Kennel cough remedy?

[e30m3Mark]

Came home from Spain yesterday and picked up our 2 labs and elderly terrier from the kennels. My youngest lab (Ted who's 3) was so happy to see me but I soon noticed his constantly coughing and trying to clear his throat. In fact, he was showing all the signs for having picked up kennel cough! He was vaccinated but somehow or other he's certainly picked it up over the past week. I'm sat up with him now and it's horrible to see / hear him so distressed. I bought him some honey to try and sooth his throat but wondered what else I can do to make it easier on him?

All the dogs were bloody filthy and had to be showered and shampooed before we could have them in the house. The bedding they took with them also came back filthy and smelling of fox excrement. They even lost Ted's collar, which was a lovely Cornish tartan and leather with a brass buckle. Given it cost me just over £300 for the week, I am pretty pissed off at how poorly the dogs were cared for. Worst of all though, is sitting up with poor Ted whilst he coughs and vomits. It's heart breaking. Any advice would be appreciated.

TIA

[Harrythecat]

You can try a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil on his food or a sprinkle of cinnamon, but both of these are just relief not cure, you really need a course of Antibiotics from the vet.

And I would consider naming and shaming the Kennels.

Hope he gets well soon

[babelfish]

A tablespoon of honey and a pinch of cinnamon worked for our lab (along with the antibiotics and anti inflammatory from the vet). But there was a remarked improvement after after giving the honey.

It's so distressing seeing them suffering so much.

Edited by babelfish on Friday 28th September 01:23

[e30m3Mark]

Thanks for the replies chaps.

Ted, my younger yellow lab, is actually a bit better today. Unfortunately, the other 2 dogs started showing symptoms but it was only to be expected really. I've been giving them honey and the vet suggested a tea spoon of children's cough syrup! I've restricted their exercise to a brief walk to allow them to answer the call of nature. As you said, it's just horrible to see them suffering such discomfort.

[bexVN]

If he is that bad he will probably need veterinary intervention (at least anti inflammatories, possibly antibiotics) some dogs can get properly sick with it.

Kennel cough vaccine only protects the worst of the kennel cough strains. There are many strains (usually more mild ones) around.

There is a high chance your other dog will catch it.

A few yrs back my dog caught kc from a dog that coughed twice whilst playing with him at the park. He got it very mildly, twodays of mild coughing when he got too excited and that was about it. However my friends do caught it off my dog (they were together before I knew) and he was terrible, honking cough all night, distressed vomiting etc, he needed antibiotics and anti inflammatories!)

Hope your dogs are feeling better soon.

As for the kennels, whilst I can't blame them so much for kc unless they knew it was prevelant before they took your dogs in. They should not have been in such a filthy state surely?

Also if you paid for insurance cover at the kennels then that should cover the cost of kc treatment if the vet agrees they caught it there (unless they have a get out Claus) worth checking.


Eta- sorry miss your last post until after I posted this one!

Keep an eye on your elderly dogs, it can affect them more. Don't walk them anywhere other dogs go it you can, it is airborne so if they cough on the ground it can pass onto to another dog who then sniffs the area, it is that contagious.

Edited by bexVN on Friday 28th September 10:03

[e30m3Mark]

This is my correspondence with B*i@@^% Farm Kennel here in Cornwall. I have used them in the past without a problem and all our dogs are regularly vaccinated. They are also bathed regularly and kept as clean as it is reasonably possible to keep any dogs. They were clean when dropped off and their bedding had literally just been removed from the tumble drier after washing.

Hello,

I am writing with regard to our dogs (Ted, Molly & Milo) who stayed with you for the past week. As soon as the dogs came out, it was clear Ted had an issue with his throat. I assumed he'd been pulling on his lead/collar but within a matter of minutes it became clear he has a pretty severe case of kennel cough and he has been vomiting with it most of today/tonight. It's pretty clear he has been unwell with this for some time yet no mention was made of his condition, or that there were any cases of KC within your kennels. Ted's collar is also missing. It's a distinctive Cornish tartan with his name engraved on it. All our dogs are vaccinated, although I appreciate this isn't always enough. What I am surprised about though, is that no mention was made of the infection.

Apart from Ted being clearly unwell, all 3 dogs were filthy dirty. In fact, I remarked to my wife that Molly (the black lab) looked a different colour! All smelled of fox excrement (or similar) and their bedding was equally filthy. I am extremely saddened to find our dogs in such a state and am now sat nursing Ted, who is extremely distressed by the coughing. I think it is inexcusable not to mention the infection, or for the dogs to be so filthy, when paying £300 per week!

regards,


Their reply was that they only heard Ted cough as they brought him up to the car and they put it down to pulling on the lead. They also said they noticed our dogs smelt when they were dropped off! If that were true (which it wasn't!) are they saying they left them in that state for the next week? As for the collar, they've said they can't find it and asked how much it cost.

I won't be going back there again.

[riosyd]

What a shame for your dogs. When my dogs had kc I gave them a teaspoon of Manuka honey and some Benylin cough syrup. Hope your dogs are feeling better soon. As for kennels, I would be furious too!

[condor]

I hope the kennels are going to give you a refund of some of your costs.
Might I suggest using a house sitter to care for your dogs next time you go away.

[Jasandjules]

Kennel Cough nosode should reduce symptoms enough for the honey to make the difference in theory at least, we've never had to try it.