Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:13 pm Post subject: Kennel Cough Symptoms
My bitch(aged 3) has over the past 3-6 days started to choke in her kennel outside, mainly at night or during the early hours of the morning. It is a real hacking sound and she produces a very small amount of white slime/fluid as she reaches, almost as though she has something stuck. I have checked to see if she had anything stuck but i am happy this is not the case. having looked at forums, it would appear her symptoms match kennel cough. I presume this is the dog version of a human cold? I am rigorous in my hygiene of the kennel which she shares with my other dog. I know very little about this and have never experienced this before. I am not a great lover of giving my pets medication unless really necessary and don't want to waste money on seeing the vet when i may be able to treat or help it myself. I understand that she could have quite easily picked this up from another dog when out walking? Apart from her own kennel(which she sleeps and lives in)she has not been kenneled. I have looked at this site to gain some info and i wanted to check out if this info is good and pick up any other tips to treat her.
She is hacking up mainly during the small hours but apart from this she is showing no signs of being unwell and is eating and drinking normally. She has recovered well after giving birth back in March and is of good health.Please can i have some advice as to my best course of action and your opinions to see if you agree with my assessment? Thankyou
As I am no expert, I can't really advise, but I am just bumping this up a bit for you.
You may be right, but it is soooo hard to say via a forum such as this. I personally think I would take her to the vet for a once-over to be on the safe side. We can't really make a diagnosis here, and could be wrong if we tried.
If worried then ask for help. She is your dog, and you know her best.
Kennel Cough, if that is what it is, may be a simple matter in some dogs, but cause life-threatening secondary infections in others.
My lot have all had kennel cough this year. It is a bad year apparently and from the symptoms described it definitely sounds like your bitch has it.
Unless you have and old dog or a young pup just let it run its course but keep a close eye on things. I am sure you have found all the information on the other threads here and keep away from other dogs it is highly contagious!!!!!!!!
I see that one site recommends an increase in VIT C. I suppose you can get it from the pet shops but can they take the human form of multi vitamin tablets so she gets a dose of everything? Is it a case of once you have had a dose of the cough that you become a little more immune to it in future? She is also just coming to the end of her season and must be down in the dumps if the wife is anything to go by!! only joking, i love them both to bits really.
KC can be very serious in the young or old, so NEVER take chances with these. But as Jill says, with most dogs it's no real problem, with the exception that it is highly contagious, so dont take your dog out. Remember, you may have a pup or oldie cross your path shortly after you have gone by and it could be the death of that one!
As to what to give, good old Benaylin cough medicine is very good. I use Benaylin original.
But if it does not clear up quickly, see your vet, because there is other problems it could be, including heart problems.
Have been discussing this elsewhere. I suspect Rouble has it at the moment, but saying that he doesn't seem to have coughed over the last two days, but still keeping him away from other dogs - no good for my social life but Rouble comes first
There is alot of it going round at the moment and working out the incubation period some people think it might stem from the Darlington Show.
With Rouble though I suspect it might have been triggered by him having the KC Vaccine 10 days prior to when he first started to cough!
I agree with John, Benylin Original works wonders.
Personally I lay no store by the KC vaccine at all, because just like flu, there is so many different strains. But then, I have no confidence in the flu vaccine either
What I'm really saying is, dont panic, but dont take chances because although it more than likely is KC, it just might not be.
Defo sounds like KC my 2 have had this year so I quaratined them for 3 weeks, which is not great fun with a 100mph lab-in fact Majic was that bad she had to be crated as any movement set her off.
Dexter my GR had it mildly but the vet did say with the weird weather there has being a 3 fold occurence of KC this year also skin allergies.
I sacked off the AB's from the vet and just stuck with Benylin in the end (advice from here) and they both improved very quickly with it.
Personally I lay no store by the KC vaccine at all, because just like flu, there is so many different strains. But then, I have no confidence in the flu vaccine either
Totally agree with you but Rouble has to go into Kennels for two nights in November and they insist that all the dogs have the KC Vaccine .
I have never had the flu jab - I was always the one at school that totally refused to have the Flu jab - and touch wood I have never ever had flu!
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so I too am interested in the replies
but Rouble comes first 
.
