Dog Park - Brampton

[pugluver82]

So apparently, there was an outbreak of kennel cough at the dog park at Williams and 410 in Brampton. Just keeping everyone posted!!!

ashlee and hugo

xoxo

[Sammers]

Thanks for this! Luckily we do not take Sami to dog parks. We keep her away due to not being vaccinated yearly because of her allergies.

I will pass this on to some friends.

[blanche]

Just so folks know, if you don't already, kennel cough IS highly contagious--you can catch it anywhere--not just at a dog park.  If a dog has walked past your house and sneezed or drooled on the lawn, then it's "contaminated".

BUT Kennel cough is not a serious disease, is usually self limiting and is easily treated, IF necessary with antibiotics. 

My dogs ALL go to the dog park, I have fosters in from the shelter system, etc and I almost never see kennel cough in my resident dogs--and I don't vaccinate for it.  My dogs get exposed to it enough that they've built up a resistance and their immune systems can fight it off.  Usually whoever is the newest permanent member of my pack gets KC the first year and then never gets it again.

While I understand that people don't want their dogs to get it, it can be almost unavoidable and I think that some exposure to it does strengthen the immune system.

Even Tank, who is immune compromised (but way better than he was) has only gotten KC the first couple of months with me and never had it again and I've had LOTS of KC dogs here, coughing in everyone's face.

It worth it to monitor a dog with KC--especially a brachycephalic dog, but it is generally no worse than a cold for us.

[pugluver82]

just trying to help out...

[serenpugity]

I'm wondering too if some dogs are just more susceptible than others. Both of our Pugs have had kennel cough. Winnie has had it several time and so we don't take her to the off leash park now and haven't for a couple of years. The vet suggested that and it seems to have helped. Sasha didn't get it even when Winnie had it and then when I foolishly had Sasha vaccinated she got it i think from the exposure to the vaccine. So no more vaccinations for kennel cough for either of them.

[blanche]

just trying to help out...

I'm not slamming you, Ashlee.  I just don't want people to panic about it or feel that they've somehow been negligent if their dog gets it.  It's really easy to catch and many dogs are contagious WAY before they show symptoms.

I think it's important to know that it's out there, but it is treatable and very common.

[blanche]

I'm wondering too if some dogs are just more susceptible than others. Both of our Pugs have had kennel cough. Winnie has had it several time and so we don't take her to the off leash park now and haven't for a couple of years. The vet suggested that and it seems to have helped. Sasha didn't get it even when Winnie had it and then when I foolishly had Sasha vaccinated she got it i think from the exposure to the vaccine. So no more vaccinations for kennel cough for either of them.

I think dogs are just like people.  Some of us get every little cold bug that goes around and some of us could wade in germs and never get sick.  Dogs are the same.  Sasha, having been a puppy mill dog, probably has been exposed to ALOT in her life and may have a pretty strong immune system for KC.  Winnie, maybe not so much.

It's funny about the vaccinating.  The only year I vaccinated my dogs for it, everyone got it.  There are many, many bacteria/germs that cause KC (or bordetella as it's really known) and the vaccine is like our flu vaccine--it's the best guess as to which germs will be most prominent in any given year so you can vaccinate and still have a dog get it.  The vaccine only covers a small portion of the many germs that cause bordetella.

[Sammers]

Thanks, glad I don't have to panic! Which I tend to do when it comes to Sami as we haven't had much luck in the health department since we had her. Good info, thanks again!

[serenpugity]

I think that you're right Blanche. Sasha has probably been exposed to everything going, whereas, Winnie has had a somewhat pampered life with the best everything and may not have the same immunity as Sasha. KC is frightening though when it happens. Winnie can cough so vigourously that she vomits and I worry about her getting dehydrated. She's had antibiotics every time, which is also a concern. It's been a while now so i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[blanche]

No question that it can be very scary, especially if a dog gets bad case of it.  The coughing sounds like choking and the vomiting with the severe coughing is common.  I DO take any of my dogs to the vet if I see that kind of response to bordetella--with their flatter faces, you do worry about bordetella more than you would with a long nose.

But it's rare for it to become serious, it is treatable and it's almost impossible to avoid if it's going around.  I'm a bit cautious with Tank as he is immune compromised, so when he got it, I watched him carefully in case it got bad, but he mostly had a snotty nose and drooled a bit.  Not much hacking and gagging.