Kennel cough advice please

[YearOfYouRemember]

I am taking my dog to the vet this afternoon but until then is there anything I can do to help her please?

We were up all night with her, she's cough eight times today , three times as I was typing this, and started late yesterday afternoon. It sounds much like what a dog she played with at the weekend had but they said she'd even vaccinated . My dog hasn't as the vet said no need as she'll never go into kennels or day care.

We've been given her ice cubes but is there anything else I need to do and what do I do about her walks? We've stayed away from our usual place today to help not spread it.

They can catch it from drinking from the same water bowl and also if a dog has coughed and has bought up some phlegm and another dog has licked it (gross I know!) then they can catch it that way too.

Also with anti inflammatory with once a day it's normally advised to give at the same time each day. My vet has sometimes said to give half the dose twice a day so you could always ask yours about that? Kennel cough makes them feel so rough, poor thing.
Hope she gets better.

My dog had the vaccination and caught it. It must have been going around as another 3/4 dogs in my park had it and they had all been vaccinated.
I don’t bother getting mine vaccinated now for it.
Like you say, unless they’re going somewhere where it’s a requirement then no point.

I know I'm being ridiculous and over cautious but bear with me PFD after all . How far away does DDog have it stay from other dogs? Can we just cross the road if we see one?

Stay away from busy areas. It's airborne and can stick to the grass etc.

She's been sucking a lot of grass lately. She slept through so we all got some rest. She hasn't coughed today so the suppressant is working. I think we'll stay in today and then assess each day. Thank you.

Just been told very firmly that dogs have to have the vaccination and that vets just want to see like you stuff.

DDog seems perfectly fine. Desperate for a good run around. Hasn't coughed for three days.

Bollocks do they HAVE to have the KC vaccination!
Not only is it not a core vaccine (unlike DHP) but you don't even have to give the core vaccine (I don't. I titre test to avoid vaccine overload).
I wonder if your vet is telling you KC is compulsory, do they tell you to booster annually? If they are they are in breach of WSAVA and the manufacturer guidelines (3 years)
The bordatella (KC) is one of the biggest wastes of money - they can still get it and a healthy dog should recover just fine.

As I say I spend my weekends with hundreds of other dogs competing and I know NO ONE who give it, we do quarantine alerts instead.

Who told you that you must have the vaccination? As mentioned I explicitly have it because in emergencies the kennels here won't accept dogs without it and you need it in advance of staying. Lots of people don't bother with it so it's a personal choice as to whether you do or do not vaccinate.

The vet told me not to bother vaccination as she wouldn't go into kennels. It was a neighbour who told me they should have it. Another neighbour who is a friend has advised we do. Her late dog had KC but her other dog didn't catch it from him. That dog now has the vaccine every year. I was leaning towards having it done as I've seen how miserable she's been not being allowed out twice a day.

@YearOfYouRemember there's a FB group called Canine Health and Vaccinations - what vets don't tell you.
I suggest joining as the members can give you some evidence as to why it's not needed. (Though beware some are a bit excessive in their avoidance of vets, you just have to weed them out)

I'm surprised you are taking the advice of a neighbour over a qualified vet though.

And as I said you could give the vaccine and your dog could still get it - there's just too many different strains.

Ignore you neighbour and discuss pros and cons with your vet but at the end of the day it's down to you but whilst it can prevent certain strains it isn't a guarantee that she won't get other types of KC.

I never said I wasn taking the advice of a neighbour over the vet. The neighbour who said they HAVE to have it, I ignore her but my friend neighbour I listen to and make my own judgements as she's had dogs for decades.

It's hard even with vets as two in the same surgery told us opposite things to do regarding something completely different so it's not that easy.

Is it a case of we do nothing she will definitely catch it again whereas if we do vaccinate she may not?

I can't go on FB but thank you.

Think of it like the flu in that some may get it whether they vaccinated or not. Some may never catch it and have never been vaccinated. Obviously if you vaccinate then you will have some protection for some strains so it's a pros and cons debate.

My dog has had the vaccination twice now with no issues so I am happy to continue to do so each year. Maybe ask your vet whether they see any reactions to give you a better idea as to whether it's right for you and your dog.

There's nothing to say she will get it again if you don't vaccinate- my three are between the ages of six and 11 and none of them have EVER had it.

Dr Ronald Schultz is one of the top veterinary immunologists in the world - he gives puppy vaccines only (and he lives in a high leptospirosis risk area).

In the nicest possible way, owning a dog does not make anyone an expert on them any more than being a parent qualifies someone to be a teacher - you need the research and qualifications to back it up.
(Eg a lot of people still talk about Pack Theory in training, yet the same scientist who came up with it (Dr David Mech) has since debunked it).

Should have said my three have never been vaccinated for KC.

I had a GSD and every time he was in kennels he caught it - despite being vaccinated. He was just particularly prone to it. Vet suggested Benylin (original formula) to help and it did, but he also got antibiotics. I stopped using that particular kennels and he never caught it again.

Please dont walk your dog if he has KC - there are some dogs with dodgy immune systems that would be very very ill if they caught it as it is highly contagious.

I appreciate all your advice and are bearing everything in mind. When will I know she is safe to go out and play? She hasn't coughed for a few days now. She seems perfectly fine again. Missing her friend though.

Check with your vet. Think our quarantine system is 14 days from the start of the cough.

He said she could go out whe she stopped coughing which was Thursday but gave her a cough suppressant so no idea how else I know if she's infectious.

I would go by what your own vets says. I had a similar thing with conjunctivitis and just kept my dog away from other dogs for the time they told me.

Thank you. She's currently have a lovely time chewing her cheese toy.