# Kiki has Kennel Cough



## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Poor Kiki.
I mentioned that she coughed yesterday evening. This morning when I got up she came waggling to greet me coughing away and sicked up white foam. Lovely.
Doodle Dashed around the garden at warp speed and scoffed up her breakfast so fast that as always I doubted I'd actually put food in her dish.
Been to see the nice vet. Temperature normal, eyes normal, chest clear - but coughing. No antibiotics, but advised to get Beneliyn children's dry cough mixture. Which Kiki happily slurped down and Dot and Inzi looked put out as I didn't offer them any.
So question to those with multiple dogs - will the others definitely get it? I will obviously keep Kiki away from other dogs, but cannot keep her away from my two.
Dot is due to be spayed a week on Tuesday. I'd rather she didn't get kennel cough as I'd have thought coughing and mending insides would be uncomfortable.
Never had a dog with KC before so really not sure about this. Are they more infectious before the symptoms are obvious? Vet said incubation period is 14 days. Everywhere Kiki goes the others go and of the three she is the least bothered about other dogs - so I suspect that they have all been exposed to the virus....
How long is the coughing likely to last?
At agility they ask people to keep coughing dogs away for three weeks after the cough has stopped - is this over cautious?
My dogs are my social life. I feel like a leper


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Poor you!  I'd heed the proper quarentine guidelines, only because I'd hope other people would do the same for my dogs. Lets start a top ten list of things to do with quarentined dogs. 

1. photo essay at an industrial park
2. film shoot at ship buiding yard
3. ....

there must be more!


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Hey Marzi!

Poor Kiki! Lola had Kennel Cough at about 10 weeks old (a week after we got her from breeder). It lasted for 2 weeks and I found that Benylin didn't work for her. She didn't have any other symptoms. Hers was particularly bad at night and in the morning. I gave her a mixture of warm honey and coconut oil and it's really really helped. They can shed the bacteria for up to 14 weeks after the coughing stops (it remains in the respiratory tract), there is a good chance that the other two will get it. I was told the incubation period is short at 6 days so usually a weeks after being exposed, a dog will develop the cough. Daycare allowed Lola to mix two weeks after the coughing stopped as all the other dogs are vaccinated for daycare (which isn't 100% protection either, just for the common strains). 

Lola wasn't ready for walks at that age so we didn't have the conundrum of whether to walk her or not. I think they say you can still walk your dog as long as you do on lead and in low populated areas at a time when other dogs won't be around. It's airborne spread by droplets, hence the cough. Coughing, sniffing and licking other dogs will pass the bacteria on. It doesn't survive well on non living things as a host so she can't leave it on the pavement or at least the chance of it spreading that way is very rare. The cold outside and collar might irritate her more and cause her to cough more though. 

I am sure she will be ok. I hope the other girls don't get it! X


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

fairlie said:


> Poor you!  I'd heed the proper quarentine guidelines, only because I'd hope other people would do the same for my dogs. Lets start a top ten list of things to do with quarentined dogs.
> 
> 1. photo essay at an industrial park
> 2. film shoot at ship buiding yard
> ...


Ha! This made me laugh - I remember when my son had chicken pox taking him to all sorts of strange places like the American War Cemetry, where he could run around without coming into contact with other children or pregnant ladies 

For Kiki I think I'll just be sloshing through the mud on the back tracks which are very unwalked by sensible people at this time of year...


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Bonnie has had it twice even though she had the vaccination. Dexter didn't catch it from her either time. It was tough keeping her in while taking Dexter out for a walk. Fortunately it was summer time so I used to walk her at 6 am before anyone was about.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

RuthMill said:


> Hey Marzi!
> 
> Poor Kiki! Lola had Kennel Cough at about 10 weeks old (a week after we got her from breeder). It lasted for 2 weeks and I found that Benylin didn't work for her. She didn't have any other symptoms. Hers was particularly bad at night and in the morning. I gave her a mixture of warm honey and coconut oil and it's really really helped. They can shed the bacteria for up to 14 weeks after the coughing stops (it remains in the respiratory tract), there is a good chance that the other two will get it. I was told the incubation period is short at 6 days so usually a weeks after being exposed, a dog will develop the cough. Daycare allowed Lola to mix two weeks after the coughing stopped as all the other dogs are vaccinated for daycare (which isn't 100% protection either, just for the common strains).
> 
> ...


Thanks Ruth. 
Kiki has had the vaccine (the other two haven't - does this say something in itself?!!!).
I'm still a little confused as to why the vet didn't give her any antibiotics, but she said as Kiki is obviously very well in herself there was no need to. Also, just to tax your medical knowledge - how do they shed the bacteria if they are not coughing? Just in their breath and licky slobber?
I'll offer her honey and coconut oil if she keeps hoffing.
She is a good girl on her lead and doesn't pull, so hopefully that will be ok...
Just have to keep fingers crossed that Dot doesn't start. 
How is Nina? What day of her season is she up to now?


