Have just found out, a friend that I walk the dogs with a few times in the week dogs have all got kennel cough! Kia & Tiger were with them for a few hours on a walk last friday. Thay havnt shown any signs of it....yet! Im not sure what to do? wether to take them to the vets tomorrow in case they do have it or just wait and see? Im worrying about it because on Mon & Tue nights I work so I will be away from home from 5pm tomorrow eve an only back for 2 hours on Tue then back to work, then back home for 2 hours on Wed, so I would hate to be worrying about them while im in work. My OH is at home with them for most of the time (we work opposite times from each other on them days) Of course he will keep an eye on them but I just want to be here in case they do have it. I may just be over reacting, but I do worry about them.

I wouldn't worry too much. There is no point in taking them to the vets if they don't have it as there is nothing the vets can do. Even if they are showing symptoms there is little they are likely to do. Some witl give covering antibiotics but that is only in case of secondary infections and i'm not so sure its necessary anyway unless the dog is already ill, young or old. THey will usually suggest benelin cough mixture if the dogs are coughing. Just think of it as you would a human cough, a mild annoyance, but nothing too drastic. It jsut means they will be infectious to other dogs and may be a little out of sorts whilst showing symptoms.
I can't remember what the incubation period is but i would have thought you would have seen signs by now. Remember dogs don't need to be in direct contact with other dogs with KC to contract it so they may have been exposed to it many times without you knowing, so may already have mild immunity.
try not to worry too much , i'm sure they will be fine.

Thank you thats put my mind at rest a little.My older dog had kennel cough about 6 years ago, I was away on holiday at the time so my dad took her to the vets, I really cant remember what they gave her?? Thank you :-)

Hi

Mine had it last year i took 2 to the vets they gave me covering antibiotic's for all of them which was synulox but it was really my old girl who had problems with it as she got a secondary infection even on her tablets so they didn't really help any.

I'd just hang fire and see if they get the symptoms, we had it at our ringcraft a few weeks back only found out the week after we had been when a few were missing but mine never got it.

I would keep your dogs away from all others for a week after being with your friends dogs.

I would put some colloidal silver in their drinking water.

The incubation period is 3 to 10 days - so if you can get past the tenth day from being in contact with it, then should be in the clear!

Thanks so much everyone, still showing no signs :-)

Five weeks ago four of mine were coughing, and the other four never even caught it. Interestingly it was the four youngest that got it, and the four oldest didn't.

Dawn R.

We have 6 down with Kennel cough at the moment, think we picked it up from a show where there were several dogs coughing took 7 days for the first one to start now on 2nd week and still coughing, we have been dosing with cough mixture and honey, the two worst ones are now on antibiotics due to it developing into pnenomia.  We dont plan on going out with the dogs for another couple of weeks and at least 10 days after the last one stops coughing.

Tracy

Oh no my older dog started coughing! shes only done it twice, it was while she was eating and once when she got too excited, so my fingers are still firmly crossed! :-)

Incubation is up to 10 days and symptoms vary and can range from a hacking cough, to what appears a slight and occasional clearing of the throat.  I think the important thing to remember with KC is that whilst it might not be life threatening to a healthy dog, it can and often is to older, very young and dogs with known, and unknown underlying, health problems.  This isn't meant to alarm you, but all too many people with dogs with KC take their dogs out and about thinking that their dog is just a bit under the weather but would benefit from a walk and on that walk they are leaving spores for the poor elderly or sick dog to pick up!  Hopefully yours wont have KC, but if it does and you have to go to the vet, please, please, please ... do not take your dog into the surgery.  Tell your vet to come out to the car.

I agree with that, but some vets aren't bothered!  When ours had it about 3 years ago, the vet insisted they come into the surgery - and I remember an old dog standing by the reception...

Thanks for that, I dont have the problem of the dogs meeting any other dogs, where I live there is only 2 other dogs in the village that we very rarly see. I walk them on fields where no other dogs go. My older dog is now coughing quite a bit, normally when she gets excited. My other dog hasnt shown any signs yet? would it be possible for one dog to have it but not the other?

Yes, my older collie never got kennel cough, even though my other dogs had it a couple of times.  I think when they have kennel cough you need to keep them quiet, any excitement sets off bouts of coughing, or pressure on the throat from a collar if they pull on lead.  Children's Benylin is supposed to help.