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Kennel Cough symptoms after a Bordatella (nasal) immunization?
A week ago today, we took our dog (12 year old Chi-mix, otherwise healthy) to update his immunizations--the vet did the Bordatella nasal spray as part of this.
In the last 24 hours, he's started coughing like he has kennel cough (he's acting normal otherwise though). He has pretty much zero contact with other dogs, aside from seeing one while out on a walk, or I guess in the vets office itself.
I'm reading a few anecdotes online of others experiencing coughing as a side effect of the vaccine itself--has anyone here seen that? Would you call your vet or just keep an eye on him?
Any tips to ease the cough or soothe his throat in the meantime?
Re: Kennel Cough symptoms after a Bordatella (nasal) immunization?
Is it a live vaccine? If so, I'm guessing he could experience symptoms (though much milder than real KC) after the vaccine.
That being said, if he has pretty much zero contact with other dogs (doesn't go to dog parks or daycare), there's really no reason for him to get that vaccine.
I have to disagree. My friend just lost their dog a few months ago, by getting kennel cough from a dog they met on a walk in their neighborhood (so just brief contact, dogs smelling each other). I know kennel cough us usually not fatal but he had some underlying conditions that they did not know about until he was sick (made his symptoms worse and he never recovered from it). I normally would say that it is okay not to vaccinate if its absolutely not necessary but after what happened to my friends dog, I think if you do not want to take chances go ahead, assuming you did not get the vaccine just because your vet told you so.
Edit: This dog was never vaccinated for kennel cough for the reason that he does not go to dogparks or daycare.
Find me here instead!
Since it's a virus, antibiotics aren't going to do anything. If it turns into pneumonia, then antibiotics are warranted.
My dog had kennel cough. She honked like a goose for three days and then was fine.
If the dog isn't better in a week, it has likely turned into an infection in which case the antibiotics will help.
I went through this exact thing with my dog.
Do NOT assume your dog has kennel cough.
Get that dog into the vet now. Napoleon had what I was positive was kennel cough. He had it once, and it was the exact same symptoms as before.
Only it was not kennel cough. The cough was fluid in his lung tissue. He had an enlarged heart. The only way to diagnose this is from an x ray..
My dog passed away 2 weeks later. He was almost 12. Please get your dog into the vet, it could get much worse and uncomfortable for your dog.
I agree that you may not want to assume it's KC. One of my dogs started coughing one day, and I figured it was KC but took him to the vet. It turned out the be a respiratory infection. Not serious, and he recovered just fine, but the treatment was different than it would have been for KC, and it also meant he wasn't contagious (important since I have another dog, and they walk with one additional dog every day).
Also, realize that your dog could have picked up the virus a week ago at the vet. There could have been other sick dogs there even though he hasn't been around other dogs since. Even if the same was the strain as the vaccine, his immune system would not have had time to be activated to get any benefit.
I'm a wait and see person before going right to the vet, partially because I agree with Redhead that if it is a virus, you don't want to go right to antibiotics. Sure, if it becomes pneumonia or if it's bacterial antibiotics will help, but not for a virus.
Since it's a small dog, I will also mention the possibility of collapsed trachea.
As for treatment at home, Dr. Becker has some advice on treating. I like her advice of boosting the immune system with echinacea and astragalus and giving raw honey to soothe. Homeopathic remedies like drosera and some others can help the cough too (30C, you can get it at any vitamin store). I personally would try them over cough syrup. http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/homeopathic-remedies-for-kennel-cough/
If possible, I would take your dog's temperature to see if he has a fever and if he doesn't then monitor that he keeps eating, drinking, etc.