!)

[kizkiznobite]

yep..checked with vets last week…poppy beagle has it in nuneaton…it reached the outskirts of rugby about 10 days ago…we exposing and immune boosting here…the last thing i need is for falkor to get a full dose of it…

[Justine&Rafe]

Just thank goodness at least on this site people are talking about it (not me – I’m not trying to blow my own trumpet, but I noticed a lot of other posts about it once I started looking)…

And that gives others a chance to get prepared if it’s in their area.

Just had no idea about how quickly it could be spread throughout the general population before now.

[kizkiznobite]

immune boost following low criteria exposure is my rule..works for us..rarely get a full blown attack unless a rescue comes in

[Justine&Rafe]

I’ve just re-read what you wrote about immune boosting and exposure…

What exactly does that entail?

V much interested…

[kizkiznobite]

ok a quickie as i busy

exposure…the lower limits of exposure means the dog is exposed at that limit so the immune system copes with that and kicks in…the battle commences and if the exposure is tolerable then the system wins and provides more immunity…just the way a vac works

in order for the immune system to be healthy we boost it…lots on here re that…my preference is vit e and sel….there are other witchy woo things but that my tried and tested methiod and i am a believer in if it works dont change…so at the moment …as KC in our area…am boosting amilou and cubert….falkor already on more than max levels so am keeping fingers crossed i done enough….

[Anonymous]

There are lots of Witchy Woo things that boost an imune system but one of the most important is diet
Certain diets make the body vulnerable to problems.  Most dogs eat commercial foods which are loaded with artificial dyes, preservatives, and additives.  Dogs and cats have spent eons eating ‘wild’, natural foods, and this is what their systems are designed for.
The immune system is designed to attack foreign invaders while ignoring ‘normal’ molecules, such as those found in food.  The chemicals in foods certainly aren’t natural.  If the immune system see’s them as threats, it will mount a defense.  A meal of dry kibble can unleash a flood of basophils and other immune-system cells, which in turn, release chemicals such as histamine so if a dogs system is is already fighting because of what its fed on it’s all ready vulnerable.
That said KC is highly contagious and infected animals shoud be confided for a month
Val

[SuzAndTheDiva]

Ok this worries me – Claire said few dogs in her lcal (i think local) kennels have had it. I  have exposed honey before and she never caught it – but am due at Claires next weekend, Buster is REALLY bad right now – if he not picked up he will be at vets tomorrow. Not really worth me exposing HOney just incase is it – argh  :'(

[kizkiznobite]

sorry suz…have i missed that buster has KC?

[SuzAndTheDiva]

No no – but we dont want him to get it – hes not doing so good Bev  🙂 not today anyway. is his legs – but no kc, but hes not well enough to cope with catching it – …………..

[kizkiznobite]

thats where i am at with falkor…bless the oldies eh?

i am spraying and doing when in and out etc…and that not so good for cubie and ami as i would prefer they exposed somewhat…but can’t risk it with boyo

[SuzAndTheDiva]

I know – mums very worried about him, hes fallen over numerous times today – once on Honey who didnt even tell him off……..

So my thing is – can i risk taking her up to claires next weekend……… :-\ I dont think shed catch it – but long time since she a) had it and b) was near a dog with it……………

[Justine&Rafe]

What a nightmare situation!!

I feel really lucky that I have no older dogs to worry about, even though it sucks keeping my lad in.

Am defo going to take your advice re Vit E and Selenium – he’s over the KC now – just stuck in because I don’t want to infect anyone else!  Is the immune boosting something you’d recommend to do routinely, or just when you hear of a possible threat/dog has an off day/weather changes??  He’s already on glucosamine/chondroitin/MSN because he had a bit of a shoulder issue about 6 months ago – no lameness at all since.  Am all for the supplements.

Hope your older boys manage to escape it. 

[kizkiznobite]

i keep my lots immune system as high and as healthy as i can…i boost when something like this about or if i think they have been exposed or after illness injury etc

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Good grief !!  talk about scaremongering !!  How about trying some actual FACTS …

1. the vaccination is only effective against around 20% of the *least common* strains so there is absolutely no guarantee it’ll protect your dog and could actually make it ill.

2. as far as i am aware there is no “medication” for kennel cough and antibiotics would only be effective against bacterial types (again, i am told less common). 

3. to equate one small market town at the southern edge of the county (towcester) with a whole county is totally rediculous !!  i just want to add Rugby is in warwickshire and bev is even further.

4. the “local” rescue is not in Northampton and I went there on saturday they have 3 dogs with KC – symptoms as described by psyche and yep a week-ish to get better BUT … these 3 are in a block with 3 other dogs and in an immediate area with another 6 dogs and on the same site as another approx. 35 dogs (ish) none of which appear to have caught it I also went there not knowing they had KC on sat so I had to change clothes back at home which meant coming into the house and my 2 havent caught it.

To be honest, if its going away in under a week in kennelled dogs and not transmitting in this difficult stressed environment I am at a bit of a loss to see what the fuss is all about and saying its the whole county is just scaremongering.

Claire.

p.s. Suz – hopefully little shih tzu is being bathed this week so we’ve no need to go over to the kennels 🙂

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