Hi folks.This is only my second posting since joining yesterday,so please be gentle.I own 2 Dogue De Bordeaux's,both seem very healthy.Tonight i have come in from work and one of them seems to be suffering from what i would descibe as a cold.He has a very runny nose which was green ,but now seems to be running clear and he has a slight cough.He has'nt eaten his tea tonight which he usually devours.He is staying in his bed again which is not normal,although he has got up to go to the loo.He is up to date with all his jabs.We have'nt done anything that we don't normal do ie walks / exercise is always in the same area.We did attend a fun dog show at the weekend though.The other dog is not showing any signs / symptoms.Any help would be greatly appreciated as my vet does'nt provide a 24hr service.

The canine version of a cold is called 'kennel cough' and the canine 'flu' is Parainfluenza, which most dogs will be vaccinated against with their normal jabs.

There is a vaccine for one of the causes of Kennel Cough that can be given if asked for separately.

Thanks ever so much for the reply.Is there anything i can do to make him comfortable to night?My wife and i are really scared!!!!!!!

Unless he has some other health issue just treat as you would if a human had a cold.  children's Benylyn can be given if the coughing gets bad.

If you think he might have a chest infection (unlikely this quickly) then a call to the vet.  Do not take him into the waiting room though as it is highly contagious.

Thanks Brainless.

Don't walk him or your other one for a little while
Kennel Cough is highly infectious to all.
It's highly likely that unless you other dogue has a high immunity that they too will get it.
Much the same as we all catch colds - so by sharing a water bowl they are 'sharing' their germs.

If you do end up taking your dogues to the vet ring and advise them that you think your
dogs have Kennel Cough (KC), you should keep them in the car and not in the waiting room.
Some vets practises will work by the vet coming to your car rather than allow the dogs into the
surgery for fear of infecting other poorly dogs/elderly/pups etc. Others will ask you to have the last appointment
of that surgery (morning, afternoon and evening). Leave the dogs in the car until you are called etc.

Some say that honey helps, Vit C and echinea all to boost the immune system.

But plenty of rest, keep them warm and quiet and hopefully soon your boy will be right as rain.
If he is 'bunged up' fill a bath with hot water or run a shower in your bath room create a 'steam' in the room
and allow your dog to lay in the room and the steam will help loosen the gunk too.

Hope your Dogue is soon much better

Thanks for the replies folks.Been to the vets first thing this morning and he has confirmed that my Alfie has kennel cough.Both dogs have been given 2 lots of antibiotics ( the second dog,Hooch. is not showing any sign yet,but will end up with it the vet said ).It cost in total £154 this morning,but at least i have my dog back and hopefully on the way to a full recovery.

Is it just me...or does anyone ever wonder why so many vaccinated dogs...dogs that are up to date with their boosters come down with Kennel Cough..??

I've got three dogs here who had their first shots...and then their first boosters a year later. (They will never be boostered again) I've also got my completely unvaccinated dogs who are only protected by Homeopathic Nosodes.

My friend who works for the RSPCA has a Rescue dog..fully up to date with her vaccinations but her dog gets Kennel Cough every year. Last time she came to visit her dog had just come down with Kennel Cough again. I gave her several Homeopathic Remedies to limit the dis-ease. My vaccinated dogs started with symptoms so I gave them the same Homeopathic Remedies and it was gone before it even had a chance to get started....

However...my dogs who have never received a vaccination and are only protected by Homeopathic Nosodes...never so much as cleared their throats....

Is it just me...or does anyone ever wonder why so many vaccinated dogs...dogs that are up to date with their boosters come down with Kennel Cough..??

Not at all -because hardly any dogs are vaccinated against kennel cough! The kennel cough vaccination is done with intra nasal drops and should be done more than once a year, it is not included in the normal vaccines.

>I've got three dogs here who had their first shots...and then their first boosters a year later.

Kennel Cough isn't one of the core vaccines, so not many dogs are given it, and certainly not with the puppy vaccines - it's a bit like the annual flu vaccine; not many people receive that either, but it does mean that when the come into contact with it their symptoms are less severe than otherwise.

>My vaccinated dogs started with symptoms so I gave them the same Homeopathic Remedies and it was gone before it even had a chance to get started....

>However...my dogs who have never received a vaccination and are only protected by Homeopathic Nosodes...never so much as cleared their throats....

Unless you specifically requested that your dogs received the KC vaccine each time (being a vaccine against a bacterium and not a virus, it only gives short-lived immunity) then all your dogs are unvaccinated against KC ...

Could someone please post details of natural remedies ( how to make and how much to give etc )?Thanks in advance.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with anything homeopathic - I know this may offend people but there is no scientific evidence that homeopathy is at all effective.

