Kennel Cough

[ashmin]

Took my boy to get neutered and 8 days later, he has Kennel Cough! The vet says that they vaccinated him before boarding (he went in the night before the surgery) and that he was just having side effects from the vaccine. Well, needless to say, he passed it to our other pup too and she is now showing symptoms. I was just wondering what the signs of pneumonia were so I could know what to look for and keep a good eye on them. They are both still eating and drinking and are alert and tails wagging, they just are sneezy and coughing from time to time, and have some snot in their noses.

Also, I've read some literature suggesting supplementing dog with echinacea to boost immune system. Any thoughts on that?

 

[sparks19]

Took my boy to get neutered and 8 days later, he has Kennel Cough! The vet says that they vaccinated him before boarding (he went in the night before the surgery) and that he was just having side effects from the vaccine. Well, needless to say, he passed it to our other pup too and she is now showing symptoms. I was just wondering what the signs of pneumonia were so I could know what to look for and keep a good eye on them. They are both still eating and drinking and are alert and tails wagging, they just are sneezy and coughing from time to time, and have some snot in their noses.

Also, I've read some literature suggesting supplementing dog with echinacea to boost immune system. Any thoughts on that?

YOu should get them on antibiotics.

My dog has kennel cough right now and the vet put him on antibiotics. I wouldn't wait to see if it turns into pneumonia.

 

[Barb04]

Definitely get your other dog on antibiotics. You don't want this to go into pneumonia.

 

[ashmin]

Okay, I've just read alot about antibiotics being over-prescribed and actually weakening the dogs immune system (killing not only the bad, but the good germs too), but I don't want to risk pneumonia either. I read that kennel cough is viral, like our cold and antibiotics shouldn't usually be prescribed (but maybe should because of the chance of pneumonia???)

My boy was already on antibiotics for after the neutering, but then when he developed the kennel cough the vet gave me more antibiotics and a different type (Amox). Maybe because his immune system was already weakened from the neutering she expected he would be succeptable to pneumonia? What about my girl that now has kennel cough symptoms. Her immune system should be much stronger than his, and I wouldn't think she'd have to be on antibiotics, but again, I don't want to risk her health. Just trying to do the best thing for them both!

 

[bubbatd]

I would leave the medications up to my vets . My education doesn't equal theirs.

 

[LhasaLover]

Just as in humans, different antibiotics have different targets and kill disease differently.

My baby got kennel cough when we'd only had her a couple of days and she was so sick. We took her to the vet immediately, got her antibiotics, and my Mom wouldn't let her out of the house for a MONTH! LOL As a result, she's puppy pad trained.

Kennel cough can kill, so it's not something to mess around with.

 

[showpug]

Kennel cough is VIRAL, antibiotics will only help it if there is a secondary bacterial infection involved or the chance of pneumonia. Antibiotics are widely over prescribed for this condition and generally not needed in healthy dogs. The virus needs to run it's course. And just and FYI - the kennel cough vaccine works horribly. I don't vaccinate for KC anymore because it never prevented any of my dogs from getting the virus which is essentially bronchitis in the doggy form.

I hope your dogs recover quickly and best of luck

 

[Herschel]

I second Showpug. Unless it's going to progress to pneumonia, stay off the antibiotics. As always, keep your vet updated.

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

I hope that your pup feels better soon!!!!

 

[LhasaLover]

I understand your objections to antibiotics - I really do! But since I have to have antibiotics immediately every time I get a virus (asthma & COPD) because I always develop secondary infections, I'd rather be safe than sorry when it comes to my pup.

After they get pneumonia, it gets much more dangerous & can lead to other lifelong issues, not to mention they're usually young and/or have just been stressed when they catch it, so that naturally weakens their immune systems.

 

[squirtsmom]

Hope your puppies feel better soon. If you trust your vet, do what he tells you.

 

[ashmin]

Thanks for your advice everyone! Thanks SHOWPUG, I thought for a second that I might be crazy and just IMAGINED that I read all that stuff about antibiotics being overprescribed and that kennel cough was viral and should run it's course in a healthy dog.

Update: My boy is completely over the cough, I truly believe that supplementing him with echinacea/goldenseal capsule twice a day really sped his recovery as well as my girl. She is still coughing every once in awhile but has no snotty nose (she recovered much faster than my boy, maybe because his immune system was low, or maybe because I started the echinacea/goldenseal combo at first signs of cough with her).

I was sort of surprised at the responses on this forum, the kind of "trust vet for everything" attitude, when we definitely don't trust most vet's food reccomendations!

In the end, not putting my girl on antibiotics was the right choice for me, she is doing great and I feel glad that I didn't weaken her immune system with the drugs. Everyone is entitled to do it their way though!