I've been moaning to a couple of friends about this today but as they don't have dogs I don't think they understand what I'm whinging about.  It's not life-or-death but I just need to tell some other "doggy" people.

I was intending to castrate my 9 month old whippet on Thursday.  I don't want to start a debate about the pro's and con's of castration but I had hoped to leave him a little longer before the op.  However he also has an umbilical hernia which I think has grown slightly over the last month and I don't want to put him through 2 anaesthetics.  After a lot of thought I decided to do his anaesthetic myself as I feel it's too much to ask of a friend or colleague.

On Wednesday evening my fiance rang me (I was still at work) and said that he thought our pup had kennel cough.  Assuming this was a last ditch attempt to save his (the pup's!) testicles, I said "Don't be ridiculous.  Of course he doesn't have kennel cough!)  When I got home his temperature was normal, his glands weren't enlarged and he wasn't coughing at all.  The next morning he was hacking away as though he was on 60 a day.  I couldn't believe it.  What timing!  He's on a 2 week Synulox course which seems to be helping a bit although it's too early to tell.

I was a bit frustrated as I had psyched myself up to do his anaesthetic and now that I've made the decision I want to get it over and done with.  However what's really making me grit my teeth is that obviously he's confined to barracks for the next 3 weeks.  It's been 2 days and already he's climbing the walls.  This morning I ended up taking him to the park at 4am!  What's he going to be like in 3 weeks?

Anyway, sorry for moaning.  Feel better now!

M-C

Mary

Sorry what do you mean by you will do his anaesthetic yourself ? :)

Lucy

M-C is a Vet Nurse :)

Hm a vet nurse and taking her dog out to spread the dreaded kennel cough around, all be it early morning, but, not a lot of thought for others. Ever heard of brain work to keep a dog sane!!   

Good grief, jumbuck! I assume that when you have a cold or flu you keep yourself indoors for two weeks and not go out of the house at all? After all, you'll be spreading the dreaded viruses (the human equivalent of kennel cough - annoying in a fit person but more serious in an elderly one or child) around.

Taking a coughing dog out for gentle exercise (obviously no tearing around) at a quiet time isn't that irresponsible, and save the dog going stir-crazy, getting hyper and stressed and making its symptoms worse. JMO.
:)

Agree completely with JG. As I said in an earlier post, if I had a cold and walked through the park 10 minutes before you, you would not be able to catch my cold. Phone the vets, they will tell you themselves; kc is an airborne virus and can only be caught if another dog gets close enough for the germs to spread that far by air.

One of my dogs is just recovering from kc and he has been going out with it. If I see another dog, he goes back on lead and we walk away. Obviously we haven't been to agility or flyball, but walks are fine. I have got three working border collies. Imagine them stuck indoors for 2 weeks? Good grief Penfold! :rolleyes:

My apologies but I have read on several sites that you shouldn't take a dog out with kennel cough because if it dribbles or plays with sticks, not that a dog should, then another dog can catch this from sniffing or touching the stick. Maybe different vets in different regions have different ideas. :-)

My understanding is that viruses generally live only at body temperature so the transfer between hosts has to happen fairly quickly which is why they tell us you can't catch stuff from public toilet seats, not that I am taking any chances on that one :D

lol@Isabel :D

Hi all

jumbuck, kennel cough is caused by several different viruses or bacteria, none of which can survive for long outside the host.  It is usually spread through direct contact with an infected animal or by an aerosol effect, e.g. a cough or sneeze.

Cashie is being walked on lead in the middle of the night and we stay to the paths so he has no opportunity to pick up sticks or anything else.  I would never put other peoples' dogs at risk but I cannot imagine what state he (or I!) would be in were he to be confined for 3 weeks!  Hope this clears up any confusion.

Best wishes

M-C