some kennel cough info

After talking on another thread I found this on kennel cough

http://www.workingdogs.com/deboerken_cough.htm

http://www.vetinfo.com/dkcough.html

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm ... icleid=452


Since last year I have decided not to vaccinate against it, because Wylie had a reaction to her shot, scare me.

I am curious on peoples thoughts on this,

If I were doing shows, competitions, etc I would have it done,

I look at it like flu shot, I am in a not at risk category so I wont get the vaccine

I do believe we are overvaccinating to a certain extent and still believe that some are required

here is some info on yearly vaccinations
http://www.vetinfo.com/dogvacc.html#Vac ... d%20titres

 

I bring Nala to agility trials and have never had a problem with any sort of illness. But I suppose most of those dogs have been vaccinated.

I just don't see why dogs would have to be vaccinated every year when people do not! It makes no sense.

 

Oh, and there are links sometimes between the emergence of kennel cough in a dog and recent vaccination with bordatella or distemper, meaning the dog actually GETS the disease from these shots.

If a healthy dog is going to come into contact with a sick dog, then it is appropriate to use the corresponding homeopathic nosode. This protects the dog, especially if they have NOT been vaccinated. Vaccinating the dog AND giving the nosode tends to negate the effects.

Nosodes should not be used as a preventive. This is not what they are intended for.

There is also a whole slew of homeopathic remedies appropriate for kennel cough, depending on the specific symptoms of the affected dog or dogs. Like everything else in homeopathy, you can't say "Take this for that" but you look at each animal as an individual. This is much better than slamming the dog on antibiotics for weeks.

 

Lucy, the st. I adopted briefly, had kennel cough. It is a BAD cold. Poor thing was sneezing and coughing up stuff and had a runny nose, etc. Indy didn't get anything but he had been vaccinated. The only reason I give him the bordatella is b/c the kennel I board him at occassionally requires it, and they DO check records. He never had any reaction from his vaccine though.

 

i got a call from the vet about 4-5 months ago and said sebatain needed his bortolla (sp) i thought it was a shot so i took him in and they squirted it up his nose poor guy. But about 1 month ago i took them to the groomer and apperantly Jasmine caught kennl cough there. It is a really bad cold poor little girl is only 4.5 pounds and coughing and sneezing it was terriable it's mostly gone now and since sebastain had his bortolla he didnt get it. I'm waiting for jasmine to completly recovr then i will get it for her also because i take them to the groomer.

I agree about the over vac. but now that she got that i dont want her to ever get it again

 

Well, some people get flu shots every year but I don't think they are terribly effective because the flu is always mutating. I'd rather take my chances with the flu. It sounds like kennel cough is the same sort of thing.

 

The reason people who are at risk, like me, get an annual flu vaccination is because the virus mutates so readily. Last years vaccine isn't effective against this years flu. It's always been that way, and vaccinations have nothing to do with the fact that flu mutates so quickly. While most people will recover from a bought of the flu, some of us have chronic medical conditions that can make flu deadly. The risk that I might have a reaction to the flu vaccine is much less than the risk that I will develop a life threatening complication if I get the flu.

As far as kennel cough. There are several different pathogens that cause the disease, or group of diseases. The bordetella vaccine isn't even really a vaccine, it's a bacterin, and it only works against two of the four bacteria known to cause kennel cough. That's the major reason I don't bother with it.

My Olsen has had two boughts of kennel cough that lasted less than a week. It wasn't that serious, just a bit of coughing and gagging if he got himself riled up about something. I have to assume he has a pretty good immune system, dispite the fact that he eats kibbled food, takes a monthly heartworm preventative and gets vaccinations every three years.

 

Yes, the flu changes all the time which is why there is a new vaccine every year. BUT they have to GUESS what it is likely to be, which is why often the shot does NOT protect you.

However, if there is a REASON to get the shot - such as a high-risk group like yourself - and the danger of the shot is outweighed by the danger of the disease then it's a great tool and we're lucky it is available!

For myself, I am a healthy person and if I get the flu I am sick for a week or two and that's it. In the last 10 years I have got it maybe once, but it's hard to say if it's even the flu or not. It's inconvenient, but I see no reason to inject stuff into myself for convenience. Your case is different!

Dogs CAN have healthy immune systems (or appear to) even on kibble and preventives and vaccines. Every dog is different. Sometimes all but one of your dogs comes down with something - what's different about that one dog that stays healthy? Can't say for sure.

A lot of the problems of the unhealthy diets and poisons don't surface until the dog gets older, when they get cancer, arthritis, kidney problems, liver problems, diabetes, etc. However, even when they are young they get parasites and infestations less if they are not exposed to all these things. A dog can get worms and clear them just fine without help if they are healthy. They can even host a few and if there are no ill effects it's no big deal.