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Marzi said:


> Thanks Ruth.
> Kiki has had the vaccine (the other two haven't - does this say something in itself?!!!).
> I'm still a little confused as to why the vet didn't give her any antibiotics, but she said as Kiki is obviously very well in herself there was no need to. Also, just to tax your medical knowledge - how do they shed the bacteria if they are not coughing? Just in their breath and licky slobber?
> I'll offer her honey and coconut oil if she keeps hoffing.
> ...


Yeh, the vaccine is crap! There's no research to prove that it ACTUALLY works!! I was kind of against getting it but I need daycare in order to have dogs so we get it 6 monthly. It's also not well administered a lot of the time and therefore doesn't become effective, which is why it's so difficult to do any solid research in to he vaccine.

Lola did get an antibiotic, 5 day course. She was so young, and I think the vet was bing extra vigilant (she had also just got over a serious worm burden too). 

I suppose it depends on whether it's just the simple flulike strain causing a cough (which is a virus, that you don't treats with antibiotics) or if it's bordatella which is bacteria, that needs an antibiotic. Kennel cough is such a braid term these days and doesn't always mean bacteria. Kiki not having any other symptoms probably hasn't worried the vet that she has bordatella and it's maybe a simple flu-like cough. If either of mine got a cough without any other symptoms I wouldn't want to go down the antibiotic route. They are healthy dogs and while happy and active I wouldn't be concerned. 

By the way the benylin only has sugar in it. They don't put cough suppressants in anymore, generally it's not good to suppress a cough as it's trying to get rid of stuff. I wouldn't waste any money on it. Honey, coconut oil and ice-cream to sooth 

Nina is on day 16. Not showing any randiness  Lola who has never humped Nina, tried to hump her the other day hmmmm!


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Oh yes, they shed it in their secretions, sneezes, licking, sharing water etc.


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## dio.ren (Jan 18, 2013)

Poor Kiki hope she gets better soon! My friends dog had kennel cough and her vet told her to keep her dog away from other dogs for 3 weeks. Can't really offer any advice but I hope she gets better fast so she can be the little socialite she is. Hope Inzi and little Dot won't get it fingers crossed!


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Poor Kiki. I'm sorry she had to go through this and you too. The others may not get sick. I hoped they don't. 
It seems impossible that dot is old enough to get spay. 

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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Poor Kiki - I hope the others don't get it too - you'll be kept awake with a barking chorus  if the benylin hasn't soothed her, how a bout the tixilyx? I believe it's only a glycerine to soothe their throat, but maybe Ruth's honey and coconut would be better - certainly sounds tastier x


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## RangerC (Jan 23, 2013)

Oh dear marzi, how absolutely b***** annoying that poor Kiki has kennel cough when she's had the vaccine.

As I said in my other thread, barney was also not well and was sick twice before going to bed. He was so tired he couldn't keep his eyes open but still jumped up at every noise. I was going to let him sleep in our room so I could keep an eye on him but he was restless and went to his bed on the landing. I went straight off to sleep but he was apparently making some very peculiar noises and was sick again in the living room so my son and daughter took it in turns to sleep with him because they were so worried about him. He is still tired today. He's not looking quite so hangdog and did a doodle dash around the garden which was a good sign so on the mend. We are out at friends for dinner tonight though and I don't want to leave him....


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## JasperBlack (Sep 1, 2012)

Aww poor Kiki! Hoe she gets better soon x


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

Poor Barney - as he been overindulging with the Christmas spirit? X


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Thanks for all your kind get well wishes.
Apart from the cough she seems fine.
Hope Barney is OK.
I hate it when they are ill.


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## arlo (Mar 11, 2013)

Poor KiKi, I hope it is not a severe case. When my previous dog had it nights were also the worst and neither he or I hardly got any sleep, which made him generally under the weather. My other dog did not get it so fingers crossed Dot will be ok for next week. Good luck, amd kisses to Kiki.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

How is Kiki today Marzi and did you have an ok night?


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## Soosee (Mar 1, 2012)

I have three dogs and only one had kennel cough. She was poorly for a couple of days but the cough lingered for about a week. I didn't walk her while her cough was bad and the weather was cold. My two other dogs were fine.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Soosee said:


> I have three dogs and only one had kennel cough. She was poorly for a couple of days but the cough lingered for about a week. I didn't walk her while her cough was bad and the weather was cold. My two other dogs were fine.


Strange that it is supposed to be so contagious but most of you with multiple dogs only had one dog get it.  It seems to me that walking them near other dogs should actually be ok?


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

fairlie said:


> How is Kiki today Marzi and did you have an ok night?


I was wondering the same. Hope all is well Marzi


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Thanks for asking. Apart from a dry sounding cough when she first gets up or goes out she seems fine.
We pottered along muddy farm tracks in the glorious sunshine and she chased Dot, Inzi, birds and bunnies with her normal gusto. Should I be making her take it easy?


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Marzi said:


> Thanks for asking. Apart from a dry sounding cough when she first gets up or goes out she seems fine.
> We pottered along muddy farm tracks in the glorious sunshine and she chased Dot, Inzi, birds and bunnies with her normal gusto. Should I be making her take it easy?


