This is the 3rd day Meg has had a funny cough.  When she gets up from sleeping and when something exites her to bark.  Maybe half a dozen times in the day.  She seems fine in herself - no other symptoms.  I phoned up the vets yesterday to be told that it sounds like early stages of kennel cough - a bad throat.  How long should I wait to see if anything develops before I go and ask for lungworm treatment.  This has happened before - about 3 years ago.  The cough didn't go away so in the end I asked the vet for treatment for lungworm.  It was never confirmed but the cough cleared up straight away.   I suppose it is possible that she may only have a bad throat and no other symptoms anyway?? It is such a nuisance because I can't do anything. 

I was also told (when I asked) how long I should wait until exposing her to other dogs again - after the last day I hear her cough - I was told 24 hours!   I thought it was at least 5-7 days to make sure.  Any advice please - I am anxious not to miss the end of my training course - it will be spring before we can do anything again.  However I don't intend passing anything on to my friend's dogs.

I've got one here with a similar cough so will be watching replies with interest as it's a first for me. In our case, am just hoping she's scratched her throat or something.

> I was also told (when I asked) how long I should wait until exposing her to other dogs again - after the last day I hear her cough - I was told 24 hours!   I thought it was at least 5-7 days to make sure.  Any advice please

This is if it is Kennel Cough
When entering shows you sign the form to say Not bring to the show any dog which has contracted or been knowingly exposed to any infectious/contagoius disease during the 21 days prior to the show. Personally thats what I would go on & as far as I'm aware it can take upto 10 days for KC to appear.

Of course - I didn't think of that - so if she isn't clear by next Sunday - that is my last 3 classes and the Christmas show done for. :-(   Oh and club nights and Christmas fun -night. 

Yes, unfortunately a month out of dog activities & to be truthful away from all dogs, including walks as it can be passed onto other dogs that are met....lots dont realise this and carry on letting their dogs meet on walks...a friends dogs just got KC this way(someones dog had it whilst out on a walk) & it stopped her going to her last show of the year.

Without doing actual tests my vet treated Ben for lungworm, he felt that as the other two were showing no signs of coughing, and ben's cough was very infrequent, that LW was the most likely cause.

Re:lungworm.   My two year old was diagnosed with KC earlier this week,and although he's still coughing occasionally the coughing fits are much less violent and frequent. Im assuming that as he appears to have responded to the medication he is unlikely to have lungworm. This is all new to me-30 years of owning dogs and never a single case of KC or lungworm til now!

> LW was the most likely cause

If the cough clears up immediately then you have no option to believe that either.  That was what I had 3 years ago.  Meg seemed to develop a cough after coming out of kennels - of course all dogs had to be vaccinated - so she was too.  I thought that having the vaccination meant that the disease was less obvious - just a slight cough several times a day - just like now - first thing in the morning and when barking - not after excercise though.  This carried on for weeks getting no better or no worse.  I then asked for lungworm treatment - I have a dog who drinks out of every dirty puddle going, eats any cat, fox, cow or horse poo and grass - high risk for picking up the snails that carry the lungworm parasite.  On being treated the cough vanished - could have been due to go anyway - will never know.  Just felt this was rather the same.  Although she coughed a lot more this morning and then suddenly vomited a plastic bag that my OH couldn't prevent her from eating (he doesn't think ahead I am afraid and omitted to tell me about it)  She has only had one cough since.

As for walking - I took her out after dark and still bumped into another dog.  Very very difficult around here.  Lots of dogs because I live on the main path for dog walking on this side of town.  Got to say that if she picked it up from this path then the disease is already there.  No-one else in my agility class has it. 

A friend of mine's dogs have gone down with KC and its thought that they picked it up either at training or a Ch show. She didn't hear any dogs coughing, so possibly in their infancy stages before the owner was aware...

Its nasty for the dogs, hope it clears up soon for Meg :-)

Thanks but at the moment she doesn't really seem ill.  The first dog many years ago had a really good dose and was a sorry sight poor thing.  If I saw a runny nose or Meg seemed under the weather I would feel better because I could be more certain that she had KC - not that I am wishing my dog to be ill if you see what I mean.  However it is the chance that it could be a lungworm cough and I am not treating it quick enough that worries me.  I will have to see how it goes. 

Been doing some reading - it sounds fairly normal for a dog not to show any other symptoms - so that is a relief.  The site I was just reading gave a recommendation of giving the dog chicken soup!!  Sounds good - think I will keep the remains of my chicken tomorrow to boil up for stock to make some soup - for myself too.   At least I can do something positive.

One of mine is doing a strange sort of cough also, none of the others are.  I did hear a slight resemlence from one of the pups the other day but that was when we got back home and i think it was from paint fumes and dust.

Would it be safe to treat her for lungworm if she possibly in whelp.  I would treat her regardlesss but need to know if any recations or need to end the pregnancy from treatment. 

She's had honeyto ease her throat but I think she might need something from the vet.

Forgot when i was in the vets the ither week with mu old girl there was a dog near us, when it came out of the vets room it had a similar cough.  I meant to ask my vet but decided as she hadn't treated it she wouldn't know.  This was about 10 days ago.  My old girl hasn't come down with it and she would have been first exposed and in a weakened state.

> Forgot when i was in the vets the ither week with mu old girl there was a dog near us, when it came out of the vets room it had a similar cough.  I meant to ask my vet but decided as she hadn't treated it she wouldn't know.  This was about 10 days ago.  My old girl hasn't come down with it and she would have been first exposed and in a weakened state.

Often if a dog has had that particular virus before they won't get it again, so it is quite possible your old girl was immune but brought the virus back to affect your bitch, as the timing is about right.

The only time my own dogs have had KC over the years it has been very light, just clearing the throat in the morning or light cough when excited.

As for medicating, unless there is a secondary bacterial infection then no medication is given, just symptoms treated (honey or cough syrup).

I certainly would not give the panacur (one of the treatments for lung-worm), until after day 40 in whelp, and because it is given for a prolonged period if it were lung-worm that would be treated at the same time as a side effect.

my 7 month bc pup started coughing after coming home from the park, i left it for a couple days and she was getting worse and started to be sick, so off we went to the vets and she said it is kennel cough and not to worry it will get better after a few days maybe a fortnight at the most, my pup is a nutter, she is soo full of energy and she was the same even when she was coughing and being sick, the vet told me she  will recover fine but in older dogs they may need some antibiotics, 3 days later and she is completly back to normal, the dog trainers we go to told us not to bring our pup to class for 2 weeks to make sure nothing is passed on and the vet said to not walk her in busy doggy hotspots for at least a week, hope this helps

>>As for medicating, unless there is a secondary bacterial infection then no medication is given, just symptoms treated (honey or cough syrup).

Thank you for your replies Brainless and Jack

Have just given her some honey and appears to be clear since monday.  Maybe a slight rumble yesterday but only once.  She has an appitite like a horse which is unusual for her and has loved her fresh fruit so whether that helped.  She would live on fruit and veg if I let her.  Given all teh others honey to be on the safe side.  I'm still not sure if it is as we've had work done in the house.