Confused, Input Please

[Beabble]

I'll try and make this as short as possible. Our boxer boy now has kennel cough, he's been on meds for it since March 29th. Two days later, our boxer girl came down with it, she's been on meds since March 31st. So far, Mags (our yorkie/chi mix) and Jazzie (our full yorkie) don't have it. I don't let the big dogs and small dogs mingle together, I always used gates to keep them apart or do crate and rotate. I know kennel cough is airborne, but I guess just as extra precautions, I've disinfected floors, carpets, furniture, furkids, beds, toys, kennels. I've read so many conflicting things about keeping the furkids apart. I'm a member of another forum for boxers, and there's a lady there who's been going to school to become a vet, been going for a few years now. My own vet said keep the big dogs away from the lil ones, so, 4 days ago I started keeping the lil ones in my bedroom all the time. The lady that's going to school to become a vet says there's no reason to do that, they've already been exposed. Unless my bedroom is air tight and I have a different ventilation system to my bedroom, the lil ones are still being exposed. I have had the furnace on a few nights cause it's gotten cold out and I don't want the sick ones becoming chilled, nor the lil ones for that matter, so I know the cool air return is just taking in the airborne virus and spitting it back out through the heating ducts, so ultimately, the lil ones are still being exposed even though I've kept them in the bedroom the last 4 days. The lil ones are hating being cooped up in the bedroom and I feel horrible making them stay in there. But on the other hand, I just feel if they are in here, not being so close to the big furkids, they'll be better off. Mags has a compromised immune system and can't have anymore vaccinations for the rest of her life. The last 2 days she's been making a funny noise, not like reverse sneezing, cause she does that and I know what that sounds like, but it's not a cough either. Our vet said first sign of kennel cough in the lil ones, call him and he'll get them started on meds as well. I called my vet yesterday cause of the noise Mags is making, it's not constant, not anything at all like what my boxers are doing, she's eating, drinking, pottying like normal, just sad that they are cooped up in my bedroom. Anyhow, I didn't know if I was just being paranoid cause the big furkids have kennel cough and we just lost Dottie to cancer on February 4th, but I called our vet to let them know what Mags was doing and should she be started on meds or was I just over reacting. The doc was in surgery, when he came out, the receptionist spoke with him and she called me back. He said it isn't time to put Mags on meds yet, but should she start with the coughing, call and they'll get her started. The receptionist explained to me when I went in to pick up meds for Gracie that, the reason Mags is not on them yet is, she already has a compromised immune system, so they didn't want to start her on meds until she was showing symptoms, they didn't want her to get immune to the antibiotics and then when she really needed them, them not work. As I said, she's acting normally, just fed up with being stuck in my bedroom and making a weird noise, but nothing constant, almost like she's gonna reverse sneeze but then stops soon as she starts. So, my questions are, should I continue to keep the lil ones in my bedroom, and, Jazzie needs a bath, she needed one a week ago, but I was afraid to give her one in case she had kennel cough and wasn't showing signs yet, I know it can turn into pnemonia and kill a furbaby. She isn't showing any signs at all, but I would have to bath her int he kitchen sink where my boxers do go daily to drink and get meds. For the most part, if they aren't pottying, taking meds or drinking water, I've made them stay in their kennels to rest. The meds are helping, Gracie hardly coughs at all now, Elijah's cough is A LOT less and now doesn't sounds as horrific as it did a week ago. I so want to let the lil ones out of the bedroom and into the living room, but I'm so scared. Thanks in advance.

[IsabelleOllie]

My big dog had a very minor case of kennel cough. I think he picked it up at one of the petstores or just out on one of our walks at the park. Anyways... he was coughing for a few days, and then my shih tzu started coughing. I started to panic because he seemed so pitiful and acting like he wasn't feeling well. I called my vet, and described the symptoms and he said he wanted to take a wait and see approach with both of them. He doesn't like to prescribe antibiotics as KC is usually viral anyway, but would if they developed a secondary bacterial infection. (I completely agree with this approach as well, in animals and humans, there are so many bacterial strains that are now resistant to antibiotics) They both got over it w/in 2 weeks and my yorkie did not get sick at all.

That being said, you need to go with your gut instinct and if you think your little one is getting sick, maybe you should take her in to be seen. If Ziggy and Oliver didn't improve on their own, I would have had them seen.

[Baby Blessing]

Hi Tracey, sending hug to you it sounds like you are on top of things, hope each is all well real soon, you are doing a great job.
Patti and Jack

[Lisa and Pic]

Both of my girls got kennel cough when I brought in a foster last fall. Wish I would have separated them right away, but I did not. It was sad listening to all of them cough. (On top of that, for no related reason, I had terrible bronchitis also.) There really was not much that I could do for them, except take them to the vet for antibiotics, in case they got a secondary infection.

Is there someplace else you could take your pup to give her a bath, where your other dogs do not go, like the bathtub?

Anyway, sorry you are going through this and hope it passes through your home quickly.

