i wonder if you could help me my friend had a litter of puppies and one of the litter got kennel cough it was six week old,she sepperated the puppy and the vet gave it some antibiotics after six days the cough was gone she still kept it from the others but ten three days latter anotherone started to cough.the parents do not have kc they come into contact with no other dogs where did they get it from and why did they not come down with kc at the same time

Hi Sylvia,
kc is highly contagious and by the time we notice coughing/sneezing the dog(s) have already been harbouring the virus for several days.  In that case, all the puppies are likely to have contracted it but may just show symptoms at differing stages and also to differing degrees.
It is an airborne virus - possibly brought into the household inadvertently by a visitor on their clothing (if they for eg. were in contact with an infected dog and had it's saliva on them) or perhaps an infected dog has breached their garden fence.  The parents may not show signs because they have perhaps had the disease in the past and have built up enough of an immunity to it to either be unaffacted or only very mildly so.  kc is potentially very dangerous to young puppies and any elderly or infirm dogs.  I've known of a few litters similarly affected but fortunately if they are around the age of 6 weeks or so and already in robust health etc., then when treated promptly they are less likely to suffer severe complications.  Just sounds like very bad luck :(   Hope they all turn out to be OK.  regards, Teri    

i lost a litter with kc in oct 2002 at 4 weeks old,which they got secondarly infections,you can only give them antibicots,