Ah that's good. If she was worse or had other symptoms I would say restrict things a bit but while she's like her normal self I'd just let her tear away


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## RangerC (Jan 23, 2013)

Glad Kiki is well in herself. Your experience has made me wonder whether to bother getting Barney's next shot of kennel cough vaccine.

Barney is better today although daughter no 2 took him out for a walk in the park this afternoon and said he did a runny poo then ate it. Not sure whether to believe her as my girls are rather prone to exaggeration. He probably sniffed it. They keep saying he smells of poo but I think it's the tripe stick I gave him to keep him quiet while we ate!


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Oh poor Kiki and Barney. Hope they both get well quickly. I did find a bowl of hot water with a couple of drops of Olbas oil in left in the kitchen with a coughing dog seemed to really help. And if Emma was really bad a steamy hot bathroom was great. Like a child with croop.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Yes Marilyn, I agree.. I would bring Lola into the bathroom with me while I showered and allowed her to breathe the steam.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I had thought of steam and olbas oil - as I did both for the children if they had persistant coughs. 
So far Kiki really seems fine - it is just a very dry huff huff huff. Apart from once yesterday she has not sicked up any frothy white phlem. She likes the benilyn, i'm giving her 1mg four times a day as the vet suggested, and she is having her coconut oil as normal.
Obviously she may get worse, but at the moment it is no real problem. She snuggles up for a cuddlie snooze if a knee is on offer, but is keen to go out when the others do. Currently she is chomping away on a stag bar with a bit of a wicked glint in her eye as she doesn't really want it and both Inzi and Dot do!!!! However when she leaves it, I'll pick it up I don't want either of them having it straight after her, although they share a water bowl so I'm not really sure how much difference it makes.
I'm feeling a bit fatalistic about it really. Just have to cope with whatever happens.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

9 days in Kiki is still coughing - not much, but then she never was coughing that much. She maybe has 3 or 4 coughing sessions a day - head down, one back leg off the ground  several good huff huff huff coughs and then that is it. Often cough is when she is getting excited - pre food, when playing or before we go out for a boring walk.
She has only been sick once, not off her food, not more lethargic than any dog in this foul yucky weather! Once out she leaps to my elbow height and woofs at me in frustration because she wants to zoom. I let her off if there is nobody else around and she chases Dot with more visciousness than ever previously and I think she is just fed up.
As she has not run a temperature and has no other symptoms the vet has not give nher antibiotics....
Anyone had a similar experience with their dog? How much longer do I have to put up with this huffy cough?
Neither Inzi or Dot have started coughing, which is good - but again makes me wonder how infectious it really is. They play together, sleep together, share water bowls and always check each other's empty dinner dishes...
Maybe it will be like when the boys had chickenpox - the second one didn't start until the first had copmpletely finished 
Anyway, Kiki is fine, but coughing and thanks to those who have asked about her


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Glad to hear Kiki is well in herself. Lola's KC lasted a full two weeks and that was on antibiotics. The vet told us the cough can continue for about 3 weeks but rare that it lasts any longer than that especially if there's not sign of infection and the dog is otherwise well. 

I suppose there is still a chance while Kiki is coughing that she could pass it to Inzi and Dot but really being 9 days in, you would expect that by now if they were going to get it, they would be displaying symptoms. The time from exposure to displaying symptoms is usually within 6-7 days, very short incubation.

Hope she gets rid of it soon! It's hard listening to them and not being able to help xo


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Glad she is well in herself and still enjoying her walks. A couple of local dogs had it a while ago, one of them was a young lab, she was really quite poorly with it and her coughing went on for ages (about 5 weeks I think, maybe longer), the lady also has a 9 year old lab that never got it! she really (both owner and dog) missed the usual doggy playtimes and her vet made her keep away for 3 weeks after the coughing stopped!! I think that was just because she had been very unwell with it, another older (8 I think) local lab got it as well, he stayed well in himself, stopped coughing earlier and I think came back one week after the coughing stopped, Dudley had been playing with both of them right up to the days they started coughing, even moving tennis balls mouth to mouth and never caught it, does make you wonder. Still think I'm going to have to get him the vaccine if I'm going to let him mix with dogs I groom, mainly because if he ever had it and passed it to another dog and the owner knew he wasn't vaccinated I guess they would be a bit mad at me.


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

It's like any viral infection. You can vaccinate but you can never guarantee immunity. This is because viruses are smart and continuously morph and change, it's how they survive. This is similar too to our own defences, some have better natural defences than others, or a build up of defence against different strains of viruses.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

RuthMill said:


> It's like any viral infection. You can vaccinate but you can never guarantee immunity. This is because viruses are smart and continuously morph and change, it's how they survive. This is similar too to our own defences, some have better natural defences than others, or a build up of defence against different strains of viruses.


Yes, that is why my vet doesn't push the vaccine and I was happy for him not to have it, but now I'm going to (hopefully) have a lot of dogs here...


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

DB1 said:


> Yes, that is why my vet doesn't push the vaccine and I was happy for him not to have it, but now I'm going to (hopefully) have a lot of dogs here...


Yeh my two have it have it for daycare, my wish would be for them not to have it. Ah well, just have the hope that it does do a little bit of good...  not that I believe that


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