For kennel cough - I think it's that old saying "treat with antibiotics and it's gone in 7 days. Treat with nothing and it's gone in a week". Antibiotics are really only useful if a secondary bacterial infection takes hold.

I think the best you can offer is symptomatic relief such as honey. Plenty fluids. No exercise until coughing has stopped.

Hi Shaun

For anyone wishing to minimise their companion's exposure to drugs here's what I would do...

Buy myself a copy of Christopher Day's "The Homeopathic Treatment of Small Animals" and read it cover to cover...then read it again....and then read it again.
(All the way through the book the author tells you exactly when you DO need to call a Vet)
Buy myself a starter remedy kit from www.helios.co.uk (36 remedies in a little blue box)
Buy myself Hyper/Cal Mother Tincture for cuts and grazes and relieving itching

Familiarise myself with the names of the remedies and keep referring to the Materia Medica...to see what they do... at the back of the book

Understand "Arnica" first....and it's amazing beneficial healing effects on the body...and the first time you relieve an animal from pain you will gain a little confidence in your own abilities

Once you gain a little understanding of Homeopathic Principals then there is also "The Homeopathic Treatment of Dogs" by George McCleod and "The Homeopathic Veterinary Handbook" by John Saxton and Peter Gregory

(Specifically for Kennel Cough I would use either Ipech at 30c or Drosera at 30c depending on symptoms and give intercurrently with the Kennel Cough Nosode. At the first signs of any of my animals being a little "under the weather" I would give Aconite at 30c which often has the ability to stop any dis-ease from progressing any further)

You won't remember me Shaun but I was admiring your 2 dogs at the fun day on Sunday. They are both lovely looking dogs you have, I hope Alfie recovers soon for you and hopefully Hooch is ok too.

Sorry I have no help regarding kennel cough though.

FOS,

My dogs always get the KC vaccination, just because I think its a good thing for them to have especially as i've seen dogs get KC and its nasty, though with cough syrup and time they've been fine, but its limiting and debilitating for them, as it is when we go down with a flu bug.
Mine have been around dogs with KC, as in they've played or been in a class with dogs who a short while later displayed symptoms, but never have they caught it themselves.

You also have to remember that it doesn't cover all strains of KC just like our flu jab, just one strain. Its not a common vaccination for people to ask for, normally they have it 2 weeks before of after a booster jab and yes its a green liquid up the nose.

The reason it spread so rapidly is that like us before we display symptoms we are at our most contagious, though its highly incourteous to take your dogs out when showing signs too, which you see far too many people do, NOT FAIR :-(

Not to mention that kennel cough CAN kill very young puppies and very old dogs.

I would give Aconite at 30c which often has the ability to stop any dis-ease from progressing any further

I would really like to see any evidence which supports these claims. I am not wishing to be rude in any way at all - I am a great believer in herbal remedies. However, studies show that homeopathy is no more effective than placebo in humans.

Another point with K cough is the vaccine does not cover all strains therfore it only gives immunity to some.
Dogs could "catch" any type
Just realised Suejaw you made the same point. lol

My dogs are very precious to me and I would use both KC up the nose - which we do because they go to our dog minder for odd days. I also use homeopathy and other things.

Just got Jake a bioflow collar, i use arnica and it works!

Scientific proof does not explain everything in life - faith and attitude also work wonders. Homeopathic remedies do and have always formed part of medicines that we use digitalis, ect...

Keep an open mind!

>Homeopathic remedies do and have always formed part of medicines that we use digitalis, ect...

Digitalis and arnica are herbal, not homoeopathic; there's an enormous difference between the two! herbal medications use the actual substance - homoeopathy uses the memory of the actual substance ...

Differences between homeopathy and herbalism.

I have been brought up with herbal remedies that are used frequently in Poland for minor ailments, with a general acceptance of their use within their medical profession.  Maybe this was because a lot of medicines in the 1970's were hard to come by and expensive, so alternatives were not so alternative.

Personally on the other hand I cannot say I have any confidence in the idea of Homoeopathy.

So I will use the actual Eyebright, Arnica etc, but not the homeopathic versions.

Digitalis and arnica are herbal, not homoeopathic

JeanGenie - I use Homeopathic Arnica and am referring to Homeopathic Remedies. I have not conducted enough research into Herbal Medicine to know how to use it correctly....although I'm certain that if I did it would be another "tool" in my pursuit of Natural Health for my family and my animals.

I prefer the gentle energetic nature of Homeopathic Remedies and have witnessed enough Homeopathic Healing in my family...friends...and now my animals... to have confidence in what I am saying.

(My eldest daughter was amongst the first generation to receive the MMR...she has suffered life-long skin allergies to virtually everything you can think of. Her terrible discomfort has been completely healed by the use of Homeopathic Calc Carb)  

Digitalis is not homeopathic.

