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KENNEL COUGH

“Kennel Cough’ is a contagious disease cause by a combination of a bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica and a Canine Para influenza Virus. Most dogs have one or the other as normal inhabitants in their systems. When animals commingle such as going to the Vet, grooming, training or boarding they may be exposed to the other “ bug” that they don’t have. Similar to kids going back to school or going to daycare, we will get several that get sick after this new exposure.

Antibiotics will help with the bacterial portion, but the virus is still present. When you and I get a cold it is Para influenza or a rhinovirus. If we take antibiotics it takes 7-10 days to get over it. If we take nothing it takes 7-10 days to get over it. The same occurs in your pet. This virus can take up too 3 weeks to go away. The disease causes a tracheal (wind pipe) cough that sounds like a child with Whooping Cough - also a Bordatella sp. This is rarely if ever life threatening in dogs! However inconvenient it is it will not harm your pet in the long term.

The best prevention is vaccination. Vaccination will prevent or at least decrease the severity of the disease. Two forms are available and both do different jobs. The shot or injectable form is given under the skin or in the muscle. This form causes IgG and IgM to be formed. These antibodies prevent the “bugs” from attacking the entire body through the blood system but do not prevent infection. This vaccine takes a minimum of 7 - 10 days to protect the body and must be administered at least that far ahead of exposure. Even with this vaccine your pet may still get a low-grade cough due to infection but he or she will not get deeply ill.

The second form of the vaccine is the intranasal or in the nose. This vaccine is difficult to give and most pets do not care for it. It causes IgA to be formed. IgA is the antibody that protects the surface of the body from infection. This means that the pet will not get infected if the levels of IgA are high enough and the vaccine is current enough. This vaccine takes at least 48 - 72 hour to take effect so again your pet should be vaccinated prior to exposure. If nothing else your pet can be vaccinated upon arrival with this product and it may decrease the symptoms if exposed.

If you choose to board your pet it seems best to have it vaccinated ahead of time. Please rest assured that your vet and the boarding facility are doing the best that they- can to keep this irritating situation under control; however we do need your cooperation and understanding. Please keep your pet vaccinated; if it is ill do not expose it to others; and be patient with us during and out break. This disease will not harm your pet in the long run and is not entirely preventable. We hope to avoid it for you or at least make it a minimal discomfort to you and your pet.

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