My recent little rescue Beagle has had a nasty bout of kennel cough that she is recovering from with the help of antibiotics. Please can you tell me if the KC will contaminate her toys as she has a beloved furry animal she carries around. It is now well slobbered and I wondered if it would re infect her. Would running it through the washing machine make much difference, apart from making it clean again, but would it get rid of the KC residue?

After we had kennel cough I soaked bowls etc in virkon which kills kennel cough.You can also use Safe4all disinfectant. As I understand it Kennel cough cannot survive hot/dry conditions so a hot wash should do it.

I would have thought though that as she has had this strain she will now be immune to it....much as we humans cannot catch the same cold twice,

She is unlikely to be reinfected by the same virus as she will have developed immunity but it could infect others so a wash and run in a hot tumble dyer or pop in the oven if it will cope with that should do the trick

I have just got home from the vets and she is sure this is not kennel cough as it has not improved with antibiotics, in fact my dog now has noisy lungs as well, that wasn't happening last week on my first visit. My vet is now treating her for lung worm. She has so much unknown history that anything is possible.
Poor little soul doesn't deserve this. If there is not a major improvement over the next couple of days they want her in for chest X-rays on Monday.
Such a worry.

Bit puzzled Sillysue, Kennel cough is caused by a virus so there is no way it would be cured by antibiotics - vets only give antibiotics is there is a secondary infection caused by bacteria. Not at all sure what your vet is talking of but it is a good plan to do tests to get a true answer. Easy enough to take a swab and grow a culture to check it is bacteria and then if it is not you can look to other causes.

'Kennel cough' is really a generic term for a set of symptoms, not a specific disease in iteself. It can be caused by a virus or one of many bacteria; but you're right to say that antibiotics are generally only given if there's a secondary infection, not as a first response.

Sorry I was not very clear, in fact reading back I was rambling !!!

Her glands were up and she had an infection set in as well.
She had the cough when I first saw her 4 weeks ago in the rescue centre, and I took her to my vets last week when it was not improving after 3 weeks, this is when the infection was found. Last week it was just in her throat and sinus area, but has now one week later spread to her lungs. The cough has also become worse. She is also getting lethargic and stayed in her bed all day today. This is why I took her back to my vet tonight instead of waiting till Monday when I should have taken her. I am so glad I didn't wait.
She is now on stronger antibiotics, anti inflammatories and Panacur daily for suspected lung worm. I will take her back on Monday for chest X-rays if there is not a major improvement in her.

Blimey, not surprising you were rambling.  You must have been so worried about her.  I really hope that she starts to pick up once the antibiotics kick in.  Sending positive thoughts.

Jean

Now understand Sillysue, can understand the change of ABs if the first were not dealing with the infection. Hope you find the cause soon and that the poor little girl improves.

Positive thoughts, poor lass