How contagious is kennel cough?

[mer1007]

Hi everyone, just want to say thanks for anyone who has responded to my previous posts about my baby's cough! I have another question because there is a yorkie meetup in my area (Boston) next Saturday the 21st and all the babies will be wearing their costumes, etc. and I met someone who is from the same town as me online who is a member of that meetup group who wants to meet me so our yorkies can play! I can't wait for Bella to have a chance to socialize with other puppies but with this cough I am not sure what to do....if you read my other post ("My 18 week yorkie keeps coughing") then you know she has had this cough since I got her in August and has tried 3 antibiotics, which haven't done anything. So she is being treated for kennel cough and I am wondering if that is what she has...is she still contagious after all this time? Would other yorkies catch what she has even if they have been vaccinated against it? As much as I would love to bring her in her costume next Saturday, I don't want any other yorkies getting sick or others seeing her cough and be afraid she might be contagious. Does anyone know if she would still be contagious (assuming it is kennel cough, which I am not even sure of anymore if that is what's causing her cough)?

[Patti]

That's very responsible of you!! When I got Cali last year she had it and gave it to my 8 /1 2 year old pom. They both had it for over 3 months and many rounds of antibiotics. You may want to ask the vet what they feel the cantagious risk is now.

[LuvMySissy]

I do know that it is contagious, but I would talk to your vet regarding how long they stay contagious once on antibiotics. I'm sorry you are having such a difficult time with this. Sissy had it after she got her intranasal bordetella and it took a month and two rounds of meds to get rid of it.

[Shadow's mommy]

Right now Shadow is being treated for kennel cough. I asked the vet if I could still take him to the groomers next weekend and she said, yes that it would be fine. That would be 2 weeks since he was diagnosed with it.

She also told me it was very contagious to other dogs that are not vacinated for kennel cough. I have 2 other dogs that live in the house with us and they are vacinated for it so therefore they have not gotten it from Shadow.

She also told me that he could have the cough from 1 to 8 weeks and even then, he could still cough once in awhile. It takes a long time to get over it. His has seemed to get much better but still has bouts with it when he gets excited.

I hope this helps answer your questions!

[Miss_Sara]

to be honest
I think it's EXTREMLY contagious

but I think it's less contagious if they're on antibiotics!

[karmaistrue]

How do you know if your pup has it? Gia has started coughing more than usual & every once in a while she'll sneeze. I'm bringing her to the vet Friday for her dry skin issues , I should also probably bring that up too. I thought she might have caught a little cold from the weather changing

[mer1007]

I guess I don't know for sure that she has it but from what I have described to my vet she has been treating her for it. Everyone says it takes a really long time to get rid of and my baby has had it since I first got her (8 weeks) and still no better. I really wonder sometimes if it isn't something else. When she coughs it sounds like there's so much congestion in there. Before I think I would have described it as a dry cough but it sounds like there is stuff that wants to come out. I am getting worried about her because in the past week she has thrown up 3 times (only once per day). As I write this, she just threw up her third time a few minutes ago. I am debating on whether to call my vet even though it would be an after hour appointment because I would have to call the emergency number. I talked to my vet yesterday when she threw up and she said if it happened again that day to call the emergency number if they were closed because she could get dehydrated. It didn't happen again yesterday but now this morning she just threw up. I am really starting to get worried.

[LuvMySissy]

I think I would call the vet. Your baby is still young and that makes a huge difference.

I don't know if there are different kinds of kennel cough, but I can tell you when Sissy had it, when she would start coughing it was like she couldn't stop and the cough was very barky sounding, like she was trying to hack up a furball. Very similar to the sound a baby makes when they have croup. She never threw up with Kennel cough, though.

I'm thinking maybe there is something else going on. Please at least call the vet and see what they think and keep us posted. Sending thoughts and prayers your way.

[doortego]

I have to say I don't believe I would take her to a meet up or play date or anything like that. I would hate to think that I had caused someone else's pup to become sick but also if your dog isn't well, her resistance is probably down making her more susceptible to other illnesses.

I hope she gets better soon.

[chattiesmom]

Kennel Cough is VERY HIGHLY contagious. Dogs can continue to drop bacterial for months after all symptoms are gone.

[JoyRenee]

Our Rascal Bear had Kennels cough and he had it for around 4 mths. My Vet said it was HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS! If it were me I would not go visit w/ other dogs while having the extreme possibility of it being Kennels cough. And Yes, there are different kinds of Kennels cough. Kennels cough is so contagious that I had to keep our new baby from him. Before he was diagnosed with it we had purchased our Youngest Yorkie. Soooooo the breeder needed us to get her so We had to keep her downstairs and Rascal upstairs w/ Peaches who had been vaccined for Kennel cough. Our Vet told us we had to sanitize our selves and change clothes before going into the room where Baby (Our New Yorkie). We had to do this for over a month. Meanwhile we had her vaccinated but had to wait a month to be sure it took full affect. So Expressed over and over how contagious it is. So faithfully I would change clothes before entering the room and sanitize my hands face, change socks the whole 9. It was a pain but worth it to keep her healthy.
Just dont chance it

[MyTrixie143]

Kennel cough is very contagious. I have known some dogs to get it even though they were vaccinated for it. I would not take the risk and just keep her home. I won't take mine anywhere where they are around other dogs if they mine have even a slight cough. It is always better to be safe than sorry!!

I hope your baby feels better soon!!

[alisonJ]

Originally Posted by Miss_Sara

to be honest
I think it's EXTREMLY contagious

but I think it's less contagious if they're on antibiotics!

I agree---I understand from my vet that it is very contagious. There is a vaccine, though. I suggest that if your pup goes to a groomer or anywhere there are other dogs, that she/he be vaccinated. In fact, my groomer will not take dogs that have not had the vaccine.

[JoyRenee]

Originally Posted by MyTrixie143

Kennel cough is very contagious. I have known some dogs to get it even though they were vaccinated for it. I would not take the risk and just keep her home. I won't take mine anywhere where they are around other dogs if they mine have even a slight cough. It is always better to be safe than sorry!!

I hope your baby feels better soon!!

You are exactly right, that is what my vet said.. that even if a Dog is Vaccinated for it, It still is not a Gaurantee that it will not get it. I was holding my breath for my other two dogs that were upstairs w/ Rascal before he was diagnosed with it. But, Rascal is better now and all dogs are doing Great.