Sorry...In all my days of having dogs we've never (fingers crossed) had a dog with it but hope it clears up soon.

You don't have to apologise because you have made a dog thread

Just wanted to say that. I can't help you with the problem though, sorry.

My dog had it, its so unpleasant and catching for other dogs. You just have to ride it out. My dog got better in a week but my moms dog caught it from mine and it lingered for ages.

I think you'll have to keep him away from other dogs Ditty.
Poor little thing, would it help to sit with him in a steamy bathroom like you do with babies with croup>
for Dittys doggy

quote:

Originally posted by Veggieburger:
I think you'll have to keep him away from other dogs Ditty.
Poor little thing, would it help to sit with him in a steamy bathroom like you do with babies with croup>
for Dittys doggy

I agree, maybe steam would help loosen the gunge on his chest/lungs

Touch wood, I've never had a dog with kennel cough but have heard it can be really nasty.

If your dog is not in contact with other dogs, it sounds as if he has picked it up at the groomers. I would let the groomer know so that he/she can contact others owners of pets who were in on the same day as yours. Just to warn them.

Have you tried googling kennel cough to see if there might be some tips on what you can do to help your dog?

I hope he makes a good recovery, poor boy. I hate it when my doggies are poorly. It's so hard when you know they're miserable, all you want to do is make it go away.

Keep us uptaded on his condition please, if you can.

I've got 2 dogs, one caught it, the other didn't. She had to have anti-biotics from the vet. Even if they have the vaccination, they can still catch it, as the vaccination only covers for the deadly strain of it.

Thank you everybody

Laura... I did do the google thing.. and scared myself to death (why are my eyes always drawn to the bit that states 'in rare cases can be fatal, or could be something nastier than kennel cough - my paranoia I reckon!). Also, a lot of online stuff about dogs is not always that accurate (e.g. that paracetamol is poisonous to dogs... we now know that not to be true, our vet once advised baby calpol for our dog, the toxic info is because calpol has never been licensed for dogs. Neither has benylin... first chemist refused to sell it to us when we said it was for the dog, we had to go to a different chemist and lie to get hold of it!)

I did think about the steam thing... if it was winter I'd put wet towels on radiators (used to do this when my son was little and had a bad chest.)

My dog had a play date with my parents dog on Saturday (before AJ's symptoms were apparent), so we are all now just waiting for their dog to go down with it.

We are keeping him well away from other dogs, at first that meant walking him off the beaten track at weird times, but to be honest he's not really up to walking too far anyway at the moment.

Anyway, thank you everyone, as always... feels better just to post on here about it

AJ has finally fallen asleep, in a sunray in the conservatory (Garfield style!)... oooh, no, spoke to soon... he's 'hacking' again.

Aww, ditty, I'm so sorry to hear about your poorly doggie.

A work colleague's dog had kennel cough and she was poorly for a good few weeks but with good veterinary care she pulled through with no lasting symptoms.

All the best ditty.

Ditty the good thing is that it's bacterial and will clear up pretty soon as the anti-b's start to work, as with viral you can't treat it, and takes ages. Could always try some honey to sooth his throat too.

quote:

Originally posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:
Wednesday evening our dog suddenly started coughing (we initially thought he had something stuck in his throat).

Thursday took him to the vets where she confirmed it was kennel cough. (he went to the groomers the previous week for his annual extreme haircut, we assume he's picked it up there). I had thought he'd been vaccinated against it, but apparently he has the bacterial version, his vaccine is against the viral form of kennel cough.

So, now he is on anti-biotics, and on the vets advice, kiddie benylin.

Its really horrible though, its worse than when the kids are ill. He's knackered, you can tell his chest muscles must be sore as he tries to fight the constant cough (he is even whimpering sometimes... which we have never known him do before).

He keeps looking at me with "make it go away mummy" eyes.

Just wondered if anyone on here had any experience with this, and any suggestions for anything else we can do for him?

our dog had this when he come back from the kennels after we went away. We left it and it went on its own.

Did the vet sound his heart etc?

hope he gets better soon x

Can't help you sorry, but I hope your dog is OK soon

I am sorry to hear your poor dog has kennell cough it is an awful thing to get ,I would not have thought your dog would have caught it at your groomers as surely if they had a dog there with kennell cough they would have refused to do it as it is very contagious ,and they would know if a dog was poorly ,when you put a dog in kennells they will not take them if they have not had kennell cough medication
which lasts a year ,it wont stop them getting it but they dont get it so bad ,I would ask your vet is there anything you can do to to make your dog more comfortable as steam which someone above has mentioned could perhaps make your doggy worse but I dont know ,hope he/she has a quick recovery

awwwwwww poor doggy, just had mine vaccinated against it, anti biotics should make it ok though, what type of breed is it? him or her?

ah, you're all lovely xxx

Ta Hyacinth x

Pussycat - lol at the honey... its bad enough getting benylin down him (the fact that the oral syringe slipped and I ended up jetting it into his mouth at about 100mph hasn't helped!)

