The cough sounds like the dog is trying to cough something up, and for our kennel it went on for a couple of days before we realised there was something more to it than a bone gone down the wrong way. Once the next dog began coughing, the penny dropped and we realised we had a problem. I was at a training course when I realised what the problem was, so I couldn’t check with me vet.
Another person at the course said they though Kennel cough was fatal. I didn’t think that was right, but I got my husband to check with our vet to make sure. Fortunately I was right and Kennel Cough is rarely fatal to dogs. It is also not contagious to cats or to people. Dogs who are otherwise well are rarely adversely affected. They just have a bit of a cough, and carry on as normal. This is how it has been amongst our dogs. One coughed to start with, others progressively began coughing, and now the first on is pretty well over it and the others should be within a few more weeks.
The disease can take up to eight weeks to clear, in much the same way that a cough in a person can hang around for weeks after any other cold symptoms are gone. When my husband checked with my vet’s surgery he was told that Kennel Cough had been at the Adelaide Royal Show, so we figure that was where our first dog caught it.
The Adelaide Royal is the biggest dog show in Adelaide, South Australia, where we live, and the show is held over a week or so. Dogs from all over Australia come to compete. If a dog show person has a sick dog, they should leave it at home, but I guess that didn’t happen on this occasion.
Most Boarding Kennels ask that any boarders are vaccinated for Kennel Cough, because of the ease of spreading the disease. But I repeat, it si not a deadly disease unless your dog is otherwise sick with something else.
It’s not terrible, but it is annoying – I can’t take my dogs anywhere until they stop coughing, and I feel like I should stay away from places where there are dogs, just in case.
My closing comment on the matter is this – If your dog is coughing, please leave it at home!