As I said earlier, I use and believe in the use of herbal medication. My mind is certainly not closed :)

However, homeopathy simply does not work and I would not use it to "heal" my dog based on the extensive scientific studies carried out which show it's effect as akin to placebo. Dogs don't even have the benefit of the placebo effect!!

My dogs health is too precious to depend on such "treatment"

>JeanGenie - I use Homeopathic Arnica and am referring to Homeopathic Remedies.

And I use herbal, but wouldn't give homeopathic remedies houseroom after trying them on both myself and my dogs (as advised by professional homeopaths; I'm definitely open-minded!) and found that they were entirely ineffective. So we'll have to agree to differ.

>My eldest daughter was amongst the first generation to receive the MMR...she has suffered life-long skin allergies to virtually everything you can think of.

I'm very sorry to hear that. She must be a similar age to my son, who received the MMR three times, and suffered no ill-effects at all, and nor did any children (young adults now) of his generation that he knows. Sadly sometimes s**t happens.

Not to mention that kennel cough CAN kill very young puppies and very old dogs.

So can the needless administration of annual booster vaccines...and a whole load of age ranges in between....not to mention the suffering that many dogs (and cats) have to endure because of Vaccine Damaged Immune Systems

And I use herbal, but wouldn't give homeopathic remedies houseroom after trying them on both myself and my dogs (as advised by professional homeopaths; I'm definitely open-minded!) and found that they were entirely ineffective.

Same here. I used to use a homeopathic vet even. Didn't work.

So can the needless administration of annual booster vaccines...and a whole load of age ranges in between....not to mention the suffering that many dogs (and cats) have to endure because of Vaccine Damaged Immune Systems

There's still a LOT more problems from unvaccinated animals. A couple of years ago we did a little on the spot survey on here and between just a few of us came up with several hundred dogs that had been vaccinated every year, always, that never had any problems. I fully believe those dogs that cannot take vaccinations have something wrong with them and it's something that should be bred out. I'm allergic to penicillin myself but I wouldn't want everyone else to stop using it as not everyone has the allergy to it. Yet if I took it it would kill me.

Just got Jake a bioflow collar, i use arnica and it works!

My brother-in-law had a collie x alsation for 17 years (as it happens he was unvaccinated because 19 years ago it wasn't the big thing that it is now) At 15 he was diagnosed with CDRM by the Vet who advised euthanasia. We got him a Bio-flow collar (brilliant..!) and gave him Homeopathic Remedies and he lived in relative comfort for another 2 years..enjoying his raw diet that he had been on since he was 10.... and his little trips out....until he died peacefully in his sleep at 17 years old.

I'm a firm believer that those who do not vaccinate rely on those of us who do for their protection. I remember a time when to purchase 3 or 4 puppies before you got one that lived was not unusual because they would contact hardpad and despite the efforts of the vet they would died, thank goodness times have changed and we now have the benefit of science to help protect our dogs.

You can count me as someone in favour of herbal remedies they are used both within and outside normal medicine sure there are very few who have not taken asprin one of the most used herbal remedies.

Do believe that in recent times our over enthusiastic use of "germ killing" products has damaged the immune system of humans and animals alike, we build up no immunity to the natural world and so fall pray to infection and allergies, a little dirt is natures version of vaccine and we will rue the day we decided to disinfect our surrounding so much we have removed our bodies ability to develop natural immunity.

Do believe that in recent times our over enthusiastic use of "germ killing" products has damaged the immune system of humans and animals alike, we build up no immunity to the natural world and so fall pray to infection and allergies, a little dirt is natures version of vaccine and we will rue the day we decided to disinfect our surrounding so much we have removed our bodies ability to develop natural immunity.

I've just read a little book called "Comparing Natural Immunity with Vaccination" by Trevor Gunn its about the vaccination of children who are now 700% more vaccinated than they were in the 1950s (but can be extrapolated to dogs and cats because we don't actually even booster our children annually!)

On Natural Immunity.....Do you know what would happen if a virus is injected directly into the bloodstream...??

Nothing...absolutely nothing...because the body doesn't recognise a virus as foreign to itself. Thats because virus, bacteria, microbes, mites etc are all around us in the air we breathe... and living in us...and living on us...every moment of every day. For a vaccine to provoke an immune response it needs an adjuvant. The virus itself has to be grown on foreign proteins like egg protein or monkey cells. This too gets injected into the bloodstream along with metals and antibiotics. The body DOES recognise this "mixture" as foreign to itself and mounts an inflammatory response. An antibody is the very LAST thing that a Healthy body would produce if it were to come across a virus or germ naturally.

