[Dotty]

Our 2 year old Ellie, began coughing last Wednesday AM, not a bad cough, maybe 4 times, we rushed her to a vet. The vet checked her out and said that she doesn't present enough symptoms of kennel cough. He proceeded to give both dogs their annual shots, less the Bortadella on Ellie just in case.

As the day wore on, she began coughing more, then the following morning she was coughing, vomiting phlegm, drooling pools of liquid. We rushed her to a different vet who took Xrays, that vet said she had pneumonia! She was very low, droopy and coughing like crazy and a high fever. They gave her antibiotics and an anti-nausea.
She improved after 3 days, then her sister started coughing a bit.

As it sits now, a week later, Ellie still coughs a little, still on antibiotics and her sister has a cough but has only coughed maybe 1 or 2 times all morning.

Any thoughts?
I don't know if she has pneumonia or kennel cough, I don't think the sister could catch pneumonia.

 

[gsdraven]

Shame on the first vet for giving them shots when ill.

If it's kennel cough, antibiotics won't help. Keep them hydrated and rested. It takes more than a week for both of these things to clear up completely just like with a human cold. If you see any signs of dehydration, fever or lethargy go back to the second vet.

 

[Dotty]

Could her sister Izzy (just coughed now) could get a milder version seeing as she just got the shot last week?

There was fluid in Ellie's lungs. Is there fluid in their lungs with kennel cough?

 

[Shade]

Your vet vaccinated the dog while it was coughing and you were concerned it was ill? I would be livid. Vaccinations are for healthy animals, I wouldn't allow one even if my vet wanted to if the dog had so much as a sniffle. What's done is done, sorry but I really hate hearing that a vet would do that

I'd seen kennel cough personally, it sounds awful and the dogs are listless, just like we are when we're not feeling well and they do hack up a phlegmy substance. My sister and brother-in-law had a dog catch kennel cough from a dog park and it spread through 5 of the 8 dogs in the family within a few days. Our vet prescribed a holistic medication (don't know which one as my dog wasn't affected) and the dogs felt much better in just a few days and all the symptoms were gone within two weeks. Lots of fluids and rest and it should pass quickly

 

[Dotty]

Izzy had the vaccine for it, but she is coughing a bit now.

What can happen if they are vaccinated while sick?

I hate this, you go to a vet and expect them to know what they are doing.

 

[BowWowMeow]

I'm sorry that both of your dogs are sick. Dogs can get kennel cough from the vaccine.

Vaccines depress the immune system so if your dog had pneumonia when she was vaccinated that would have made it harder for her body to fight off the disease. That was both irresponsible and uneducated of the vet to vaccinate her when she was clearly sick, and, frankly, I would not return to that vet. I would write them a letter and let them know why you're not returning.

Pneumonia can be quite serious and often it seems like your dog is better and they have a relapse. I would consider adding vitamin C to her diet (to help boost her immune system) and keep her quiet until you are absolutely sure she's healthy.

 

[Dotty]

So we shouldn't be exercising them?
They are so high energy, they miss a day they jump off the walls.

 

[llombardo]

My male GSD had kennel cough when I brought him home. Within a week my female GSD had it. She was put on antibiotics and the coughing stopped by day three. On the tenth day, her last day of medicine, my golden got it. He was put on antibiotics and no more coughing for him after about four days. The golden was throwing up too. My oldest mixed breed dog never got it. All are healthy now. The antibiotics worked for them and I did not want to wait to see if it would turn into something worse.

 

[llombardo]

So we shouldn't be exercising them?
They are so high energy, they miss a day they jump off the walls.

No exercise, they have to stay calm. Kennel cough lasts for several weeks

 

[llombardo]

I have my female vitamin c and the vet advised me not to give it when I took her in.

 

[BowWowMeow]

So we shouldn't be exercising them?
They are so high energy, they miss a day they jump off the walls.

You should be doing very mild exercise with the one who has pneumonia. I am a little confused though--the other one has kennel cough? The first one's initial symptoms do sound like kennel cough but I assume the vet saw lung involvement through the x-rays.

 

[Shade]

No exercise, they have to stay calm. Kennel cough lasts for several weeks

Yes, quiet as possible. The cough is aggravated by exercise so leashed calm walks, stuffed frozen Kongs and bones, etc. can help you through the next little bit until they’re better

 

[lzver]

I found the following info: Kennel Cough in Dogs | What is Kennel Cough? | petMD

Ellie may have had Kennel cough which progressed to pneumonia. If Ellie did start with Kennel cough, it's not surprising that Izzy has it now as well ... from what I understand it is highly contagious.

Back about 8 years ago I had a dog that got kennel cough. It was considered a mild case with just coughing and the vet advised just to let it runs it's course. I believe he stopped coughing after a week or so.

Hope Ellie and Izzy are feeling better soon!

 

[Dotty]

You should be doing very mild exercise with the one who has pneumonia. I am a little confused though--the other one has kennel cough? The first one's initial symptoms do sound like kennel cough but I assume the vet saw lung involvement through the x-rays.

I don't know if Izzy has kennel cough. She has a mild cough and I am wondering if it may be attributed to the vaccine or she could have caught it from Ellie. I don't even know if Ellie has kennel cough as she presented with symptoms of pneumonia.

Izzy has coughed like 4 times now today, Ellie is still phlegmy coughing.

 

[Dotty]

I just read that article Laura, it sounds like she can get pneumonia from kennel cough. But I just don't get it as she didn't cough once until the day of the first vet visit.

 

[Momto2GSDs]

I TOTALLY agree with the others here…..SHAME on him for vaccinating your baby when she was already sick!
Bordatella: Bordetella Vaccination for Dogs: Fraud and Fallacy | Dogs Naturally Magazine
What Vet’s Don’t Know: Vets On Vaccines | Dogs Naturally Magazine
Why Vets Are Getting Away With Murder | Dogs Naturally Magazine
More of what Vet’s don’t tell you: Vaccinating Dogs: What Your Vet Hasn't Told You Also read the other pages attached here.


Hope these articles help.

 

[Shade]

I just read that article Laura, it sounds like she can get pneumonia from kennel cough. But I just don't get it as she didn't cough once until the day of the first vet visit.

She could have picked up something while at the vet's office

 

[arycrest]

IMHO if you're treating one dog for pneumonia and the 2nd one is beginning to cough, I'd take it to the vet and find out what's happening instead of taking a "wait and see" position. Pneumonia isn't something to mess around with.

 

[Dotty]

We do have an appt. tomorrow at 10:30

Oh the vet bills this month!

 

[Magwart]

I like adding some organic, unrefined coconut oil to the meals of any of my fosters with KC (KC is very common in shelters, so most of my fosters come home sick).

The coconut oil is antiviral AND antibacterial, and I've seen it work wonders in some sick dogs (and avoid the need for Doxycycline....if it's even available, now that Doxy costs a fortune):
Natural Treatment for Kennel Cough in Dogs | The Honest Kitc | The Honest Kitchen
Remedies for Kennel Cough - Whole Dog Journal Article