Bloody kennel cough

[blanche]

SIGH.  Looks like Samwise has it.  Hacking, croupy cough started last night--not bad, but still.  I wish the shelters wouldn't vaccinate these guys for it--they ALWAYS get it.  I don't think I've ever had a shelter dog in foster care who DIDN'T get kennel cough within the first week of being here.  Obviously the vaccine is NOT that effective--which is why I don't ever get it for my guys.  And I'm pretty convinced that the vaccine pushes some of these dogs into it--no other explanation for why EVERY dog I've had from the shelter system gets it when they all get inoculated for it.

Maddening.

[Gerk]

Vaccines do weaken ones system. Get better Sam!

[blanche]

Vaccines do weaken ones system. Get better Sam!

And they get a heavy slam in the shelter--DHPP, Bordetella and the de-worming--all in the first day or so.  Plus apparently they have kennel cough going around this particular shelter right now.  I know it's going around generally.

[RockysMom]

Poor boy.
Sending positive thoughts for Sam!  Hopefully your whole gang doesn't get it!

[blanche]

Poor boy.
Sending positive thoughts for Sam!  Hopefully your whole gang doesn't get it!

Unlikely, Angela.  They've all been exposed to it multiple times with all the fosters and I find after the first year with me, they rarely if ever get it.

[lmcpug]

in my opinion the kennel cough vaccine is like the flu shot for humans....
whether you get it or not, you may still develope the symptoms for the infection.

I would surmise that Sam may have had the virus prior to the vaccine and
getting the vaccine did not immediately make him immune, if the virua was in
his system already.

My guys always got the kennel cough vaccine, since Pugsley got it the first time
and it has only been in the last several years I have not done so due to both Pugsley and Bubbas age and
the fact they very rarely leave the property.

Neither of them, while on it, have ever had the symptoms and only just this past spring did
Pugsley get a mild attack. We lived through it and I put it down to coming into contact with
other canines one day while we were at one of the events.
I think others had posted about their pugs getting the cough right after this one particular event. But it is the luck of the draw when that many canines are in one area.

Anyhow, I do believe the vaccine is effective if the canine getting has had no recent exposure to it.

[blanche]

And the old bugger doesn't like honey!  What self respecting pug turns up his nose at honey?  I tried to explain to him that Bugsy put on a very dramatic show when the honey rations were withdrawn, but to no avail.....

[blanche]

in my opinion the kennel cough vaccine is like the flu shot for humans....
whether you get it or not, you may still develope the symptoms for the infection.

I would surmise that Sam may have had the virus prior to the vaccine and
getting the vaccine did not immediately make him immune, if the virua was in
his system already.

My guys always got the kennel cough vaccine, since Pugsley got it the first time
and it has only been in the last several years I have not done so due to both Pugsley and Bubbas age and
the fact they very rarely leave the property.

Neither of them, while on it, have ever had the symptoms and only just this past spring did
Pugsley get a mild attack. We lived through it and I put it down to coming into contact with
other canines one day while we were at one of the events.
I think others had posted about their pugs getting the cough right after this one particular event. But it is the luck of the draw when that many canines are in one area.

Anyhow, I do believe the vaccine is effective if the canine getting has had no recent exposure to it.

There's a fair bit of evidence, Lori, that one of the biggest vectors of infection for kennel cough is any recently vaccinated dog.  They shed the virus for weeks after.  So any dog at any event who has been recently vaccinated for it would be shedding the virus.

I'm not a fan of the vaccine as I've just rarely seen it work.  The only time I vaccinated all my dogs for it (and I had 5 at the time) they ALL got it.  I've never vaccinated for it again.

[lmcpug]

my sentiments with the flu shot

doesn't primarily mean you are not going to get it and sometimes those
who do get the shot, come down with the flu big time.

my opinions are only what I have seen with Pugsley and the gang.
so can only go from that.

[Gerk]

And the old bugger doesn't like honey!  What self respecting pug turns up his nose at honey?  I tried to explain to him that Bugsy put on a very dramatic show when the honey rations were withdrawn, but to no avail.....

Crazy!  Not liking honey is unheard of.

[serenpugity]

Back to the kennel cough vaccination issue. Have had the same experience as many others. Winnie had been vaccinated for it from the time she was young until a couple of years ago. And still she got kennel cough repeatedly. Sasha had not had it, even when exposed to Winnie and Sasha probably had not been vaccinated in her life before she came to us. I foolishly had Sasha vaccinated a couple of years ago and guess what happened immediately? Kennel cough. So not neither of them get vaccinated for kennel cough now. They may have had a very mild case earlier this year with runny noses but that was it.

And for sweet Sam, maybe he doesn"t have a sweet tooth but is partial to savories, like cheese!

[blanche]

He's a pretty picky eater, frankly.  I suspect he may have been free fed as he is no respecter of routine eating hours.  So he's on the tough love program now. 

[RockysMom]

Rocky developed kennel cough today.  I did a bit of research about the bordetella vaccine when I got home and I wouldnt' give it to him.  There are warnings from the manufacturer that the vaccinated dog does shed the virus post vaccine for some time and that they "may" develop "a mild" infection after vaccination.  Doesnt' sound like a good idea to me!