Dogs have cough...HELP!

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#1
I dropped off my two rottweilers for 6 days at a kennel. I got a call yesterday that the male (morro) had a cough..and so I thought of Kennel cough, but he had his bordatella in sept. The Lady I spoke with at the kennel said it sounded like a frog was in his throat...Today (before) I picked them up, she called to say his collar was really tight and that there was a raw spot on his neck ( after getting home and settled I saw no raw spot on his neck...) and his collar had never been tight before ( when I picked him up they had taken his collar)..and I was shocked..and she said after she took the collar off he seemed to be doing better..so I felt relieved.. I picked the dogs up around 3pm..its now 11pm, and my other rotty the female (lily, who is also pregnant due in 3-4 weeks ) just started coughing like the other dog..her collar isnt tight..I called the kennel (even though they are closed to say how upset I was and that I was going to take the dogs to a vet, and might expect vet. compensation.) ..They both have had their Bordatella shots..but they have a harsh, hacking cough, as if they are trying to get something out of their throat..anyone have any ideas? please!!!:confused: :mad: :(
 

Boxer*Mom

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#2
It's best to have your vet check them over. While the vaccine helps give them immunity it doesn't mean it's 100% effective all the time. It could also be something else like there might actually be something stuck in their esophogus or stomach. Would they have had access to chewing up blankets, bones, etc.? Also sometimes coughing is a sign of internal parasites. But yuour best bet is going to be a trip to vet.'s office to rule out anything harmful.
 
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#3
Yeah, a vet is your best bet. It could be anything from an upper respiratory infection to heartworms. Let us know how it goes!
 

minismom

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#4
oh yes go to the vet, my daughter borded her boxer after getting the shot and she still got kennel cough. had to trest the whole house cuz we first thought it was just a cold and didn't have her checked right away!!
 
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#5
I'm going to take my dogs to the vet, should the kennel reimburse us for the vet fees, if it is something they picked up there? thank you
 
R

RedyreRottweilers

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#7
First off, I would NEVER under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES board a pregnant female. I don't go to dog shows or anything else that might bring in contaminants to my dogs when I have a pregnant bitch. HOPE that the KC is ALL she has picked up there.

If it were my bitch and she were pregnant, I would NOT TREAT this KC with ANY DRUGS WHATSOEVER. She will get over it in a week or so just fine.

Vaccines are available for 3 pathogens that cause contagious cough in dogs, and there are at least 13 known pathogens that cause it. I show dogs a lot and I dont' bother with this (IMO) useless vaccine.

Best of luck with your bitch, and I hope the puppies turn out ok.
 

PFC1

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#8
I read or heard from someone that recent studies indicate that the bordatella vaccine may only be effect for 6 months, rather than a full year. I don't know if that is true or not.

As far as the liability of the kennel, it would depend on your state or jurisdiction, but I question why they would be liable. Unless there was some specific statute that said otherwise, I would suspect that the kennel would only be liable for negligence. I doubt that there would be any basis for holding them strictly liable. Unless they knew they were exposing your dog to one they knew was infected, it would be hard to show that they acted unreasonably. I think this may just be a case where bad things some times happen to good people and its not anyone's "fault." One could also argue that that was a risk that you assumed when you chose to board your dog. Not that I am saying its wrong to board dogs, but while everyone hopes that it won't happen, it sometimes does.
 
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#9
I dont normally board my dogs. I just moved to Arizona, and when I was in Texas I had a dog sitter..and never boarded dogs, cause I dont like to for this reason.. but in this case I had no choice, since I dont know anyone here to pet sit. I will never again board my dogs, I will now search for someone to take care of them from home.
 

Zoom

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#10
Many boarding places require the 6-month Bordatella vaccine because there hasn't been too much to show the effectiveness of the yearly one. Or at least that's what our board of advising vets tells us.

That's a shame they picked up a cough though. :( I hope they get better soon! But I would have to question the quality of a place that will agree to take on a pregnant bitch...my place won't board pregnant dogs or any animal that is diabetic. There are too many things that could happen in both cases.
 
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#12
Most places around here require the Bordatella vaccine be updated every six months even if it is supposed to be a year long vaccine.

The vaccine can be given by injection or by intranasal drops. It is much more effective as a nose drop because they get a bit of a local (air passage) innoculation as well. Since this is how they contract it, it is the better way to go if the dog tolerates it. But no vaccine is 100%.

They required the vaccine. You provided the dogs with it. I don't really see where they could be held liable. Precautions were taken but there is no 100% guarantee that the vaccines work against all strains of a virus or 100% even against the one they are exposed to.

I would say that that is probably the problem since they both have it. I doubt it is something they ate or a tight collar.

I have known dogs to have KC for months. I would hate to expose the puppies to that. The vet should definetly make that call. It is a virus so it has to run the course anyway, but any way to encourage her recovery as fast as possible should be sought.

Good luck with the pups. I hope she didn't bring anything else home.
 

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