Don't think it's kennel cough....

[crazzzybabs]

I have a foster chihuahua who I took in from the county pound because he was going to be euthanized for his minor UTI. I took him to my vet who put him on a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Three days later, he developed a cough-one that sounds just like kennel cough. I don't it's kennel cough because he doesn't have a temperature, he's still on Trimeth/Sulfameth, AND he received the Bordatella vacc. A few days after I noticed his cough, one of my other dogs started with the same cough. It's a cough-cough-gag kind of cough. This morning, ALL 5 of my dogs have the same cough. It only bothers them when they get excited and are playing. My youngest is on the treadmill as I type and is at a full pant, but is not coughing.

I don't want to pay to take each dog to the vet only to have him tell me to wait it out. Does anyone have any idea what this might be? I really don't think it's kennel cough since all my dogs have been vaccinated against it this year and none of them have a temp. Thanks for your help!

[Glacier]

Kennel cough has dozens of strains, most of which aren't covered by the vaccine. Your dogs have classic kennel cough symptoms. KC is viral. Antibiotics don't do anything for viruses. My vet only intervenes with kennel cough when the dog is very young or very old and not able to fight it off on their own. I'd be concerned about it in a very small dog and would get to a vet asap.

[lizbud]

Kennel cough has dozens of strains, most of which aren't covered by the vaccine. Your dogs have classic kennel cough symptoms. KC is viral. Antibiotics don't do anything for viruses. My vet only intervenes with kennel cough when the dog is very young or very old and not able to fight it off on their own. I'd be concerned about it in a very small dog and would get to a vet asap.

Ditto what Glacier said. Also, I don't think dogs with KC always
have a temperature.

[crazzzybabs]

Thanks, folks! I volunteer at the county pound and talked to someone today about them, too. He recommended some Robitussin DM and wait it out a bit. I attempted just 1.0 ml of it on the Chihuahua and haven't noticed any difference. The good news is that it doesn't seem to bother them during other physical activity. We've been on walks outside (I live in AZ, so it's nice out) and he just hopped off the treadmill, too. The coughing only seems to be a problem when they are playing with each other. I'll call my vet tomorrow and see if he wants to see any of them. Just wanted to get everyone's opinion, but it sounds like everyone agrees on KC, so thanks!

[boricuajenny5]

My dog does this too. The vet said it was allergies which cause her throat to close up. I dont think thats true. She was given antibiotics and some other pills and even a shot but Amaya continues to cough/wheeze. I did notice the same pattern you did though. Amaya only does this when she is extremly excited. Especially when you have food in your hands and she wants it. Vet todl me to give her 1 whole pill instead of half but still, no change.

[crazzzybabs]

Ya, mine are all still coughing when they are excited. It has been a bit better and my oldest dog is not coughing anymore. But, my Saint Bernard and the Chihuahua are still coughing enough to make me watch them. It's been almost two weeks now, so I think the virus just needs to finish working it's course.

[dragondawg]

Kennel cough usually comes in the form of an initial virus infection, followed by a Bordetella bacterial infection. Thus kennel cough is not just a viral disease. It's the classic case of virus attacks a healthy host, weakens the host, and a secondary bacterial infection follows. Since the Bordetella are indigenous to the dog's nasal passages, some Vets will not give antibiotics for kennel cough under the assumption the dog will not be weakened by the viral infection, and will be able to keep the Bordetella under control. In my dogs at least I found that having the Vet prescribe Clavamox results in the dog obviously feeling better at 24 hrs post treatment, and being fully recovered (symptoms) in 36 hs. What this is suggesting is that by the time the symptoms appears, most of the virus part of the kennel cough disease complex has already run its course. At that point the dog is battling a bacterial infection.

The easiest way to get your dogs over the kennel cough is a week of Clavamox. They may recover just fine without. Or it may take another week. Or one of them may develop pneumonia as a complication.

Per vaccines the most common kennel cough vaccine is directed against the Bordetella bacteria. It is effective for only 6-12 months. There is a vaccine out called DHLPP that is directed against the primary viral agents, but which is not commonly given, unless the dog has a high risk associated with viral infections.