[Beabble]

That's why I called our vet, cause I wasn't sure if I was just being paranoid with Mags lil weird noise or not. She doesn't do it a lot at all and it's definately not like Elijahs coughing he's doing. So, I'm going to wait like our vet suggested and see what happens. I, like you, with animals and humans don't like to give the meds either unless it's a have to, and I surely don't want Mags having the antibiotics to soon and her getting immune to them and then when she does really need the, they wont' work. I just can't wait for all this to be done and over with. About a month after or so after we lost Dottie, for some stupid, stupid reason, I got the idea it would be good to rescue another furbaby, it would be good for Elijah cause he's older now (8 years old) and he just can't keep up with Gracie who's almost a year and a half now. Gracie and Dottie used to play like crazy and rough all the time, that's just the way they were. Elijah on the other hand is all about love, love and more love, doesn't like to play rough at all. I thought rescuing a furbaby around Gracies age would be good as her and the new one could play together and Elijah would be able to just sit back in his old age and relax. Long story short, it all backfired right in my face when Gracie and the new boxer bulldog mix HATED one another with a passion. Had they not been on leashes when we introduced them, I'm afraid they would have tried to kill one another. So, the very next day, we had to take the new one back to the shelter :-( But she has since been adopted out to another family, that I am thankful for, because it was a kill shelter. Doc said it's very highly likely that/that is where the kennel cough came from :-( I felt like I was honoring Dottie by rescuing another furbaby (cause we rescued her from a kill shelter as well 10 years ago.) Now, now I just feel so horrible that our furkids are sick and it's more than likely because I brought a shelter furbaby home ;-( I just want them all to get better and be ok.

[Beabble]

Originally Posted by Baby Blessing

Hi Tracey, sending hug to you it sounds like you are on top of things, hope each is all well real soon, you are doing a great job.
Patti and Jack

Thank you Patty and Jack.

[Beabble]

Originally Posted by Lisa and Pic

Both of my girls got kennel cough when I brought in a foster last fall. Wish I would have separated them right away, but I did not. It was sad listening to all of them cough. (On top of that, for no related reason, I had terrible bronchitis also.) There really was not much that I could do for them, except take them to the vet for antibiotics, in case they got a secondary infection.

Is there someplace else you could take your pup to give her a bath, where your other dogs do not go, like the bathtub?

Anyway, sorry you are going through this and hope it passes through your home quickly.

No, there really isn't. I only have one restroom here at our house and I have been taking Gracie and Elijah in there a few times a day and running the shower and letting it get all steamed up and keeping them in there for about 20 minutes. It helps to break things up and helps them stop coughing so much. I had went out and bought a vaporizer for this reason, but the vaporizer doesn't put out nearly as much steam as taking them in the restroom and turning on the shower.

[IsabelleOllie]

I hope that everyone is feeling better soon! Maybe you could ask your vet when it would be ok for your two little ones to be around your big dogs again. I'm really not sure how long KC is contagious I was very lucky that Belle didn't come down with it, as all 3 of mine are always together.

I'm sorry that your adoption didn't work out, and on top of that it made your babies sick! You seem to be very generous and loving, and I can understand why you'd want to rescue another furbaby. Hugs to you and your pups, and I'll pray for a quick recovery and good health for them all!

[Beabble]

Originally Posted by IsabelleOllie

I hope that everyone is feeling better soon! Maybe you could ask your vet when it would be ok for your two little ones to be around your big dogs again. I'm really not sure how long KC is contagious I was very lucky that Belle didn't come down with it, as all 3 of mine are always together.

I'm sorry that your adoption didn't work out, and on top of that it made your babies sick! You seem to be very generous and loving, and I can understand why you'd want to rescue another furbaby. Hugs to you and your pups, and I'll pray for a quick recovery and good health for them all!

Thank you so much for the prayers, I really do appreciate it more than I can say. I actually called our vet the other day and asked them how long they were contagious, the receptionist said as long as they have the cough, they are contagious :-( I've pretty much decided I just don't want another furbaby at this point in my life. Being so crushed from losing Dottie and still struggling to get through losing her, and now our furkids being sick from trying to bring another one in, I'm just sick to my stomach and so upset over it all. I know Elijah is considered a senior now, and I know he can't keep up with Gracie and she loves to play rough and run her heart out, but I also don't feel it's fair to bring another furbaby in if I can't bond with him or her, and at this point, after all that's happened, I just really don't think I can :-( I'll just try and be all I can to Gracie that she needs to burn off energy and hope that's enough. Our back yard is all privacy fenced in so she can run till she can;t run anymore, it just makes my heart so sad and I feel horrible for her and Elijah both when he just wants to lay on the deck and relax, and she just keeps on him to play, it's just so heart breaking ;-(

[Beabble]

I also worry about when we do lose Elijah, how Gracies going to handle it not having a brother or sister here with her anymore that she's so bonded to. I have way to many things going through my mind....