Our 10 month old pup has had kennel cough for over 3 weeks now. She's definitely a bit brighter than she was about 10 days ago, and eating fine but still having coughing fits (and bringing up some mucus) especially first thing in the morning and (poor thing) when she tries to play with our other dog. Vet has seen her. She's had a course of ABs. He says we just have to sit it out. He said she would be infectious to other dogs for up to one month from now. Is that other people's understanding of this illness? Luckily our other dog hasn't caught it from her - must have an immunity I suppose. She's not been out at all in those 3 weeks, except for the vets (he examined her in the car). I didn't realise what a long-lasting bug it is. And when he says she'll still be infectious does that mean we literally can't take her out for another month, or that we mustn't come nose to nose with another dog? I'd be grateful for people's experiences here! Obviously, I don't want to pass this thing on - it's horrible. Thanks a lot.  

Sorry, I realise I posted this on the wrong forum .. should be Health ... can someone move it?

KC can take a long time to go, 2 of mine had it for the whole of christmas. I think the dog is able to go out properly a week after the last cough, but i wouldn't take the dog to a really busy doggy place for a couple of weeks just in case.
Unfortunately with KC theres no "cure" its like a common cold, you can illeviate the symptoms with cough medicine, and prevent secondary infections with antibiotics but you really do have to just sit it out.

but kc with a seconarley infection can kill young puppie.older dogs and dog that are ill with another virus or condition.

we lost a litter of puppies at from 4 to 8 weeks old with kc in 2002

Kennel cough can go on for a few weeks or last literally a couple of days, just as someone said like our cold.
Don't rule out your other dog getting it.  The incubation period before they can show any signs after contracting it is around 3 weeks.  So until your dog with it has been clear of it for a good three weeks don't presume your other dog won't get it.

Bev

This is one of the reasons you can't show a dog within 3 weeks of being in contact with kennel cough. I have 3 off sick just now with it, brought back from Blackpool, so someone wasn't obeying the rules. I won't be going to any shows as I do not want to be responsible for anyone having having the problems that briedog has mentioned. Kennel cough can kill the very young, the old and those whose immune system isn't quite up to fighting off viruses. I wouldn't want to think that I was responsible for any deaths. Unlike some people out there who just care about the next bit of card :(

Trouble is dogs can be infectious before showing symptoms so some people will have unwittingly spread it.

>>"Trouble is dogs can be infectious before showing symptoms so some people will have unwittingly spread it." <<

Mine have only had it once thankfully and that was nearly 3 years ago. Two of them coughed for two days and not very much, more like just clearing their throats and they were fine. My rescue however was much worse. He started on the Friday as they all did and at the time he was having seizures caused by cancer although it had yet to be diagnosed. He was x-rayed that day as part of the investigation into his seizures and the vet showed me the infection in his lungs on the X-rays. He was treated with antibiotics to prevent secondary infection but the following Thursday he went off his food so I arranged to take him to the vet on the Saturday as neither of us thought it was that serious as he was still ok in himself. On the Friday he was very quiet and I took him straight in as I was very concerned by this time. His temperature was 105 and the vet told me he was on his way to developing pneumonia. He was treated to bring his temperature down and I had to give him some stuff to loosen up the congestion in his chest and more antibiotics. It took him 2 months to recover and cost nearly £200 for the insurance all because a "friend" of mine had not bothered to let me know that her dogs had had KC and she had mixed them with mine. Her response was that "it was just like a cold" I was told by the vet that if I had done what most people do and left him a couple of days just to see he could have died. He was so bad because his immunity was not what it should of been due to the cancer and the seizures he was having. I never take any chances with it now but I do wish that vets would inform people of the increased risk for younger/older dogs and those with less immunity then perhaps people wouldn't have this attitude of "oh well it's just like a cold":rolleyes:

My dogs have been coughing now for 2 1/2 weeks, 2 weeks and 1 1/2 weeks respectively. Luckily it is just a cough, and nothing else has appeared. I do accept that they can be infectious just before they start to cough, and for a while afterwards, BUT it still annoys me when people say that 'Oh, it's just a cough' No it isn't. Dogs can die. I have entered National Gundog on August 5th, but I have already told my usual traveling companions that I won't be going. Even if my dogs have stopped coughing (which I would expect them to by then) I would feel awful if they were still contagious and passed it on. I have met people in the past who have had dogs that were coughing only a short while before the show, but their selfish behaviour could have had dire consequences for others.

This next bit isn't aimed at anyone in particular. Please, if you suspect that your dog is coughing, or is recovering from it, please do not go to a show. Or anywhere that there will be other dogs. Think of other peoples dogs, not just your own.