# Hoping this is helpful--Kennel Cough



## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

We picked Keeper up from boarding 5 days in what my DH calls the Ritz Carlton of boarding sites. It truly is very, very good and we are generally more than pleased with cleanliness and individual attention--lots of good help.
They are very strict on vaccines being up-to-date with mandatory copies of documentation.

I noticed Dave mentioned in a message on this forum that bordatella vaccine is a 'catch as catch can' and he appears to be correct. We noticed on Friday (pickup was Tuesday p.m) that Keeper had a cough when he was excited--such as greeting another dog. I suspected kennel cough even though he had his nasal vaccine on 2/28/11.

This morning our vet said that the vaccine is against the one strain that it is available for, but that there are about 15 strains. Keeper is not sick and the vet says it should last 10-14 days and should not worsen. If he shows any sign of illness, of course, he'll be seen. Now we're hoping he hasn't given it to other dogs in the neighborhood he's played with in the last few days, but KC is very, very contagious. We'll keep him away from them for several weeks. 

This tells us how little protection there is against kennel cough. Once a year nasal vaccination is still recommended and the boarding kennel will not accept a dog that doesn't have it up to date.

Keeper's Mom (Shirley)


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

Yep, I've heard of this happening before, pretty often, in fact. I've been told vaccinating for kennel cough is like vaccinating for the common cold, it probably isn't going to work. I'm fortunate to have family who will watch Tori, if needed. 

Hope Keeper gets over it quickly.


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## ShelbysMama (Jun 15, 2011)

My Poodle Sophia had kennel cough earlier this year. She felt terrible and would cough and wheeze all night long, but the medication really helped, as well as steam. I would turn on the shower very hot and sit with her in the bathroom. Although kennel cough is very scary, it is the dog equivalent of the common cold. Although we all feel terrible during a cold, it isn't life threatening at all so long as we take care of ourselves and use common sense. Just hang in there! It will be over soon.


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

Thanks for the info. The vet didn't recommend meds since his cough is infrequent. Let's hope it doesn't get worse and require medication. If his cough was like Sophia's experience, he would have been in there for a checkup today for sure.

Shirley


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Our vet did not recommend the bordatella vaccine, for the reasons mentioned above - that it only offered protection against one or two strains, and there are many out there, so pretty much ineffective. We get it because it is required for training classes and doggie day care and boarding, I am sure just to protect the businesses legally. Augie came down with a cough last fall, a few days after having been to doggie day care. I am pretty sure it was kennel cough. The cough sounded pretty scary to me the first night, but by morning he seemed better and got better and better as the days wore on. But I think he coughed for about five days to a week. I think there have been a couple of pups on the forum, however, who have been quite ill with it. Hope Keeper recovers quickly.


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

*Live and Learn*

Thanks, Linda. I wonder if the vaccine keeps the symptoms light. That doesn't make much sense if the strains are different. Like you, no choice if you want to take classes and board your dog.

Wonderful if you have someone to come and stay at the house or a friend who will take them for a few days, but we don't have that option. I am grateful for the really good kennel, but guess what? There are dogs there!
When that happens, the KC will happen too no matter how good the place is.
When we first looked at boarding facilities, we went in 'cold' and asked to see the facility. At this one I joked to my husband later that I thought my kitchen was clean until I saw theirs--spotless.

Hugs to your little ones.

Shirley


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

yeah Shirley, what's been said so far is pretty accurate. Here is Jean Dodds protocol 

Boretella
(Intranasal)
(killed) Only recommended 3 days prior to boarding when required.
Protects against 2 of the possible 8 causes of kennel cough.
Duration of immunity 6 months.


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

*Question Dave*

Thanks, Dave, I'm confused about the recommended 3-4 days prior to boarding protocol. Just how many times can you give the nasal vaccine without causing an overmedication problem? This isn't so much a concern with Keeper because he won't be boarded often. We prefer to take him on vacations, but this time was a class reunion for my husband and just too many events where a sitter would be required and we didn't know anyone there. We preferred to have a known situation for him.

At any rate, the symptoms are fairly light and infrequent tonight so we're hoping it stays that way. 'Yearly' vaccines seem to be ridiculous when the effective period for the strains covered is only 6 months. ?????

Shirley


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

ShirleyH said:


> Thanks, Dave, I'm confused about the recommended 3-4 days prior to boarding protocol. Just how many times can you give the nasal vaccine without causing an overmedication problem? This isn't so much a concern with Keeper because he won't be boarded often. We prefer to take him on vacations, but this time was a class reunion for my husband and just too many events where a sitter would be required and we didn't know anyone there. We preferred to have a known situation for him.
> 
> At any rate, the symptoms are fairly light and infrequent tonight so we're hoping it stays that way. 'Yearly' vaccines seem to be ridiculous when the effective period for the strains covered is only 6 months. ?????
> 
> Shirley


yeah Shirley I think you only have to give it once every six months. So if you go two or three times in six months you wouldn't have to give it again. That just means to give it only 3-4 days before you know you're going to need it for boarding requirements only. What does your facility require, vaccination within the last six months or a year?


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## tootle (Jun 19, 2007)

Poor baby, hope he's better already. The last time Walker received the intranasal vaccine, it made him sneeze for a week. I haven't given him any type since then.


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

*My take on KC*

Thanks Dave and E.Ann,

Even though the vet says once-per-year, I realize that Keeper was at the very end of the 'effective period for the vaccine received at the end of February, SO if it became necessary to board him before next February, you can bet I'd be asking for the vaccine. It's entirely possible that the strain Keeper has was covered by the vaccine and it simply had passed into the non-effective stage of the vaccine.

He is fine by the way and this is a very mild case.

Shirley H.


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## tootle (Jun 19, 2007)

I probably would give the shot to Walker if he were around a lot of other dogs but he's spending his time hanging out with me these days  I think his problem resulted from the nasal administration. I still think Keeper is one of the cutest and best natured Hav's I've seen. So glad he's feeling better!!!!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Here's more on it. http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bordatella-vaccination-dogs/


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

*Scarey*

Wow, Dave. This article should certainly make us think about this vaccine (actually any vaccine). It is one thing to be ineffective but quite another to be dangerous.

As far as any vaccine goes, because we lost our Bolognese to IBD which is an immune system disorder (Crohns in dogs), we vaccinated Keeper initially and at one year. All other vaccination due dates will be met with titer tests and this includes rabies. I am very suspicious that vaccines may be much involved in immune disorders and that seems to be borne out by an increasing number of veteranarians.

Thanks much for the information.

Keeper's Mom

P.S. Self-limiting indeed--7 days after starting the kennel cough, Keeper has not coughed once today.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Yeah Shirley , We're on a minimalistic schedule. I',m certainly not going to reveal it, because, it's not for everyone but let just say they will be few and far between. The rabies vac. is a joke. Even though a lot of states are three years, studies show reliability from seven years to life. We have to do it every two in Ontario. But do separate any you give, especially rabies by four weeks. If you want a good read , get Jean Dodds ,The Canine Thyroid Epidemic.


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