So you need to go out of town, work late, get your fur-kid groomed, etc. and you’re trying to find care for your fur-kid(s). Your veterinarian, kennel owner, day care provider or groomer says your dog should/must be vaccinated
Kennel Cough is like a “cold” for dogs…..
against kennel cough. What should you do?
More and more, pet parents are opting to keep their fur-kid’s at home!
What many people do not understand that vaccination is a serious medical procedure with significant potential risks. Also, the vaccine isunlikely to prevent kennel cough! What’s even WORSE is it can even produce kennel-cough like symptoms. The WSAVA Guidelines say, “Transient (3–10 days) coughing, sneezing, or nasal discharge may occur in a small percentage of vaccinates.” It can also cause a serious anaphylactoid reaction. Look it up. It’s not pretty.
So, What Is Kennel Cough?
Kennel cough is basically a “dog cold”…..a term loosely used to describe a complex of infections—both viral and bacterial—that causes inflammation of a dog’s voice box and windpipe. It’s a form of bronchitis and is similar to a chest cold in humans. Though it usually clears up on its own, kennel cough is highly contagious to other dogs.
What Are the General Symptoms of Kennel Cough?
A persistent dry cough with a “honking” sound is the main clue your dog’s caught kennel cough. In most cases, she’ll appear healthy except for the cough. Her appetite and activity level usually won’t change, but don’t be alarmed if she gags and coughs up a white, foamy phlegm—these signs are often worse after exercise, or if she’s excited or pulls against her collar. Some dogs may also develop a fever and nasal discharge.
Note: If you decide to give the vaccine, make sure it is the intranasal form, that is, given as nose drops, not injected. And give the vaccine at least a week before contact with other dogs, for the sake of both your dog and other dogs.
Don’t take my word for any of this. Read what two vets and a PhD have to say about the Bordetella vaccine:
World-renowned vaccination scientist, Dr. Ronald Schultz, says [emphasis is mine]: “Many animals receive “kennel cough” vaccines that include Bordetella and CPI and/or CAV-2 every 6 to 9 month swithout evidence that this frequency of vaccination is necessary or beneficial. In contrast, other dogs are never vaccinated for kennel cough and disease is not seen. CPI immunity lasts at least 3 years when given intranasally, and CAV -2 immunity lasts a minimum of 7 years parenterally for CAV-I. These two viruses in combination with Bordetella bronchiseptica are the agents most often associated with kennel cough, however, other factors play an important role in disease (e.g. stress, dust, humidity, molds, mycoplasma, etc.), thus kennel cough is not a vaccine preventable disease because of the complex factors associated with this disease. Furthermore, this is often a mild to moderate self limiting disease. I refer to it as the ‘Canine Cold.’”
In the past, pet parents have had very few choices concerning care for their fur-kids while they were away. In looking for alternatives to kenneling and boarding, many have found that to have their pets cared for in their own environment is one of the best choices for both the owner and the pet. When you hire a professional pet sitter like Paws Pet Care, when you go away, your pet stays at home! Each day you are away a pet sitter will come to your home for several visits to feed and care for both your pets and your home. It’s that simple.
Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions before hiring us (or someone else)…and click here to see a list of other reasons why it is beneficial to hire a pet sitter for your fur-kids!
Give us a call today at 502-802-5052 to experience the BEST Louisville pet sitting (dogs, cats, birds, fish and more) dog walking and overall pet care for your fur-kids!
Beth Green, Owner & Pack Leader at Paws Pet Care Pet Sitting & Dog Walking
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