Mork Has Kennel Cough (and Pneunomia)
 

Hi,

I have a 9 week old 2.5 lbs Yorkie, named Mork, that became part of the family on Monday. On Tuesday, she started coughing and we took her to the vet on Wednesday. The vet told us she had caught kennel cough that she had probably caught in transit to the woman from whom we bought her. However, he said she would be fine and sent her home with antibiotics. On Thursday, Mork could barely breathe. She wasn't eating, drinking, and she was barely moving. So we brought her back for treatment and she is being cared for but we are wondering if any one would know, what are her chances? Is this common for Yorkie puppies? :(

Thanks,
Mork's Mom

This is not "common" for Yorkies....it IS a common problem with some of the people that breed Yorkies. Letting a baby go before it is 12-14 weeks old has many "unintended consequences".....this puppy was too early to have been started on vaccinations, if she even was. If she was traveling unvaccinated, that is not good. These little young babies just do not have all four feet planted firmly on the ground, so to speak, health wise. Responsible, ethical breeders want to kjeep their babies until it is best FOR THE PUPPY to be allowed to leave. I personally do NOT let mine go before they are fully vaccinated with all their puppy shots....I not only want them completely vaccinated, I want to make absolutely certain they tolerated the vaccinations without any untoward effects. And of course there are the psychological benefits of leaving babies with their momma for that length of time, which I wont even go into in this case as your problem is with your sick little girl. I am terribly sorry for your predicament, especially for that pitiful little soul that is now struggling to survive at such an early age, when she should have nothing but love and happiness and endless play and fun and joy and exploring and learning.....but she is fighting to live because some incompetetent BYB didnt care enough about this baby to make SURE that this baby had a glorious future. I am praying for your precious little baby.....do NOT let the vet vaccinate this baby while she is sick already....If she survives this unfortunate event, take her home, do NOT expose her to any other dogs and as few people as absolutely possible, until she gets well and can be started on her vaccinations. I would NEVER vaccinate this baby against kennel cough, especially with the live virus....she could easily come down with the disease all over again.

They told my dad and me that she's had three sets of her puppy shots and that she had already received a health certificate from the Vet that approved her for shipment. When she's healthy, you wouldn't recommend vaccinating her for kennel cough? I would think that we would want her vaccinated. It is so hard to see her suffer so much.

Was she flown to you? If so, she may have gotten it during that transport; but she also could have been exposed at the breeder. The incubation period is 2 - 14 days.

Here is a link with information about kennel cough:

Kennel Cough

I would contact the breeder for assistance. Do you have a contract that covers such things?

I would speak with your vet about future vaccines. As for the one for kennel cough, if you are ever going to board her or leave her at a groomer it is recommended that you have them.

I seriously doubt she had three sets of puppy shots at 9 weeks. Most vets won't even start them until 9 weeks of age and then each set is done 3 weeks apart. Vaccines are useless prior to that because the puppy can't mount the proper immune response to develop immunity.

As for continuing to vaccinate for kennel cough, that will be your call. If you plan to ever board her or have her groomed at a salon, then most likely that vaccine will be required by those places.

It is hard to see them so ill. I hope she makes a full recovery and is back I. Your arms very soon.

Hi ladyjane,

Mork wasn't flown in from my understanding. The Vet said that she likely came by bus and that she likely got kennel cough in transit. He said that a lot of the puppies that have come in by bus have had kennel cough recently. He said that it appears random.

I think I will talk to the Vet about vaccinations but it seems like she should have them.

Thanks,
Mork's Mom

Rhetts_mama,

I have shot records for her but I don't know how to read them. They told us that she has had three sets of shots and has been de-wormed three times.

Thank you for the well wishes.

Mork's Mom

Just an update on my lil princess Mork: I got to visit with her today (I hadn't seen her since Thursday when she got really bad) and she appears to be doing much better. Her fever broke yesterday and she is eating and drinking on her own now! She still isn't very playful but she's moving around again. Her breathing isn't nearly as labored. She's still coughing something awful but I'm told that it is a productive cough. She also fights like crazy when they try to give her antibiotics. She still isn't well but she seems to be doing much better.

Have you contacted the breeder to notify them??

I am sure the breeder will want to know. It's contagious, so it's possible that other pups in the kennel could have it.


If they have a health cert, wouldn't it be covered since the puppy arrived with kennel cough??


Also, would the pneumonia be an indicator that the dog has had kennel cough for a bit and has went untreated~thus developing into the pneumonia??

Hi theyorkieporkie,

The breeder knows that the puppy is sick. She's been notified and is covering the costs of the puppies treatments. I talked to her this afternoon, as well, and all of her puppies were sick and are receiving antibiotics.
I don't know if it is an indication that it has gone untreated or not. I know that she wasn't showing symptoms when we brought her home Monday. She was playful and happy. But, by Tuesday, she started to cough and we had her into the Vet the very next day.

Thanks,
Mork's Mom

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
If you choose to give the vaccine for kennel cough, IF IT WAS ME, I would only give the injection, NOT the nasal inhalant, as that is a live virsu that is given, and has on many occasions given the pup a case of kennel cough. Please do your own research on the vaccine as well as the disease and make an informed decision.

Hi Yorkiemom,

Thank you for the advice. I have a really good vet, that I trust, that should be able to guide and advise about her shots.

Thanks,

Mork's Mom

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Here's a picture of Mork from my visit with her yesterday. She's still not doing well but she's doing so much better than she was doing. I miss my poor baby :( and hope she is fully recovered soon. It was so hard to leave her there but I know it is what is best for her.

Poor baby, she looks like she doesn\'t feel good. Glad she\'s doing better!