Kennel Cough?

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ChubbyPuppy74
Posts: 46
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:50 am

Kennel Cough?

Post by ChubbyPuppy74 »

My 8 year old Female Labrador has been coughing/hacking through the night and day. I have tried to see if she is choking on something but found nothing. It is quite deep, she only stops for 5 mins then continues. I'm really worried about her.
Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like never washed a dog. ~Franklin P. Jones


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runlikethewind
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Re: Kennel Cough?

Post by runlikethewind »

I'd like to know about this because when my pup had kennel cough, I rushed him to the vet and he then had a course of antibotics. Much later, I discovered that pups and dogs get over kennel cough themselves - as it being a virus.. of course.... and that there's no need for antibiotics. But, ready to be corrected.
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Nettle
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Re: Kennel Cough?

Post by Nettle »

KC is like a heavy cold for us - most get over it by themselves, but a few become ill. Usually it's the very old, the very young and those with compromised immune systems. Those can get secondary infections, and that is what the vets prescribe antibiotics for.

Regarding OP's labrador, it would be a good idea to phone the vet and check if KC is in the area (or has the dog just come out of kennels?). Coughing can be a sign of other illness, and I would take my dog to get a full health check, but warn the reception staff when I booked the appointment that it MIGHT be KC, because that is so infectious that the dog should not be in a waiting-room full of other animals.
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ChubbyPuppy74
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Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:50 am

Re: Kennel Cough?

Post by ChubbyPuppy74 »

Thank you for your reply, Cookie has gotten a tad better, she doesn't really cough much anymore, She only does it in the night. But i suppose mia has caught it. She has been coughing a little bit through the night and most of today. Cookie just started her during the night (friday night), the only time they have been to a place where lots of dogs is the dog park, and that was last weekend. So i'm not sure if it will stay in their systems for that long then make them sick. I'm just wondering what makes them get kennel cough since they have not been near allot of dogs for a while.
Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like never washed a dog. ~Franklin P. Jones


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Nettle
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Re: Kennel Cough?

Post by Nettle »

The sputum remains infectious for several days, so they may have sniffed where another dog has coughed. Incubation period is around 3-4 days. They don't have to be near a lot of dogs: it only takes one infected dog to pass it on.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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kendeb
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Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:19 pm

Re: Kennel Cough?

Post by kendeb »

When our puppy had it our vet recommended we give her human cough medicine (just plain cough medicine -- no other things in it for noses or fevers or anything). You would have to ask your vet how much of a dosage (our dog was 4 pounds at the time and he said 1/4 tsp).
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