Kennel Cough

[londoneye]

Hi

My dog has recently (for about the last week) been snorting and sort of 'throat clearing'; almost the same action as dogs do before they are going to be sick.   But she isn't sick.   I've looked on internet and I was wondering if it was kennel cough.   Don't want to rush her to vets as she has been in and out constantly for last couple of months (neutering, then infection, etc etc).   In fact the symptoms started a few days after she last went to vets, even though there were no other dogs there.

From what I read, there is no real need to do anything unless symptoms worsen and/or continue for more than a couple of weeks.   She is Ok in herself, very lively, eating as normal etc.

Does anyone have any experience of this ??

[virginia.c]

I don't suppose her last visit to the vet was for an operation?  Just that it is quite common for humans to have a sore throat/hoarseness after an operation due to the old tube down the throat?  If  not that then when my dog had kennel cough it was his bark which was affected, he sounded like he'd had a 40 a day habit for years.  I do know though that Kennel Cough is highly infectious so if it were that then it needs treating.

Good luck!

[londoneye]

Hmm - it was an operation - sterilisation, which resulted in an infection of the wound after around a month.   But the operation was now a good 5 weeks ago and symptoms have only been for around a week (since she has been back and treated for infection of the wound).

Its weird because she is more lively than she has been for - well since she had the operation, she is like a puppy again, so I find it hard to believe there is much wrong with her, but then again there is this bizarre snorting and throat clearing.   She sounds like OH in the morning after too many ciggies (oh thats disgusting).

[Llwyncelyn]

Kennel cough is very unpleasant and whilst obviously we think that there is nothing going on and it could be just one of those things I would and always do take our dogs to the vets.

I try not to double guess the alleged professionals.

[chesnelay]

Kennel cough is a virus and for most healthy dogs, the symptoms are no worse than if we got flu; (very young dogs or elderly canines are worse affected and so should be closely monitored) so in most cases the vets are not able to prescribed anything - however if the kennel cough virus gets worse (nasal discharge, sneezing and the cough gets really hacking) then gets a secondary bacterial infection is suspected and the vet will normally dispense some medication.  it can last 4-6 weeks and is infectious for as long as the dog is coughing/sneezing.  There are lots of different strains of the virus so Kennel cough vaccines do not guarantee much protection!  I am sure she will recover very quickly if you keep her warm, limit exercise (and a harness is more comfortable to a collar if you have to walk her on a lead) The aneasthetic will have compromised her immune system so its not unusal for dogs to end up with something they picked up at a vets - incubation time varies from a few hours to several days.  I am sure she will continue to improve.