Hi folks

Malki has got this kind of cough, he hasnt been his usual self for the past few days. Tonight he was realy bad, and it was like he couldnt breath prperly. So i called my vet and he said it sounded like kennel cough? And i was to give him some benolin and take him to see him tomorrow. He seems to be a bit better after i gave it to him, but the question is, HOW could he of caught this, and how will it be treated by the vet? sorry if this sounds DUH, but i havent come across this before, my 10 year old cross springer has never had anything like this at all. So any info i would be very greatful. Thanks in advance

kelly and malki xx

Hi Kelly, a few options with this one. KC is an airborne illness, so if you were at a show and a dog coughed a few yards away, Malki could have been infected. Also, it can literally "drift on the breeze" for a long way. My lot caught it last year from the boarding kennels up the road. Also if Malki have sniffed at sputum coughed up by another dog, while out on a walk he could have got infected that way to. Hopefully it will only last a few days, and Malki will be nigh on normal while he has got it. If it is KC he will be very contagious to other dogs, so your other dog may well get it to:( However, I dont want to frighten you, but occasionally in the deep chested breeds it CAN become quite serious and turn to pnemonia. Im sure your vet will listen very carefully to his chest, and if it sounds like anything is going on down there, he will give Malki antibiotics. May I tactfully suggest that you leave Malki in the car and do not take him into the surgery, as if there was an elderly or very young dog in the surgery, it could be fatal for them. Hope all goes well, please let us know.

Thanks very much philippa, yes i will leave him in the car, and the vet may well come out to him. I will keep a close eye on the oldy just incase he shows signs of it too.

kelly and malki x

Kely as Phil said, its unlikely, but if Malki does develop an ongoing chest infection that doesn't respond to vet drugs, please contact me. I almost lost a dog with this and it was only saved by a cocktail of very modern human only drugs. An American wolfhound friend told me about them, and they seem to be the only thing that actuallu works for a deep seated chest infection in sighthounds.

Thanks very much sharon
Had malki at the vets today and it is KC, so will give him loads of TLC and give him the Antibiotics that he gave him, and he said that i should see an improvement in him by the weekend. But if there isnt a small improvement by Friday, then he will be going back straight away. Thanks for your info on this, i realy appreciate it. I will let you know how things go, during the week.

kelly and malki xx

Fingers crossed for an improvement then eh;)

Stacey x x x

Thanks kash, there seems to be a slight improvement to day, but he is still sneezing alot, but doesnt seem to be coughing as much.

kelly and the sneezy malki lol x