Nancy Freedman-Smith, dog trainer and owner of Gooddogz Training, provides a place for dog owners to find positive training tips, canine-activities and places to visit along with the latest information on keeping your dog healthy and active. Nancy lives with her three young kids, Charlee and Finney the dogs, Yellow the parakeet and Tater-Tot the Hamster. Staying current, keeping fresh, and always learning new things is a must for Nancy and her profession because one thing that animals surely teach you is "the more you know, the more you know you don't know."
Calling all petxperts- Kennel Cough
In case you have noticed the lack of blogs this week, here is why.
Lots of germs pass through my home. I have three kids. Need I say more?
Last week one of my kids had an early case of the flu. The rest of us got sick but didn't miss work or school.
One of my client's dogs was diagnosed with Kennel Cough (Bordatella) at the same time. I am getting sicker with a nasty cough that is barky and quite distinctive.
Three people yesterday jokingly asked me if I had Kennel Cough, but not before I wondered the same thing myself.
So I came home and goggled Kennel Cough, and yes apparently humans can get it! Usually it is those with compromised immune systems. I had pneumonia two years ago, so I guess I fit the bill for that. If I am worse tomorrow I will go to the doctors but it got me thinking...
If I do have Kennel Cough, can I pass it on to my client's dogs? Tomorrow (Monday) I would come in contact with about 15 client's dogs so I need to know!
Comments most welcome!
Comments
Nancy,
Just because you got the flu a few years ago doesn't say anything about your immune system today. I'm willing to bet it's fine - and so are those of the rest of your family.
"Kennel cough" is a group of bacterial and mycoplasmal organisms that can stick on the lining of the trachea and bronchi (wind pipe) and proliferate, causing cough.
The organisms can act alone (in dogs with incompetent immune systems (rare)), but usually they are spread together. Because they infect only the inner lining of cells that are between air and the rest of the windpipe, they are impossible to treat with antibiotics because they have a poor blood supply (antibiotics travel through the bloodstream and they don't work if they don't get to the infection).
Kennel cough itself is not a dangerous disease - although it is not fun to live with your dog while it goes through several weeks of coughing. I only treat kennel cough if the cough is keeping the patient and the owner awake at night - and then only with a cough suppressant. If the cough is productive the daytime hours are essential for the "gunk - dead cells and bacteria) - to be coughed up and out. The little sound at the end of your dog's cough is when the gunk is being brought up into the back of the throat - but don't don't expect to see the gunk. It gets recycled.
I wouldn't worry about having kennel cough unless you have withheld information. I wouldn't worry about spreading KC to your family or client's dogs.
Send me a personal e-mail if even one of your client's dogs gets KC.
Posted by Sid LehrOctober 22, 2006 10:34 AM
Thanks Doc!
Credentials were left out, but above comments were posted by a Vet.
Nancy
who really sounds JUST like she has Kennel Cough.
October 22, 2006 10:56 AM
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