Sunny... yes our vet gave him a thorough looking over... she is very good, in fact she is the best vet I have ever known... has seen us through some ups and downs over the years (with other pets as well as current dog), so I very much trust her.


Ta for the hug Storm xx

(Marge I'll answer you seperately xx)

quote:

Originally posted by Marguerita:
I am sorry to hear your poor dog has kennell cough it is an awful thing to get ,I would not have thought your dog would have caught it at your groomers as surely if they had a dog there with kennell cough they would have refused to do it as it is very contagious ,and they would know if a dog was poorly ,when you put a dog in kennells they will not take them if they have not had kennell cough medication
which lasts a year ,it wont stop them getting it but they dont get it so bad ,I would ask your vet is there anything you can do to to make your dog more comfortable as steam which someone above has mentioned could perhaps make your doggy worse but I dont know ,hope he/she has a quick recovery

We assume that the dog he may have caught it from at the groomers was not showing symptoms. When we went to pick him up, he was on his back legs dancing with a black poodle (that'll teach him!!).

The vet said that a dog can be contagious up to 4 days before any symptoms show... or (and grr at the owner if this is the case) for a couple of weeks after the symptoms have stopped.

We probably won't do the steam thing... only cos he will freak out thinking he's having a bath & bum wash! (not one of his fave activities!).

Ta Marge

Awww Ditty hope your doggie gets better soon. As others have said as it's the bacterial strain it should clear up with antibiotics. It hopefully shouldn't take long. My previous dog caught it in the dogs home I got him from and after a week of antibiotics he was fine

quote:

Originally posted by clumsycat:
awwwwwww poor doggy, just had mine vaccinated against it, anti biotics should make it ok though, what type of breed is it? him or her?

Hi Clumsy... he is a Cairn Terrier. 5 yrs old, and usually strong as an ox. He's a bit of a big girls blouse when he's unwell though... and has got the Shrek Cat big eyed look down to a tee!

quote:

Originally posted by Pengy:
Awww Ditty hope your doggie gets better soon. As others have said as it's the bacterial strain it should clear up with antibiotics. It hopefully shouldn't take long. My previous dog caught it in the dogs home I got him from and after a week of antibiotics he was fine

Ta Pengy... I know he's gonna be ok, and am resigned to riding it out. (and he had his first dose of antibiotic by injection at the vets to give him a boost start). I had heard of Kennel Cough before.... but I had no idea how traumatic it is... for the dog and us!

quote:

Originally posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

quote:

Originally posted by clumsycat:
awwwwwww poor doggy, just had mine vaccinated against it, anti biotics should make it ok though, what type of breed is it? him or her?

Hi Clumsy... he is a Cairn Terrier. 5 yrs old, and usually strong as an ox. He's a bit of a big girls blouse when he's unwell though... and has got the Shrek Cat big eyed look down to a tee!

awwww, big hugs

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:


He keeps looking at me with "make it go away mummy" eyes.


Awww, it's awful when they do that and you can't do anything for them. Can't give you any advice hun as none of mine have ever suffered with it, but you do (both) have my sympathy.

my doggy managed to get kennel cough even when she was never arround another dog... although tbh she was shedding alot at the time and we accused her of licking her bum so much she had a fur ball

my 6 sent yours puppy hugs hope he is feeling better soonxxxx

Aww, Ditty - hope your dog feels better soon

just remembered PLEASE get him checked out for lung worm someone i know from another forum lost a young puppy to this, its making its way around the country
they get it from slugs and snails

For the dog. And for you, just try to make him comfortable and spoil him when he gets better.

bump

quote:

Originally posted by Dirtyprettygirlthing:

quote:

Originally posted by Marguerita:
I am sorry to hear your poor dog has kennell cough it is an awful thing to get ,I would not have thought your dog would have caught it at your groomers as surely if they had a dog there with kennell cough they would have refused to do it as it is very contagious ,and they would know if a dog was poorly ,when you put a dog in kennells they will not take them if they have not had kennell cough medication
which lasts a year ,it wont stop them getting it but they dont get it so bad ,I would ask your vet is there anything you can do to to make your dog more comfortable as steam which someone above has mentioned could perhaps make your doggy worse but I dont know ,hope he/she has a quick recovery

We assume that the dog he may have caught it from at the groomers was not showing symptoms. When we went to pick him up, he was on his back legs dancing with a black poodle (that'll teach him!!).

The vet said that a dog can be contagious up to 4 days before any symptoms show... or (and grr at the owner if this is the case) for a couple of weeks after the symptoms have stopped.

We probably won't do the steam thing... only cos he will freak out thinking he's having a bath & bum wash! (not one of his fave activities!).

Ta Marge

Your very welcome Dpt best of luck