I do totally agree with you Nova about the over zealous use of germ killing products and that a little dirt is one of Nature's vaccines.

The Immune System isn't "a thing"....it's a process that has to be learnt....

I'm a firm believer that those who do not vaccinate rely on those of us who do for their protection. I remember a time when to purchase 3 or 4 puppies before you got one that lived was not unusual because they would contact hardpad and despite the efforts of the vet they would died, thank goodness times have changed and we now have the benefit of science to help protect our dogs.

Nova I agree absolutely with every word you have written and remember those times well, they were awful times for the dogs.

Our Boxer of 14 months has spent three days in the vets due to a Deep Chest infection she spent all the time in the isolation ward,when we took her in for a consultation she was coughing and vomiting everywhere all this came upon her within 20 mins, she was just her normal bouncy self no symptoms before this ,as people that know me would propably say that I over react where the dogs are concerned with taking them to the vets but,they are precious as are everyones animals,so the vet decided to keep her in as he didnt know if she had damaged her throat as she kept wretching he wanted to monitor her she stopped being sick for a then started again so was given a anti sickness jab the next day she started to produce a snotty nose so that answered thier doubts what was wrong a infection they would''nt say it was KC as this can only be done with a swab taken and cultures grown and as certain meds give her adverse reactions she was kept in,she was sent home yesterday with 3 lots of meds,Baytril Syrup,Nisamox and Rymadyl.Just to add to this KC thread today on Sky I was watching Animal Hospital with Rolf Harris and a Boxer pup was being seen by the chief vet David someone and he was asked how dogs get KC and he the usual things,but also by letting your dogs snif where other have had a wee it can be picked up any thoughts on this? Debby

My youngest dog has just recovered from KC (our first experience of this).  She caught it while at the vet's.  I can only presume that the dog who has been in before her, had wee'd on floor and Maisie sniffed this (i couldn't see it at first).  I brought this to vet's attention and he cleaned it up.  So up Maisie goes onto the table for a quick examination (slightly infected lump on eyelid - which disappeared on it;s own after a few days).  Three days after visit, she has this awful cough.  I kept her in house/garden.  Unfortunately, she had normal walks up to then, and our other dog would have been infected.

I phoned vets and enquired if their was KC in area, to which she replied "it is rife at the moment".  I said my dog has caught it from the surgery, and perhaps next time customers can be forwarned if they have had dogs with KC in surgery!

She wanted to know if we would like the vet to call and prescribe antibiotics.  I said no thanks, unless a saw funny coloured mucus.

Maisie had a cough for about 5 days (getting less each day).  She was more or less sofa bound for 2 days (looking very sorry for herself).  But she continued scoffing her meals and our other dog was great sympathetic company.  I did a bit of web research and dosed her with a tiny amount of Benylin and she fought it off perfectly well herself without any good-bacteria killing antibiotics.  Our other dog felt extra sleepy for one day but didn't get a cough.

Obviously, if she had developed a chest infection I would have contacted vet, but I am a firm believer in allowing nature to sort things out - especially as it makes the animal/human stronger and prepared for the next illness.

My 5 year old cocker had kennel cough a few months ago. He has been vaccinated against etc and aside from my other dogs and my neighbours while on our walk, he is in contact with absolutely no other dogs. We are in effect a closed circle. I had not taken them anywhere leading up to him contracting it. Vet was at a loss as to how he contracted it so it may have been he sniffed pee on our walks. As he had a ruptured disc in April, I was terrified it would recur due to the intense coughing but thankfully the vet gave him a shot to relieve it and antibiotics. None of my other dogs contracted it.

It is an air born infection so can be caught even if your dog never met another, once a dog has had one of the strains of KC it will have antibodies against that particular type so even if they have contact with it again it will either be unaffected or only very little. Being immunity from one strain does not make it immune from the others so a dog may be infected on any number of occasions although it does seem that like us they become more and more immune as they get older.

Dogs with the infection do cough and gag on the ground so you can walk in it and take it home that was, best to change your shoes if you have a vulnerable dog or pup at home.

I still don't know if mine had it a few years back, 2 of the 3 were coughing a bit but fine in themselves, but the third, who was the most likely to have sniffed where a dog the park weed, and went to the most shows at that time, never had any signs. Kept them all home and gave them honey just to be safe and it soon stopped.

Unless there are secondary infections it is not very debilitating which in its self is a problem as people do not realise their dog is infectious and happily take them out for walks and to shows where it is passed onto other dogs who may become more sick. Normally it is not any problem to a mature fit dog and only gives reason for concern to the young, sick or elderly.

Yes, but I would have thought if 2 of mine had it the third would have got it too. Oh well, that was several years ago now!

Your third was probable immune because it had had contact with the infection before.